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Background: The Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons (SAGES) has long recognized and championed increasing diversity within the surgical workplace. SAGES initiated the Fundamentals of Leadership Development (FLD) Curriculum to address these needs and to provide surgeon leaders with the necessary tools and skills to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in surgical practice. In 2019, the American College of Surgeons issued a request for anti-racism initiatives which lead to the partnering of the two societies. The primary goal of FLD was to create the first surgeon-focused leadership curriculum dedicated to DEI. The rationale/development of this curriculum and its evaluation/feedback methods are detailed in this White Paper. Methods: The FLD curriculum was developed by a multidisciplinary task force that included surgeons, education experts, and diversity consultants. The curriculum development followed the Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation and Evaluation (ADDIE) instructional design model and utilized a problem-based learning approach. Competencies were identified, and specific learning objectives and assessments were developed. The implementation of the curriculum was designed to be completed in short intervals (virtual and in-person). Post-course surveys used the Kirkpatrick's model to evaluate the curriculum and provide valuable feedback. Results: The curriculum consisted of interactive online modules, an online discussion forum, and small group interactive sessions focused in three key areas: (1) increasing pipeline of underrepresented individuals in surgical leadership, (2) healthcare equity, and (3) conflict negotiation. By focusing on positive action items and utilizing a problem-solving approach, the curriculum aimed to provide a framework for surgical leaders to make meaningful changes in their institutions and organizations. Conclusion: The FLD curriculum is a novel leadership curriculum that provided surgeon leaders with the knowledge and tools to improve diversity in three areas: pipeline improvement, healthcare equity, and conflict negotiation. Future directions include using pilot course feedback to enhance curricular effectiveness and delivery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

C. Wright Mills' The Sociological Imagination (1959) represents one of the most influential texts of postwar American sociology. The title has become a catchphrase that stands for a style of thought that transcends both theoretical dogma and the constraints of mere methodological rule following. This article sets out to show that Mills' vision of the sociological imagination had more in common with the then dominant lines of scholarship than his broadside against Parsonian grand theory and Lazarsfeldian abstracted empiricism in the main part of the book would suggest. Among the tools that Mills introduced as fostering the sociological imagination were 2 × 2 tables. The article traces the use of such tables over time and across scholarly communities and shows that, contrary to Mills' own estimate, these tables describe a common nexus between his own work and that of Parsons and Lazarsfeld. All three scholars made ample use of this formal tool to construct sociological arguments at central places of their oeuvre. Given its shared use across otherwise divergent schools, the 2 × 2 table is a prime example for what historians of science have called paper tools, i.e. statistical formulas, algorithms, tables, diagrams, graphs, etc., that structure scientific research across different schools of thought and theoretical approaches. Drawing on the notion of paper tools, the article advances a post-Kuhnian perspective on the history of sociology that shifts the research focus from substantive ideas to formal tools and demonstrates elements of commensurability among presumably incommensurable schools of thought. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

System barriers to effective healthcare engagement and navigation contribute to healthcare disparities among Latino children with immigrant parents in the US. We evaluated a nine-minute educational video supporting healthcare navigation and engagement skills of Spanish-speaking Latino parents of infants. Participants viewed the video at their child's 2-month well-visit, completed a pre-and post-video knowledge evaluation, and answered open-ended questions on video style. A paired t test was used to examine differences in knowledge and open-ended responses were coded using an iterative, consensus-based process. Of the 79 participants, 63.3% had an education level below high school diploma/GED and 84.8% were at risk for limited health literacy. There was a significant gain in healthcare navigation and engagement knowledge after watching the video (p < 0.001). Parents expressed that the video was interesting and provided useful information. Parents valued the knowledge gained and preferred videos over written materials for receiving culturally and linguistically tailored health education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper was written in 2013 as the faculty of the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College (RRC) was considering a policy barring prospective rabbinical students from being partnered with non-Jews. Composed by Rabbi Deborah Waxman, Ph.D., prior to her assuming the presidency of Reconstructing Judaism, it recommends that RRC set aside this policy and replace it with a clearly articulated preference that rabbinical students create for themselves homes with rich Jewish practice, and a requirement that children in the home be raised exclusively in the Jewish tradition. The recommendation emerges from a review of classical Reconstructionist positions as articulated by Mordecai M. Kaplan, the 1968 and 1979 Reconstructionist stands on patrilineal descent, the nature of religious authority, the impact of second-wave feminism on American Jewish life, and consideration of universalism versus particularism. The ultimate conclusion is that RRC's mission is to attract Jews to Jewish living and not to police boundaries and that adopting a more inclusive partner status policy is an affirmation of key Reconstructionist principles, including fostering diverse expressions of Jewish identity and inclusive Jewish communities, and an authentic step in an evolving understanding of the Jewish civilization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA) is the third leading cause of cancer-related death in the United States and is projected to be the second by 2030. Systemic combination chemotherapy is considered an essential first-line treatment for the majority of patients with PDA, in both the neoadjuvant and palliative settings. In addition, a number of novel therapies are being tested in clinical trials for patients with advanced PDA. In all cases, accurate and timely assessment of treatment response is critical to guide therapy, reduce drug toxicities and cost from a failing therapy, and aid adaptive clinical trials. Conventional morphological imaging has significant limitations, especially in the context of determining primary tumor response and resectability following neoadjuvant therapies. In this article, we provide an overview of current therapy options for PDA, highlight several morphological imaging findings that may be helpful to reduce over-staging following neoadjuvant therapy, and discuss a number of emerging imaging, and non-imaging, tools that have shown promise in providing a more precise quantification of disease burden and treatment response in PDA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Children are defined as hypertensive when their blood pressure values equal or exceed the 95th percentile of the blood pressure value distribution in a pediatric population, according to gender, age and height. The population on which reference tables are based is of fundamental importance to establish the threshold values for the diagnosis of hypertension in pediatric age. Before 2017, both American and European guidelines used nomograms created in the same reference population which included children of all weight classes. Given the close and well-known association between hypertension and excess weight in childhood, the 2017 American guidelines proposed new reference nomograms excluding subjects with overweight and obesity from the "historical" reference population. Furthermore, the new American guidelines suggested a fixed cut-off of 130/80 mmHg, starting from 13 years and regardless of gender and height, to make the diagnosis of hypertension. In this document, the Italian Hypertension Society (SIIA) and the Italian Pediatric Society (SIP) jointly discuss a number of issues raised by the new American guidelines that involve the entire medical community, and also address the definition of arterial hypertension in the transition phase between childhood and adulthood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years an uneasy peace has descended in U.S. academe between those who feel research universities have done too little to advance the representation of minority groups and women and those who feel that the administrative policies developed to improve representation can and sometimes do come into conflict with core intellectual commitments of universities. Using quantitative and qualitative evidence from interviews with 47 natural sciences, engineering, and mathematics faculty members at a U.S. research university, the paper examines the background characteristics of three sets of protagonists - academic progressives, academic traditionalists, and those whose views bridge the divide - and the way respondents discussed and justified their viewpoints. The paper draws on the theory of strategic action fields to illuminate the structure and dynamics of the conflict and suggests modifications to the theory that would improve its explanatory power for this case. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper explores the role of the European Union (EU) in the war in Ukraine, from the run-up of the war to its impact on the EU's future structure and functions, within Europe and globally. It begins with an account of the condition of the EU before the war, which it describes as overextended and stagnant with respect to the EU's proclaimed finalité, the "ever closer union of the peoples of Europe." Next, it recounts the use of the EU in early American attempts to include Ukraine in the East European enlargement of NATO, with EU membership as a reward for Ukrainian Westernization. To the EU leadership, this presented an opportunity to revive older, by then largely failed attempts at supranational unification and centralization, by offering to the United States to serve as its transatlantic base for its Ukrainian strategy. Following this, the paper explores the consequences for the EU and its stronger member states of the impending American withdrawal from the Ukrainian war theater, as the US turns to its conflict with China. The final section discusses the conditions under which Europe, the European states, and the EU can hope for some kind of strategic and political autonomy in the emerging new New World Order. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: This study presents a global research scenario in the broad domain of osteoarthritis (OA) research, using quantitative and qualitative publication and citation indicators. Methods: The study is based on 45,368 global publications, sourced from the Scopus bibliographical database, covering three decades (1994–2023). We studied the performance of the top 12 developed and top 12 developing countries. The key countries, organizations and authors at national and international levels were identified. The broad subject areas and key journals contributing to global OA research were delineated, besides identifying the broad characteristics of highly cited papers in the field. Results: The United States and China were the most productive countries, while the Netherlands and Canada made the largest citation impact. Harvard Medical School and the University of Sydney made the most contribution, while Boston University and Pfizer Inc., USA registered the highest citation impact. Hunter DJ and Guermazi A were the most productive authors, while Lohmander LS, and Hochberg MC registered the highest citation impact. Osteoarthritis and Cartilage (n = 4879) and Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases (n = 786) published the maximum papers, while Arthritis and Rheumatism and Nature Reviews Rheumatology registered the largest citation impact. The highly cited papers with 100 or more citations constituted 6.25% of the total publications. Conclusions: There has been a systematic growth of publications on OA. The research on OA was mainly done in developed countries, with the maximum publications coming from the United States of America, China and Canada. The most impactful publications on OA were from the Netherlands, Canada and the United States of America. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The supply / demand issue in behavioral health care is a well-established fact, and the mental health toll of the COVID-19 pandemic continues to add challenges to an already taxed system. Existing healthcare models are not set up to adequately address the increasing mental health related needs. As such, innovative models are needed to provide patients with access to appropriate, evidence-based behavioral health care within routine clinical care. This paper introduces Precision Behavioral Health (PBH) as an example of such a model. PBH is an innovative, digital first care delivery model that provides an ecosystem of evidence-based digital mental health interventions to patients as a frontline behavioral health treatment within routine care in a large multispecialty group medical center in the United States. This paper describes the implementation of PBH within a practice research network set-up as part of an integrated behavioral health department. We will present how our team leveraged the RE-AIM (Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation, Maintenance; "What is RE-AIM?," n.d.) implementation science framework, which emphasizes the design, dissemination, and implementation processes at the individual, staff, and organizational levels, to prioritize key implementation constructs to enhance the successful integration of PBH within routine care. We describe how each of these constructs were operationalized to aid data gathering for rapid evaluation and lessons learned. We discuss the benefits of these types of initiatives across multiple stakeholders including patients, providers, organizations, payers, and digital intervention vendors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons (SAGES) Masters Program designated bariatric surgery as a clinical pathway. Among the tiers of the Masters Program, revisional bariatric surgery is the highest tier of "mastery" within the pathway. This article presents the top 10 seminal studies representing the current landscape of revisional bariatrics. Methods: The literature was systematically searched and seminal articles designated by consensus agreement of the SAGES Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery committee using multiple criteria, including impact on the field, citation frequency, and expert opinion. Articles were reviewed by committee members and presented in summarized fashion. Results: The top 10 papers are presented in grouped thematic categories covering the early evolution of revisional bariatrics, changing criteria for reoperative bariatric surgery, divergence of revision versus conversion bariatric surgery, and recent technologic innovations in revisional bariatric surgery. Each summary is presented with expert appraisal and commentary. Conclusion: These seminal papers represent a snapshot of the dynamic field of revisional bariatric surgery and emphasize the need to not only remain current with contemporary trends but also keep a patient-oriented perspective on patient and intervention selection for optimal success. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: A joint statement from two federal agencies in the United States calls for coordination and collaboration between programs serving families of infants and toddlers who are at risk or developmentally delayed or disabled U.S. Department of Education and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Policy guidance: Joint statement on collaboration and coordination of the MIECHV and IDEA Part C programs. (2017). Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. ED/HHS Joint Guidance Document: Collaboration and Coordination of the Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act Part C Programs. Young Native American children living on tribal lands in this country are currently eligible for two federal programs associated with these agencies which overlap in mission and implementation. Purpose: This paper outlines potential strategies for creating a more seamless system of services for tribal families involving more centralized intake processes and procedures, cross training of staff to work across programs, and adopting more unifying approaches to program implementation. Conclusion: A streamlined system of services will result in interventions that better support family and child outcomes while reducing duplication of services, consolidating the limited number of qualified professionals available to provide services, and increasing convenience and cultural attunement of services to Native American families currently participating in both programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The United States Supreme Court's decision in Dobb's v. Jackson Women's Health Organization has heightened interest in the link between restrictions on abortion access and child maltreatment. Connecting decreased access to abortion to increases in child maltreatment and subsequent foster care entries presents substantive challenges related to the magnitude of any effect of abortion restrictions, methodological challenges related to limitations of existing sources of national child welfare data, and conceptual challenges related to the structure and function of child welfare systems. In this paper, we explore these substantive, methodological and conceptual challenges. Specifically, we consider both the actual impact of abortion restrictions on the occurrence of abortions and the complexities that studying the link between abortion restrictions and child maltreatment presents. We caution researchers about making causal links between abortion restrictions and either child maltreatment or foster care entries without sufficiently documenting limitations of national sources of child welfare data and accounting for multiple confounding factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Task Force on 'Clinical Algorithms for Fracture Risk' commissioned by the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research (ASBMR) Professional Practice Committee has recommended that FRAX® models in the US do not include adjustment for race and ethnicity. This position paper finds that an agnostic model would unfairly discriminate against the Black, Asian and Hispanic communities and recommends the retention of ethnic and race-specific FRAX models for the US, preferably with updated data on fracture and death hazards. In contrast, the use of intervention thresholds based on a fixed bone mineral density unfairly discriminates against the Black, Asian and Hispanic communities in the US. This position of the Working Group on Epidemiology and Quality of Life of the International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF) is endorsed both by the IOF and the European Society for Clinical and Economic Aspects of Osteoporosis, Osteoarthritis and Musculoskeletal Diseases (ESCEO). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Unplanned or unwanted pregnancies and births are linked to adverse maternal outcomes, but the extent to which such relationships hold for all racial/ethnic groups remains unknown. In this paper, I use large-scale data to estimate unadjusted and inverse propensity weighted associations between a five-level measure of pregnancy intention and six indicators of maternal well-being among separate samples of white, Black, and Hispanic mothers. I find substantial racial/ethnic variation. White and Hispanic mothers who reported that their pregnancies were mistimed, unwanted, or that they were unsure how they felt were significantly more likely to experience adverse outcomes than same-race/ethnicity mothers who reported that their pregnancy was intended, but the pattern was much more tenuous for Black mothers. After adjusting for potential confounding variables, relationships between pregnancy intentions and adverse outcomes remain substantial only for white and Hispanic mothers. Significance: What is already known on this subject?: Recent research has found links between unplanned or unwanted pregnancies and adverse maternal outcomes, but the extent to which the relationship varies by race/ethnicity is unknown. What this study adds?: This study estimates unadjusted and inverse propensity weighted associations between a 5-level measure of pregnancy intention and six indicators of maternal well-being among separate samples of white, Black, and Hispanic mothers. Both unadjusted and inverse propensity weighted relationships are considerably stronger among Hispanic and white mothers than among Black mothers. Possible causes of these differences are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sexual wellness can be a difficult topic for people who have both bipolar disorder (BD) and bisexual identities, despite the essential role sexuality plays as a core feature of health and human behavior. In the United States, bi+ (bisexual, pansexual, sexually fluid) persons with BD can experience discrimination and face barriers by living in a society where misinformation and ableist ideals remain unchallenged. Examples of this include persistent stereotyping of hypersexuality and risky sexual behaviors, stigmatization, erasure, and biases against both groups. These groups need to be examined free from ableist tendencies and generalizations. In this conceptual paper, we introduce varied experiences of bi + and bipolar individuals, with a focus on their ability to engage freely with their sexuality despite societal judgments and conventions that refuse to acknowledge their sexuality in literature, academic research, and public spaces. By assessing this specific population, we have identified patterns and correlations that can start conversations to create a better understanding and acceptance of fluid sexualities and marginalized populations. We ultimately aim to guide further research for both bi + and bipolar populations that will advance cultural acceptance and facilitate sexual empowerment. This, in turn, may help in developing best practices, expanding knowledge, improving sexual health education, and ultimately reducing stigma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mental health concerns among juvenile-justice-involved youth (JJIY) continue to be a major health crisis in the United States (US). While scholarship has explored mental health concerns among JJIY, and the link to negative life outcomes, there are gaps in the existing research, particularly in effective interventions and models aimed at addressing both the mental health concerns and criminogenic risk contributing to recidivism and other negative life outcomes of this population. In this paper, we present Justice-Based Interdisciplinary Collective Care (JBICC), an innovative framework to address both the mental health needs and delinquent behavior of youth offenders. The model bridges community partners, with the purpose of informing future interventions, implementations, and research in this area. Increased justice-based interdisciplinary collective collaboration between the juvenile justice system and community programs/organizations would be a major benefit to youth offenders and their families. We also focus on the need for cultural responsiveness to be interwoven throughout all aspects of treatment. JBICC offers an opportunity to expanded services outside traditional settings and methods to ensure that youth offenders and their families receive validating and culturally responsive access to services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on religion and its practice. This paper aims to examine how the pandemic affects religious activities, donations, and finances over time and across regions within the United Methodist Church (UMC) in the USA. To address this question, we analyze survey data collected during the pandemic from 2963 churches in the USA by United Methodist Communications. Our analysis utilizes several quantitative techniques, including Z-tests, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), and multinomial logistic regressions. The results indicate a decrease in church attendance over time, with a more pronounced effect observed in non-urban areas (suburban, small town, and rural). Similarly, while church donations and finances mitigate over time across churches, churches in urban areas experience a quicker rebound compared to those in non-urban areas. Lastly, we find that church attendance and donations positively affect finances. These findings hold important implications for churches in various regions, offering insights to develop strategies for navigating the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research has shown that arts-based approaches facilitate literacy learning in children; however, few studies have focused on the integration of art and early writing in community-based Chinese heritage language classes, which have been marginalized from the formal educational discourse in the United States. By drawing on the theoretical perspectives on social semiotics, this paper explored how young Chinese heritage learners engage in "writing" Chinese characters using fallen leaves. The data sources included field notes of observations, video recordings of the class, and the artifacts made by the children. Multimodal analysis revealed that the teacher invited the students to write together and created a social context for children to compose writing artwork. Children engaged with their composition through a variety of modes. This study has implications for research, practice, and policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The growing prevalence of cardiovascular diseases in the United States (US) has disproportionately affected minority populations more than their white counterparts. A population that is often overlooked is the Asian American population, particularly Southeastern Asian immigrants. Despite having relatively favorable socioeconomic indicators compared to the general US population, Asian Americans, specifically Southeast Asian individuals, face a significant burden of traditional cardiovascular risk factors and are considered a high cardiovascular disease risk group. In addition, most studies have aggregated Asian populations into one major racial group rather than analyzing the different ethnicities among the Asian categorization. While some studies suggest that the acculturation process has some degree of impact on cardiovascular health, there has not been a widely-used tool to measure or ascertain the totality of acculturation. Instead, multiple proxies have been used to measure acculturation, and prior studies have argued for more culturally-tailored acculturation proxies. This paper aims to assess the implications of different acculturation measures on cardiovascular health among Asian Americans, particularly Southeastern Asian immigrants. The following proxies were expanded on in this paper: English spoken at home, length of stay in the US, religiosity and spirituality, and admixed family structures. Previous studies showed that as the length of stay in the US increases, the burden of cardiovascular risk factors increases. However, the impact of English spoken at home, religiosity, and admixed family structure are still inconclusive given the extent of current studies. While most studies suggest that an increase in acculturation increases the risk of cardiovascular disease, it is critical to note that acculturation is a multifaceted process. Therefore, more studies are necessary to appropriately examine the implications of various acculturation processes on cardiovascular risk factors in Asians, specifically Southeastern Asian individuals in the US. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Adolescent subjective well-being is a topic that has gained significant focus over recent years. This focus is reflected in forming measurement tools and interventions to better understand better and improve adolescent mental health. While these steps are necessary, problems still exist regarding adolescent subjective well-being measurement. Notably, current measurement tools are limited in their content, applicability to various populations, and accessibility. Aims: This paper examines the psychometric properties of the Survey on Flourishing (SURF) when used with an adolescent sample from the United States. Method: A sample of 334 participants participated in the present study. We examined the reliability and validity of the SURF by examining its internal consistency, convergent validity, and discriminant validity. We also examined the factor structure of the SURF using a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Results: The SURF demonstrated high internal consistency (α = 0.92), a strong positive correlation with convergent measures, and a weak negative correlation with a discriminant measure. A one-factor model best fits the observed data. Conclusion: The SURF demonstrated good psychometric properties and addressed several shortcomings in current measures. Preliminary data suggests the SURF may be a useful and practical measure of adolescent subjective well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To synthesize the available evidence on the extent to which area-level socioeconomic conditions are associated with drug overdose deaths in the United States. Methods: We performed a systematic review (in MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsychINFO, Web of Science, EconLit) for papers published prior to July 2022. Eligible studies quantitatively estimated the association between an area-level measure of socioeconomic conditions and drug overdose deaths in the US, and were published in English. We assessed study quality using the Effective Public Health Practice Project Quality Assessment Tool. The protocol was preregistered at Prospero (CRD42019121317). Results: We identified 28 studies that estimated area-level effects of socioeconomic conditions on drug overdose deaths in the US. Studies were scored as having moderate to serious risk of bias attributed to both confounding and in analysis. Socioeconomic conditions and drug overdose death rates were moderately associated, and this was a consistent finding across a large number of measures and differences in study designs (e.g., cross-sectional versus longitudinal), years of data analyzed, and primary unit of analysis (e.g., ZIP code, county, state). Conclusions: This review highlights the evidence for area-level socioeconomic conditions are an important factor underlying the geospatial distribution of drug overdose deaths in the US and the need to understand the mechanisms underlying these associations to inform future policy recommendations. The current evidence base suggests that, at least in the United States, employment, income, and poverty interventions may be effective targets for preventing drug overdose mortality rates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Breast cancer is one of the tumors with the highest prevalence rate among women in the world, and its BRCA1/2 gene is a common mutation site. Talazoparib, as a targeted PARP inhibitor, can effectively control the occurrence and development of breast cancer with BRCA1/2 gene mutation, and play a therapeutic role. Based on the findings from the Phase III EMBRACE trial (NCT01945775 clinical trial), our analysis reveals that the talazoparib group demonstrated a significant extension in progression-free survival, along with improved response markers and patient-reported outcomes when compared to conventional therapies. This study aims to assess the cost-effectiveness of talazoparib for treating advanced breast cancer with germline BRCA1/2 mutations and HER2 negativity, considering the perspectives of health services in China and the United States. The results obtained will serve as a valuable reference for promoting rational drug utilization and enhancing medical resource efficiency. To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of Talazoparib more scientifically and provide clinicians with chemotherapy options, this paper developed a Markov model based on the EMBRACA clinical trial (clinical Trails.gov No., NCT01945775) to simulate the survival events of breast cancer patients in the Talazoparib group and the standard treatment group. The state transition probability and clinical data of breast cancer patients during treatment were extracted from the phase III EMBRACA clinical trial. The cost data generated during the treatment process comes from local hospital pricing, other references, and expert consultation. This article uses US dollars to calculate the treatment cost and incremental cost-effectiveness ratio. Health outcomes are expressed in Quality Adjusted Life Years (QALYs). In addition, Outcomes were measured in quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs), and incremental cost-effectiveness ratio, which robustness was evaluated by deterministic and probabilistic sensitivity analyses. This article establishes a Markov model for single-item sensitivity analysis. The results show that the economic benefits of using Talazoparib as a new treatment strategy in both China and the United States are higher than other drugs, and it is cost-effective. Compared to the control group, the incremental cost incurred by the Talazoparib treatment group in China was $2484.48/QALY, with an incremental QALY of 1.5. However, Talazoparib in the United States holds a dominant position, saving costs of $10,223.43 and increasing QALYs by 1.5. The clinical treatment effect of Talazoparib group in BRCA1/2 mutant advanced breast cancer patients is better than that of the standard treatment group, and the progression free survival period is significantly prolonged. From the perspective of medical and health services in China and the United States, the Talazoparib group is more economical than the standard treatment group in treating patients with BRCA1/2 mutant advanced breast cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With annual point-in-time counts indicating a rise in unsheltered homelessness in the United States, much attention has been paid to how to best provide care to this population. Mobile medical units (MMUs) have been utilized by many programs. However, little is known regarding the evidence behind their effectiveness. A scoping review is conducted of research on MMU provision of medical services for populations experiencing homelessness in the USA to examine the extent and nature of research activity, summarize available evidence, and identify research gaps in the existing literature. Following guidelines for scoping reviews, PubMed and Google Scholar were used to identify an initial 294 papers published from January 1, 1980, to May 1, 2023, using selected keywords, which were distilled to a final set of 50 studies that met eligibility criteria. Eligible articles were defined as those that pertain to the provision of healthcare (inclusive of dental, vision, and specialty services) to populations experiencing homelessness through a MMU in the United States and have been published after peer review. Of the 50 studies in the review, the majority utilized descriptive (40%) or observational methods (36%), with 4 review and 8 controlled studies and no completed randomized controlled trials. Outcome measures utilized by studies include MMU services provided (58%), patient demographics (34%), health outcomes (16%), patient-centered measures (14%), healthcare utilization (10%) and cost analysis (6%). The studies that exist suggest MMUs can facilitate effective treatment of substance use disorders, provision of primary care, and services for severe mental illness among people experiencing homelessness. MMUs have potential to provide community-based healthcare services in settings where homeless populations reside, but the paucity of randomized controlled trials indicates further research is needed to understand if MMUs are more effective than other care delivery models tailored to populations experiencing homelessness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evidence-based parenting interventions (EBPI) support children and families to promote resilience, address emotional and behavioral concerns, and prevent or address issues related to child maltreatment. Critiques of EBPIs include concerns about their relevance and effectiveness for diverse populations when they are implemented at population scale. Research methods that center racial equity and include community-based participatory approaches have the potential to address some of these concerns. The purpose of the present review was to document the extent to which methods associated with promoting racial equity in research have been used in studies that contribute to the evidence base for programs that meet evidentiary standards for a clearinghouse that was developed to support the Family First Prevention Services Act in the United States. We developed a coding system largely based on the Culturally Responsive Evaluation model. A sample of 47 papers that are part of the evidence base for ten in-home parent skill-based programs were reviewed and coded. Only three of 28 possible codes were observed to occur in over half of the studies (including race/ethnicity demographic characteristics, conducting measure reliability for the study sample, and including information on socioeconomic status). Although the overall presence of equity-informed methods was low, a positive trend was observed over time. This review highlights ways in which rigorous research can incorporate racial equity into the planning, design, execution, and interpretation and dissemination of programs of study. We posit that doing so improves the external validity of studies while maintaining high-quality research that can contribute to an evidence base. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mental health challenges have been recognized as one of the most prevalent issues impacting children and families within the United States. Children and families of color are disproportionately affected by this due to lack of access to preventative and ongoing supports, and programs that can help address their overall well-being. These issues are even more severe for those that are at risk or interact with the child welfare system. Social workers use various clinical modalities to assess and support them. In the recent years, child welfare agencies have turned to Evidence based programs (EBPs) as a best practice to meet the needs of children and families. The Title IV-E Prevention Services Clearinghouse, established by the Administration of Children and Families is a landmark effort to review and promote such EBP's that prevents foster care placements, including mental health programs. While the Clearinghouse has reviewed 141 programs and services, out of which 71 have been rated as promising, supported, or well-supported, there is a dearth of culturally responsive programs that have met the Clearinghouse criteria. Given the overrepresentation of African American and Native American Families in the child welfare system, and the critical role of the Clearinghouse in reviewing and promoting EBPs, this paper highlights the philosophical, administrative, cultural and logistical barriers for culturally relevant programs to be accepted into the Clearinghouse. It also provides specific recommendations on how the Clearinghouse and researchers can build EBPs that account for the intersection between mental health, social location and cultural identities of the children and families that social workers serve. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research indicates that the suicide attempt rate among American Muslims is at least twice the rate of the national US average and follows a different trend of suicide behavior compared to other groups. Religious leaders, such as Imams, are commonly sought out for support, but many lack training in mental health crisis management. The Stanford Muslim Mental Health and Islamic Psychology Lab created the Muslim Community Suicide Response Manual and its accompanying training modules to address this issue. This paper describes the creation, evolution, and future directions of the Suicide Response Training from an Islamic perspective to reduce suicide risk in Muslim communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous research has indicated that healthcare support for sexuality after spinal cord injury appears to be neglected or inadequately provided. The perspectives of people living with spinal cord injuries regarding what is lacking and what support they would like to be provided, and why, has yet to be explored. This paper uses critical theory to explore how societal constructs of sexuality and disability shape how sexuality is supported after a spinal cord injury. To do this, we conducted in-depth semi-structured interviews with 11 people with a spinal cord injury from Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States. We drew from the works of various critical disability theorists to analyze what discourses underpinned the experiences people with spinal cord injuries had when receiving sexuality support. Analysis suggested that the following discourses were apparent: (1) broken bodies require repair, (2) sex is penetration, ejaculation then reproduction, and (3) sexual autonomy is required. Findings indicated healthcare professionals need to recognize people with spinal cord injuries as sexual beings with a diverse range of desires, lives, relations, and bodies. Provision of individualized comprehensive high-quality sexuality support is therefore warranted. To achieve this, healthcare professionals should aim to be aware of, and mitigate, ableist and normative assumptions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Diabetes is a prevalent chronic disease. Although self-care is the crucial element in managing diabetes, older Korean immigrants with diabetes face challenges in performing effective self-care related to vulnerability as minority immigrants. Purpose: This study measures sociodemographics, self-efficacy, social support, diabetes knowledge, and diabetes self-care activities among older Korean immigrants in the United States. This study also aims to demonstrate the direct and indirect effects of the related factors on diabetes self-care activities using a path analysis. Methods: This study uses a cross-sectional design. Convenience sampling targeted Korean immigrants aged 55 or older using paper and online surveys. Four instruments were used to measure variables: self-efficacy was measured by the General Self-Efficacy scale, diabetes knowledge by the Simplified Diabetes Knowledge Test, social support by the Lubben Social Network Scale-6, and diabetes self-care by the Summary of Diabetes Self-Care Activities questionnaire. Using path analysis, the effects of related factors on self-care activities were analyzed. Results: 190 older Korean immigrants participated, 53.2% female, and 46.8% male. The mean age was 67.2 (SD = 9.9; range, 58–93). A path model shows that sociodemographics (sex, age, education, and years in the United States), diabetes knowledge, self-efficacy, and family support predict diabetes self-care. Conclusions: The path model demonstrates the effects of sociodemographics, self-efficacy, diabetes knowledge, and social support on diabetes self-care among older Korean immigrants. The findings can help to understand diabetes self-care among the minority ethnic older group and can be used to develop culturally tailored education, counseling, and healthcare services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The SAGES Guidelines Committee creates evidence-based clinical practice guidelines. Due to existing health disparities, recommendations made in these guidelines may have different impacts on different populations. The updates to our standard operating procedure described herein will allow us to produce well-designed guidelines that take these disparities into account and potentially reduce health inequities. Methods: This paper outlines updates to the SAGES Guidelines Committee Standard Operating Procedure in order to incorporate issues of heath equity into our guideline development process with the goal of minimizing downstream health disparities. Results: SAGES has developed an evidence-based, standardized approach to consider issues of health equity throughout the guideline development process to allow physicians to better counsel patients and make research recommendations to better address disparities. Conclusion: Societies that promote guidelines within their organization must make an intentional effort to prevent the widening of health disparities as a result of their recommendations. The updates to the Guidelines Committee Standard Operating Procedure will hopefully lead to increased attention to these disparities and provide specific recommendations to reduce them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the sensitivity of golfers' performance to meteorological conditions at the men's US Masters tournament over the 40-year period 1980–2019. The mean and standard deviation of round scores are related to local temperature, humidity, wind speed and direction, and concurrent and antecedent precipitation. Mean scores are more dependent on weather conditions than the variability of scores in a given round. The best predictor of mean scores is the wet-bulb temperature in rounds one and two, and the zonal wind speed in rounds three and four. Across both sets of rounds (1 and 2, and 3 and 4), the wet-bulb temperature is a better predictor of mean scores than the air temperature, which implies that atmospheric moisture content affects scores. In general, golfers take fewer shots and so perform better in warmer and calmer conditions. The synergestic effect of several weather variables explains over 44% of the variance in mean scores. Mean meteorological conditions during play are a much better predictor of the players' average performance than the standard deviation of the weather variables. The golfers' performance becomes more variable in cooler conditions with a wider range of scores. Precipitation during play and the dampness of the ground (as quantified by rainfall up to ten days before play) do not have a consistent and statistically significant effect on the competitors' performance. In short, this paper demonstrates that golf scores are dependent on weather conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The global imbalance explanation of the financial crisis of 2007–09 suggests that demand for riskless assets from countries with current account surpluses created fragility in countries with current account deficits, most notably in the United States. This paper examines this explanation by analyzing the geography of asset-backed commercial paper (ABCP) conduits set up by large commercial banks. The paper shows that banks in surplus countries as well as banks in deficit countries manufactured riskless assets, totaling over $1.2 trillion, by selling short-term ABCP to risk-averse investors, predominantly U.S. money market funds, and investing the proceeds primarily in long-term U.S. assets. As negative information about U.S. assets became apparent in August 2007, banks in both surplus and deficit countries experienced difficulties in rolling over ABCP and as a result suffered significant losses. The paper concludes that global banking flows, rather than global imbalances, determined the geography of the financial crisis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This experiment investigated the effects of survey administration mode (Web vs. paper and pencil) and survey length (short or long) on the responses of a large sample of primary and secondary school professionals in the U.S. The 812 participants in this study were part of an initial random sample of 1,000 individuals representing 5.81% of the membership of a national professional organization. The participants were randomly assigned to each of the four treatment conditions. Results indicated (1) substantially lower response rates for Web surveys than for same-length paper surveys; (2) a higher response rate for short surveys than for long surveys with paper, but not Web, questionnaires; and (3) a younger age for Web respondents, as compared with their paper counterparts. In light of prior research, we suggest that paper-and-pencil methods be used for surveying professionals in primary and secondary school settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The authors discuss the disparity in African American infant mortality and suggest ways to surmount the problem. They believe the causes of the disparity are historical and biopsychosocial; racial and ethnic disparities are found in health outcomes. Eliminating factors that cause high rates of pre-term births (PTB) and low birth weight (LBW) is important as. The authors opine that a multidisciplinary approach would address the various causal factors.

In the wake of Barack Obama's 2009 ascension to the White House, stories questioning his citizenship slowly trickled into the mainstream. By 2011, 'Birtherism'-the belief that Obama is constitutionally disqualified from holding Presidential office-was a principle aspect of public discourse. Through an analysis of online comments in The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal, I analyze how dominant understandings of citizenship, race, class, and civil rights structure public navigation of 'Birther' claims. I find the presence of several 'narratives of belonging'-shared stories that people socially construct to account for who they are, how the world works, and where different people belong. These narratives reveal the sustained conflation of citizenship with an ideal or 'hegemonic' form of white racial identity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The emergence of artificial intelligence (AI) chat programs has opened two distinct paths, one enhancing interaction and another potentially replacing personal understanding. Ethical and legal concerns arise due to the rapid development of these programs. This paper investigates academic discussions on AI in medicine, analyzing the context, frequency, and reasons behind these conversations. Methods: The study collected data from the Web of Science database on articles containing the keyword "ChatGPT" published from January to September 2023, resulting in 786 medically related journal articles. The inclusion criteria were peer-reviewed articles in English related to medicine. Results: The United States led in publications (38.1%), followed by India (15.5%) and China (7.0%). Keywords such as "patient" (16.7%), "research" (12%), and "performance" (10.6%) were prevalent. The Cureus Journal of Medical Science (11.8%) had the most publications, followed by the Annals of Biomedical Engineering (8.3%). August 2023 had the highest number of publications (29.3%), with significant growth between February to March and April to May. Medical General Internal (21.0%) was the most common category, followed by Surgery (15.4%) and Radiology (7.9%). Discussion: The prominence of India in ChatGPT research, despite lower research funding, indicates the platform's popularity and highlights the importance of monitoring its use for potential medical misinformation. China's interest in ChatGPT research suggests a focus on Natural Language Processing (NLP) AI applications, despite public bans on the platform. Cureus' success in publishing ChatGPT articles can be attributed to its open-access, rapid publication model. The study identifies research trends in plastic surgery, radiology, and obstetric gynecology, emphasizing the need for ethical considerations and reliability assessments in the application of ChatGPT in medical practice. Conclusion: ChatGPT's presence in medical literature is growing rapidly across various specialties, but concerns related to safety, privacy, and accuracy persist. More research is needed to assess its suitability for patient care and implications for non-medical use. Skepticism and thorough review of research are essential, as current studies may face retraction as more information emerges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the homogeneity of United States aircraft reconnaissance data and the impact of these data on the homogeneity of the tropical cyclone (TC) best track data for the seasons 1949–1987 generated by the China Meteorological Administration (CMA). The evaluation of the reconnaissance data shows that the minimum central sea level pressure (MCP) data are relatively homogeneous, whereas the maximum sustained wind (MSW) data show both overestimations and spurious abrupt changes. Statistical comparisons suggest that both the reconnaissance MCP and MSW were well incorporated into the CMA TC best track dataset. Although no spurious abrupt changes were evident in the reconnaissance-related best track MCP data, two spurious changepoints were identified in the remainder of the best-track MCP data. Furthermore, the influence of the reconnaissance MSWs seems to extend to the best track MSWs unrelated to reconnaissance, which might reflect the optimistic confidence in making higher estimates due to the overestimated extreme wind "observations". In addition, the overestimation of either the reconnaissance MSWs or the best track MSWs was greater during the early decades compared to later decades, which reflects the important influence of reconnaissance data on the CMA TC best track dataset. The wind–pressure relationship (WPR) used in the CMA TC best track dataset is also evaluated and is found to overestimate the MSW, which may lead to inhomogeneity within the dataset between the aircraft reconnaissance era and the satellite era. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There were 9.7 million Native Americans (American Indian, Alaska Native-AI/AN- these acronyms will be used interchangeably with Native Americans throughout the paper) in 2019 comprising 2.9% of the U.S. population. Native American populations have disproportionately higher rates of mental illnesses compared to other racial groups in the U.S. Mental health is a significant public health concern for this population, impacting different areas of their lives including employment. Additionally, Native Americans continue to experience significant disparities in access to Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) services and have poor employment outcomes. However, little is known about the relationships among demographic factors, vocational rehabilitation services, and employment outcomes of Native Americans with mental illness. Consequently, the current study examined how demographic factors and VR services are related to successful employment outcomes for Native American VR clients with mental illnesses using data from the Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) program year (2019) Case Service Report (9–11). Both descriptive analysis and data mining approaches were used to answer the research questions. Chi-square Automatic Interaction Detector (CHAID) analysis was used to determine which of the VR services could best predict the successful employment outcome of Native Americans with mental illness. The findings of the data mining approach revealed that among all the vocational rehabilitation services, job placement assistance was the strongest predictor of successful employment among Native American clients with mental illnesses. The second most important service predicting successful employment for those who received job placement assistance was shown to be maintenance. Implications for rehabilitation counselors and future research are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Suicide is a critical public health issue in the United States, recognized as the tenth leading cause of death across all age groups (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2020). Despite the Islamic prohibition on suicide, suicidal ideation and suicide mortality persist among Muslim populations. Recent data suggest that U.S. Muslim adults are particularly vulnerable, with a higher attempt history compared to respondents from other faith traditions. While the underlying reasons for this vulnerability are unclear, it is evident that culturally and religiously congruent mental health services can be utilized to steer suicide prevention, intervention, and postvention in Muslim communities across the United States. However, the development of Suicide Response toolkits specific to Muslim populations is currently limited. As a result, Muslim communities lack a detailed framework to appropriately respond in the event of a suicide tragedy. This paper aims to fill this gap in the literature by providing structured guidelines for the formation of a Crisis Response Team (CRT) through an Islamic lens. The CRT comprises of a group of individuals who are strategically positioned to respond to a suicide tragedy. Ideally, the team will include religious leaders, mental health professionals, healthcare providers, social workers, and community leaders. The proposed guidelines are designed to be culturally and religiously congruent and take into account the unique cultural and religious factors that influence Muslim communities' responses to suicide. By equipping key personnel in Muslim communities with the resources to intervene in an emergent situation, provide support to those affected, and mobilize community members to assist in prevention efforts, this model can help save lives and prevent future suicide tragedies in Muslim communities across the United States. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Suicide among American Muslims is understudied, despite recent research highlighting increased suicide attempts among this population. While suicide is forbidden in Islam, formal guidelines for addressing and responding to suicide within Muslim communities did not exist until recently. The Stanford Muslim Mental Health and Islamic Psychology Lab has responded to a number of suicides in Muslim communities across North America and implemented an original model for suicide response and community healing. This approach incorporates Islamic principles and values to create a culturally and religiously congruent response to suicide that can support loss survivors and steer impacted communities toward healing. The Muslim Postvention Community Healing session described in this paper aims to provide a safe space for individuals impacted by suicide to come together and process their emotions, while also using Islamic teachings to guide the healing process. This unique model has the potential to serve as a valuable resource for Muslim communities across North America, and beyond, in addressing and responding to suicide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a pressing debate in the United States concerning the implied physicians' obligation to do no harm and the status of legalizing physician-assisted suicide (PAS). Key issues that underpin the debate are important to consider. These include: (1) foundational medical beginnings; (2) euthanasia's historical and legal background context; and (3) the key arguments held by those for and against legalization of PAS. This paper reviews the major claims made by proponents for the legalization of PAS and the associated complexities and concerns that help underscore the importance of conscience freedoms. Relief of suffering, respect for patient autonomy, and public policy arguments are discussed in these contexts. We argue here that the emphasis by healthcare providers should be on high quality and compassionate care for those at the end of life's journey who are questioning whether to prematurely end their lives. If medicine loses its chief focus on the quality of caring—even when a cure is not possible—it betrays its objective and purpose. In this backdrop, legalization of PAS harms not only healthcare professionals, but also the medical profession's mission itself. Medicine's foundation is grounded in the concept of never intentionally to inflict harm. Inflicting death by any means is not professional or proper, and is not trustworthy medicine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research on conspiracy theories has proliferated since 2016, in part due to the US election of President Trump, the COVID-19 pandemic, and increasingly threatening environmental conditions. In the rush to publication given these concerning social consequences, researchers have increasingly treated as definitive a 2016 paper by Michael Wood (Political Psychology, 37(5), 695–705, 2016) that concludes that the phrase "conspiracy theory" has no negative effect upon people's willingness to endorse a claim. We revisit Wood's findings and its (re)uptake in the recent literature. Is the label "conspiracy theory" a pejorative? If so, does it sway or affect people's belief in specific claims of conspiracy (i.e. particular conspiracy theories), or is the effect one that concerns claims of conspiracy more generally (i.e. all conspiracy theories)? Through an examination of the conceptual and methodological scope of Wood's work and the results of our similar quasi-experimental design, we argue that it is premature to suggest the label "conspiracy theory" has no impact on the believability of a claim, or that it has no rhetorical power. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In most of the United States, insurance companies may use gender to determine car insurance rates. In addition, several studies have shown that women over the age of 25 generally pay more than men for car insurance. Then, we investigate whether the distributions of claims for women and men differ in location, scale and shape by means of the GAMLSS regression framework, using microdata provided by U.S. and Australian insurance companies, to use this evidence to support policy makers' decisions. We also develop a parametric-bootstrap test to investigate the tail behavior of the distributions. When covariates are not considered, the distribution of claims does not appear to differ by gender. When covariates are included, the regressions provide mixed evidence for the location parameter. However, for female claimants, the spread of the distribution is lower. Our research suggests that, at least for the contexts analyzed, there is no clear statistical reason for charging higher rates to women. While providing evidence to support unisex insurance pricing policies, given the limitations represented by the use of country-specific data, this paper aims to promote further research on this topic with different datasets to corroborate our findings and draw more general conclusions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This scoping review provides an overview of cancer interventions implemented with Arab Americans across the cancer control continuum, including an examination of outcomes and implementation processes. The search strategy included database searching and reviewing reference lists and forward citations to identify articles describing interventions with Arab adults living in the US, with no restrictions on date of publication or research methodology. The review included 23 papers describing 12 unique cancer interventions. Most interventions focused on individual-level determinants of breast and cervical cancer screening; used non-quasi-experimental research designs to evaluate intervention effectiveness; and demonstrated improvements in short-term cancer screening knowledge. Implementation processes were less commonly described. Most interventions were culturally and linguistically tailored to communities of focus; were delivered in educational sessions in community settings; engaged with the community mostly for recruitment and implementation; and were funded by foundation grants. Suggestions for research and intervention development are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Focuses on the concept of satellite settlements in relation to working environment in Steptoe City, Nevada. Characteristics of satellite settlements; Existence of neighborhoods in company towns; Role of marginal neighborhood on socioeconomic system.

Examines the willingness of residents to pay for recycled products in Fairfax County, Virginia. Contrast between self-interested behavior and altruistic behavior; Ability of the Schwartz model of altruism to explain willingness to pay recycled products; Conceptual dimensions within the Schwartz Norm Activation Model.

Presents the results of traditional and ethnographic content analyses of 23 position papers on mental health care reform debate in the United States. Identification of five concrete aspects of mental health service delivery system and eight policy issues; Measure of the quality of policy discussions.

In higher education institutions, critical race theory (CRT) is known to be associated with fields that study racial disparities or systemic oppression such as law, education, and ethnic studies. The impression that CRT is unrelated to fields like business or computer science may have led scholars and practitioners from these disciplines to put their focus on elsewhere than on racial inequality and its implication in their research and practice, despite apparent need. To counter such fallacy, this review article—focusing primarily on the US context—discusses CRT literature in fields where its presence is less known which are nevertheless among the major domains of higher education institutions: health sciences, computer science and information technology, sports, business, and religion. By discussing example research of how scholars have utilized CRT in different fields to challenge the race-neutral thinking that often obscures structural racism, this paper exposes racism's ability to alter manifestations and to appear through various shapes and forms within the higher education context. Initial recommendations on how educators may engage in further discussions or actions will also be considered. This paper concludes that racist ideologies are often hidden behind discipline-specific vocabulary or technical language, and it is by tackling the ideologies at work underneath the technicalities can we address the chameleon-like nature of racism more effectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents a comment on the study on home visits by Reding, Raphelson and Montgomery. Home visits and health care reform; Psychiatric training; Demonstration of the effectivity of the home visits; Factors to increase the appropriate use of home visits.

This article focuses on the environmental responsibility of the U.S. publishing industry. The American Association of University Presses (AAUP) holds strongly to the tenet that the content of books and journals is uniquely valuable to the world. For years a number of university press representatives, notably Cornell University Press Design and Production Manager Deborah Bruner and University of California Press Design and Production Director Tony Crouch, have been educating the AAUP community about the ecological impacts of the business. Due in large part to such efforts, recycled-content paper use and other environmentally conscious practices has long been a goal, if not a reality, for many publishers. Higher prices (whether perceived or in reality) and limited choices have historically prevented these goals from being pursued. As of 2005, however, the Canadian group Markets Initiative (MI) has demonstrated a successful model for bringing ecologically friendly practices to book publishers. MI works on both ends--convincing paper manufacturers and printers to develop and stock new, better quality eco-papers, and bringing together enough publishers to create a critical level of demand. In 2002, Canada's industry initiative model was adopted in the U.S. by an organization called the Green Press Initiative.