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Agricultural literacy of K-12 students is a national priority for both scientific and agricultural education professional organizations. Development of curricula to address this priority has not been informed by research on what K-12 students understand about the agri-food system. While students' knowledge of food and fiber system facts have been studied, in-depth research into broader student understandings of the system have largely been ignored. This study employed semi-structured interviews to compare urban elementary students' understandings with nationally developed benchmarks for agri-food system literacy. Findings indicate that no participant had ever grown their own food, raised a plant, or cared for an animal. Participation in school fieldtrips to farms or a visit to a relative's garden were the most frequently mentioned agricultural experience. Participants could readily name common food items, but could not accurately elaborate on the origins of common foods. Post-production activities, like food processing, were not well understood. Students' agriculturally related experiences did not appear to influence their understanding about where food comes from or what happens to food as it travels from farm to plate. (Contains 5 tables.)

Modern agriculture poses ecological problems and opportunities, which defy simple democratic reform without an educated citizenry. Developing an educated citizenry can be accomplished by further developing agricultural literacy in elementary education. While benchmarks for agricultural literacy have been produced, relatively little attention has been focused on how students conceptualize the food system. Using Piaget's theories of schemata development, this study compared students' understanding of agriculture to grade-specific benchmarks for agricultural literacy to uncover relationships between students' backgrounds, experiences, and understandings of the agri-food system. The population consisted of 18 elementary students from Long Beach, California. Data was collected via 45-minute semi-structured interviews. While almost half had been on field trips to a farm or visited a garden, none had ever grown a plant or raised an animal. Students' ideas about agriculture were often guesses, underdeveloped, or contradictory to expert conceptions. Students failed to convey an understanding of the types and variety of farms, the purpose of farms, or the cultural practices dominating conventional farming. Results suggest that educators should focus on existing underdeveloped schemata to help learners construct viable ideas about modern agriculture supported by contextually rich formal and informal agricultural experiences. (Contains 4 tables.)

The vast majority of public employees--including teachers--are enrolled in defined-benefit pension plans. These plans are usually the product of state legislation that determines eligibility, benefit formulas, employer and employee contributions, and how payments will be calculated when an employee retires or leaves the system. Once an employee has become vested in a pension plan, they are guaranteed retirement income based on that formula. Teacher pension systems pose two challenges for K-12 schooling. The first are the temptations of "irresponsible fiscal stewardship." The second challenge is that pension arrangements "hinder efforts to boost teacher quality" by making it more difficult to attract talent in the contemporary labor market. Fiscal crisis and the alignment of the political stars have helped some states and localities to address the first challenge, yielding more sustainable benefit levels. However, reforms have done little to rationalize these systems for a changing labor market. Addressing the pension challenge is not merely a matter of technical patches; it is a question of politics. In this article, the authors discuss the politics and the false promise of public pensions and present a story which illustrates that it is only when the gloom of crisis finally descends that public officials muster the will to address the mismatch between promises and resources. They describe four simple truths that characterize public pension politics and offer three tacks that pension reformers might take in the political landscape.

Objective: Little is known about the marine ecology of anadromous Pacific Lamprey Entosphenus tridentatus and Western River Lamprey Lampetra ayresii. This information is needed to determine how marine life regulates adult abundances and to identify management actions that may benefit declining populations. Methods: To address this deficit, we compiled historic data, collected lamprey from marine stock assessment surveys and commercial fisheries, and documented fish with Pacific Lamprey wounds. Result: Pacific Lamprey were most commonly caught by midwater trawls targeting Pacific Hake Merluccius productus along the continental shelf break from northern California to northern Washington. Pacific Lamprey ranged in size from 115 mm total length (TL) and 2.9 g to 714 mm TL and 655 g (n = 1912) and were expected to represent multiple ocean ages. The vast majority (93%) of Pacific Lamprey were small (≤300 mm TL) and thus were likely in their first year in marine waters. Growth for small Pacific Lamprey was estimated as 0.37 mm/day and 0.13 g/day over the summer. Gut fullness for Pacific Lamprey was high (5.5% of body weight [BW]), but it was highly variable for larger individuals (range = 0–55% BW). Our results suggest that there is a positive relationship between calendar day and lamprey length and condition factor in most years, while the effect of latitude varies by life stage. We documented Pacific Lamprey wounds on 240 individual fish representing 16 species, of which six species are newly identified as lamprey hosts. We had comparably few records for Western River Lamprey (n = 72; mean length = 285.5 mm TL), which were primarily found in surface waters on the continental shelf from northern California to southern British Columbia. Conclusion: Our results have implications for both fisheries and conservation management, including development of best practices for lamprey caught by net fisheries and the use of new marine information to inform conservation actions. Impact statementWe show that native Pacific Lamprey are widespread in marine waters along the U.S. West Coast. They are caught as bycatch in Pacific Hake and other commercial fisheries, requiring development of methods to ensure that Pacific Lamprey released from fisheries survive to ensure the continued existence of this ancient fish. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Canonical sexual reproduction among basidiomycete fungi involves the fusion of two haploid individuals of different mating types, resulting in a heterokaryotic mycelial body made up of genetically different nuclei. Using population genomics data and experiments, we discover mushrooms of the invasive and deadly Amanita phalloides can also be homokaryotic; evidence of sexual reproduction by single, unmated individuals. In California, genotypes of homokaryotic mushrooms are also found in heterokaryotic mushrooms, implying nuclei of homokaryotic mycelia are also involved in outcrossing. We find death cap mating is controlled by a single mating type locus, but the development of homokaryotic mushrooms appears to bypass mating type gene control. Ultimately, sporulation is enabled by nuclei able to reproduce alone as well as with others, and nuclei competent for both unisexuality and bisexuality have persisted in invaded habitats for at least 17 but potentially as long as 30 years. The diverse reproductive strategies of invasive death caps are likely facilitating its rapid spread, suggesting a profound similarity between plant, animal and fungal invasions. The death cap mushroom Amanita phalloides is invading California but little is known about how it spreads through forests. Wang et al. discover that this fungus can develop mushrooms and sporulate without mating; the nuclei involved in unisexuality appear to have persisted in invaded habitats for decades. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nationally, both science and agricultural education professional organizations have identified agriculture as a fundamental technology to be studied by students, with the goal of achieving an understanding of the agri-food system necessary for democratic participation. Benchmarks representing the content that K-12 children need to understand about the scientific and technological underpinnings of the agri-food system have been developed by agricultural and science educators. However, the benchmarks were developed without empirically based evidence on what existing agri-food system knowledge students held. This study examines students' understandings about science and technology concepts underpinning benchmarks for agricultural literacy. Urban upper elementary student concepts of the origins of food, the selection of plants and animals used for production, how people living in harsh environments obtain crops, and the prevention of food spoilage were probed. Using Piaget's theory of schema development, students' understanding of agricultural technology were compared to grade-specific benchmarks for agricultural literacy and examined for relationship to students' backgrounds and experiences. In comparison to the benchmark goals for the age group, informants' schema for the role that science and technology plays in the agri-food industry was nearly nonexistent. This study suggests that existing agricultural literacy benchmarks, as designed, may not be age and/or developmentally appropriate. Additional suggestions indicate that underlying sub-concepts needed for learner understanding may only be loosely connected to any meaningful experience of urban elementary students. (Contains 6 tables.)

This examination of the current status of multicultural education among California community colleges emerged from a perspective that the inclusion of multicultural education has become a major goal of California's leaders within the past five years. The literature revealed minority students tend to have lower retention rates because they become alienated and disconnected from the campus community, and many students enter college classrooms with stereotypes and negative attitudes towards individuals outside of their racial and ethnic groups. Multicultural education is important because it helps address this issue. The study revealed that of the 109 California community colleges, only 50 colleges had a multicultural graduation requirement, which means that less than half of California's community colleges had a multicultural graduation requirement. The type of multicultural requirement in far too many cases did not include higher order thinking skills concerning multicultural education. Additionally, statistical analysis showed no relationship between the diversity of a college with regard to its students and employees and a multicultural graduation requirement. The findings suggest the state may be falling behind in its goal for multicultural education. The results of this study have implications for community colleges in California and across the country. Multicultural education should become a vital part of all community college students' educational experiences. The curriculum needs to reflect the realities of a diverse student body. (Contains 7 tables.)

Social skills are an important part of development, and deficits in this area have long-term impacts on a child. As a result, clinicians should include a measure of social skills as part of a comprehensive assessment. There are a few well-researched measures of social skills that are currently used, including the Matson Evaluation of Social Skills with Youngsters (MESSY). The MESSY has been translated and studied internationally in more than nine countries; however, updated norms for the United States have not been conducted since the inception of the measure. The purpose of this article is to examine the psychometric properties of the MESSY using an updated norm sample and age cohorts. Overall results indicated strong internal consistency and good to strong convergent and divergent validity. Psychometric properties for the older age cohorts were stronger and more consistent than those for the 2- to 5-year-olds. This reflects the variability of development and difficulty of assessing social skills at this young age. (Contains 5 tables.)

The tension at the heart of pension politics is the incentive to satisfy today's claimants in the here and now at the expense of long-term concerns. Teacher pensions, in particular, pose two challenges. The first is that political incentives invite irresponsible fiscal stewardship, as public officials make outsized short-term commitments to employees. The second is that incentives hinder modernization, as policy makers avoid the politically perilous task of altering plans ill suited to attracting talent in the contemporary labor market. The alignment of the political stars has helped some states and localities to address the first challenge, but far too few have demonstrated a willingness to tackle the second. We illustrate the political dynamics through discussions of pension plans in New Jersey, Oregon, and San Diego, California, and suggest several political strategies that could make pension challenges more tractable and encourage public officials to be responsible fiscal stewards or to revisit anachronistic retirement systems.

Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), continues to persist due to mutations resulting in newer, more infectious variants of concern. We aimed to leverage an ongoing private SARS-CoV-2 testing laboratory's infrastructure to monitor SARS-CoV-2 variants in two large California counties. Study enrollment was offered to adults aged 18 years or older in Los Angeles County and Riverside County who recently tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 with a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay. A cycle threshold value less than or equal to 30 cycles was considered a positive test for sequencing purposes. Within 5 days of study enrollment, clinician-monitored, self-collected oral fluid and anterior nares swab specimens were obtained from participants. Specimens were transported and stored at 8 °C or cooler. Samples underwent ribonucleic acid extraction, library preparation, and sequencing. SARS-CoV-2 lineages were identified using sequencing data. Participant and genomic data were analyzed using statistical tools and visualized with toolkits. The study was approved by Advarra Institutional Review Board (Pro00053729). From May 27, 2021 to September 9, 2021, 503 individuals were enrolled and underwent specimen collection. Of the 503 participants, 238 (47.3%) participants were women, 329 (63.6%) participants were vaccinated, and 221 (43.9%) participants were of Hispanic or Spanish origin. Of the cohort, 496 (98.6%) participants had symptoms at the time of collection. Among the 503 samples, 443 (88.1%) nasal specimens and 353 (70.2%) oral specimens yielded positive sequencing results. Over our study period, the prevalence of the Alpha variant of SARS-CoV-2 decreased (initially 23.1% [95% confidence interval (95% CI): 0–0.49%] to 0% [95% CI 0.0–0.0%]) as the prevalence of the Delta variant of SARS-CoV-2 increased (initially 33.3% [95% CI 0.0–100.0%] to 100.0% [95% CI 100.0–100.0%]). A strain that carried mutations of both Delta and Mu was identified. We found that outpatient SARS-CoV-2 variant surveillance could be conducted in a timely and accurate manner. The prevalence of different variants changed over time. A higher proportion of nasal specimens yielded results versus oral specimens. Timely and regional outpatient SARS-CoV-2 variant surveillance could be used for public health efforts to identify changes in SARS-CoV-2 strain epidemiology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prolonged drought due to climate change has negatively impacted amphibians in southern California, U.S.A. Due to the severity and length of the current drought, agencies and researchers had growing concern for the persistence of the arroyo toad (Anaxyrus californicus), an endangered endemic amphibian in this region. Range‐wide surveys for this species had not been conducted for at least 20 years. In 2017–2020, we conducted collaborative surveys for arroyo toads at historical locations. We surveyed 88 of the 115 total sites having historical records and confirmed that the arroyo toad is currently extant in at least 61 of 88 sites and 20 of 25 historically occupied watersheds. We did not detect toads at almost a third of the surveyed sites but did detect toads at 18 of 19 specific sites delineated in the 1999 Recovery Plan to meet one of four downlisting criteria. Arroyo toads are estimated to live 7–8 years, making populations susceptible to prolonged drought. Drought is estimated to increase in frequency and duration with climate change. Mitigation strategies for drought impacts, invasive aquatic species, altered flow regimes, and other anthropogenic effects could be the most beneficial strategies for toad conservation and may also provide simultaneous benefits to several other native species that share the same habitat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Those with better reputations often obtain more resources than those with poorer reputations. Consequently, gossip might be an evolved strategy to compete for valuable and scarce material and social resources. Influenced by models of non-human primate competition, we test the hypotheses that gossip: (i) targets aspects of reputation relevant to the domain in which the competition is occurring, (ii) increases when contested resources are more valuable, and (iii) increases when resources are scarcer. We then test hypotheses derived from informational warfare theory, which proposes that coalitions strategically collect, analyse and disseminate gossip. Specifically, we test whether: (iv) coalitions deter negative gossip, and (v) whether they increase expectations of reputational harm to competitors. Using experimental methods in a Mechanical Turk sample (n = 600), and survey and ego network analysis methods in a sample of California sorority women (n = 74), we found that gossip content is specific to the context of the competition; that more valuable and scarcer resources cause gossip, particularly negative gossip, to intensify; and that allies deter negative gossip and increase expectations of reputational harm to an adversary. These results support social competition theories of gossip. This article is part of the theme issue 'The language of cooperation: reputation and honest signalling'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Modern slavery is a global problem. Over 25 million people are in forced labor, with many of those people directly or indirectly involved in the production of goods sold in the U.S. through multinational corporations' supply chains. Corporations benefit from modern slavery, and their business practices are often one of its root causes, which is why modern slavery persists despite a societal repulsion to the practice. To hold corporations accountable for their efforts to ensure they are not linked to modern slavery, governments, such as the state of California and the United Kingdom, have relied on mandatory disclosures requirements. This Article shows that such transparency initiatives are ineffective and, despite attempts to improve on their shortcomings, they will continue to be ineffective for achieving corporate accountability. This ineffectiveness results from corporations approaching transparency as an end in itself, with the production of disclosures being disconnected from operational changes. In addition, these disclosures rely heavily on social audits to demonstrate a company's due diligence efforts, but social audits have not proven to be a reliable way to monitor human rights related impacts in the supply chain. Instead, efforts towards a legislative solution must focus on mandatory human rights due diligence. Such an approach would be consistent with a developing trend in Europe. This Article advocates for the U.S. to move away from transparency-based regulation and towards mandatory human rights due diligence for regulating modern slavery in global supply chains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The politics of sustainability transitions is expanded through attention to regulatory implementation conflicts. • Attention to diverse actor positions in regulatory conflicts challenges assumptions of stable coalitions. • The coalition perspective shifts from the challenger-incumbent dynamic to multiple coalitons. • Additional coalitions expand politics from sociotechnical systems to include justice and democracy. • The concept of regulatory capture is disaggregated to include variations across issues. This study advances theory in the politics of sustainability transitions by 1) developing a type of sociotechnical perspective that follows politics into the details of regulatory conflict over system design, 2) analyzing transition politics as a multi-coalition policy field beyond an intra-industry challenger-incumbent relationship, and 3) showing how political conflict includes broader societal change issues. The study also advances empirical research by examining microgrid policy in California and identifying issues that will likely emerge in other parts of the world with growing microgrid deployment. Central issues identified are local and third-party control over front-of-the-meter systems, equity concerns about cost shifting and access by marginalized communities, the tension between broad decarbonization goals and the use of fossil fuels, and the increased importance of local governments and distribution actors in electricity systems. The analytical framework is used to deepen understanding of the causal conditions that affect the outcomes of the conflicts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the last few decades, there have been two main streams of data used for driving behavior research: trajectory data collected from the field [such as using video recordings and global positioning systems (GPS)] and experimental data from driving simulators (where the behaviors of the drivers are recorded in controlled laboratory conditions). Previous research has shown that the parameters of car-following models developed using simulator data are not directly transferable to the field. In this research, we investigate the differences in detail and compare alternative methods to overcome the problem. Two types of approaches are tested in this regard: (1) econometric approaches for increasing model transferability--Bayesian updating and combined transfer estimation--and (2) joint estimation using both data sources simultaneously. Car-following models based on a stimulus-response framework are developed in this regard, using experimental data collected at the University of Leeds Driving Simulator (UoLDS) and detailed trajectory data collected at California Interstate 80 (I-80), in the US, and the UK Motorway 1 (M1). The estimation results of the initial models show that car-following models using driving-simulator data are closer to the UK (M1) data than the I-80 data but not directly transferable. Performances of the proposed approaches for improving transferability are evaluated using t-tests for individual parameter equivalence and transferability test statistics (TTS). The results indicate that the transferability can be improved after parameter updating, and the combined transfer estimation is found to outperform the other approaches. The findings of this study will enable a more effective usage of the driving simulator data for the estimation of mainstream mathematical models of driving behavior while the techniques used can be applied to other types of econometric models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction Existing research on youth's adoption of alternative nicotine delivery systems (ANDS) has focused on identifying pathways of nicotine product use, specifically examining whether vaping encourages progression to smoking. Few studies have considered other pathways of initiation. Qualitative studies suggest that meanings of vaping vary significantly, suggestive of the need for a more nuanced understanding of the role of vaping for youth with different pathways into vaping and smoking. Methods We conducted in-depth qualitative interviews with 49 Californian youth between 15 and 25 years old who reported ever vaping nicotine to gain a deeper understanding of their initiation pathways of vaping and smoking, paying special attention to youth's experiences and reasons for ANDS initiation and use. Categorizing participants into initiation pathways by self-reported use and age of initiation of ANDS and cigarettes, we then compared the meaning and role of vaping across three distinct pathways of use: (1) smoking to vaping, (2) vaping to smoking, and (3) vaping only. Results The most common pathway reported was smoking to vaping (74%), eight participants began vaping before smoking, and five participants reported only vaping but never smoking. Analysis of participants' narratives emphasized that youth in our study, regardless of initiation pathway, were generally aware of the health consequences of smoking and negotiated their use of nicotine products considering relative risks. Conclusion Findings from this study suggest that ANDS serve as a transitional tool for youth who are keenly aware of the health consequences of smoking, thus challenging conventional discourses about ANDS as a threat to youth's health. Implications This qualitative study queries concerns about the potential of alternative nicotine delivery systems (ANDS) to serve as a gateway into cigarette smoking for youth and young adults. Findings suggest that most of the youth participants discussed and considered relative risks in their pathways of initiation, highlighting the need to acknowledge harm reduction in constructing public health messaging and policies for smoking cessation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Surveys of genomic variation have improved our understanding of the relationship between fitness‐related phenotypes and their underlying genetic basis. In some cases, single large‐effect genes have been found to underlie important traits; however, complex traits are expected to be under polygenic control and elucidation of multiple gene interactions may be required to fully understand the genetic basis of the trait. In this study, we investigated the genetic basis of the ocean‐ and river‐maturing ecotypes in anadromous Pacific lamprey (Entosphenus tridentatus). In Pacific lamprey, the ocean‐maturing ecotype is distinguished by advanced maturity of females (e.g., large egg mass) at the onset of freshwater migration relative to immature females of the river‐maturing ecotype. We examined a total of 219 adult Pacific lamprey that were collected at‐entry to the Klamath River over a 12‐month period. Each individual was genotyped at 308 SNPs representing known neutral and adaptive loci and measured at morphological traits, including egg mass as an indicator of ocean‐ and river‐maturing ecotype for females. The two ecotypes did not exhibit genetic structure at 148 neutral loci, indicating that ecotypic diversity exists within a single population. In contrast, we identified the genetic basis of maturation ecotypes in Pacific lamprey as polygenic, involving two unlinked gene regions that have a complex epistatic relationship. Importantly, these gene regions appear to show stronger effects when considered in gene interaction models than if just considered additive, illustrating the importance of considering epistatic effects and gene networks when researching the genetic basis of complex traits in Pacific lamprey and other species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To identify community resource needs among families presenting to a pediatric emergency department (PED). A convenience sample of English- and Spanish-speaking caregivers residing in Los Angeles County who presented to the PED of a large urban children's hospital were surveyed. The needs assessment survey assessed demographics, food insecurity, and previous and anticipated need for 12 common community resources. Of 768 caregivers who completed the survey, 75% identified as Hispanic/Latinx. Across all survey participants, 83% used at least 1 resource in the past, and 67% anticipated needing at least 1 resource in the next 12 months. Low-cost/free health clinics were the most common resources used in the past and needed for the future. Caregivers with younger children tended to need baby formula/breastfeeding and women's health resources, whereas caregivers with older children tended to need safe housing, subsidized utilities, and counseling/therapy. Many families who needed resources in the past and for the future resided south of the children's hospital where median household income was relatively lower than in other areas of the county. A pattern of heightened use emerged among caregivers who primarily spoke Spanish. On average, caregivers reported feeling comfortable approaching hospital staff about community resources. We found significant needs for community resources among families who presented to an urban PED. Needs were particularly salient among Spanish-speaking families and families living in close proximity to the children's hospital. Findings from this study help to inform future work connecting families to community resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Milestones of Recovery Scale (MORS) is a tool that mental health professionals can use to track clients' recovery. It has been shown to have good reliability and validity in an adult population. It is important to demonstrate its psychometric properties among the elderly. This study assessed the reliability and validity of the MORS among a multi-ethnic (52 % White) sample of adults 54 and older ( M = 67) at several mental health agencies in California. The clients, N = 432, were assessed by two raters each at two time points 2 weeks apart. Ratings were obtained on the MORS, the modified Global Assessment of Functioning scale (mGAF), and the Multnomah Community Ability Scale (MCAS). The MORS demonstrated acceptable reliability: inter-rater r = .65 and test-retest r = .71; the mGAF was .56 and .79; the MCAS was .66 and .85. The validity of the MORS was also supported: mGAF-MORS r = .68 and MCAS-MORS r = .74. This study lends support for the use of the MORS in older adult populations. In addition, this is the first report of the psychometric properties of the MCAS with an entirely older adult sample. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2014, three librarians at the University of San Diego came together to explore open educational resources (OER). Coming from both technical services and digital collections, we were well-versed in the economic challenges facing today’s libraries. In order to formulate the approach that would work best for our campus, we first had to educate ourselves on the past, present, and possible future of the Open Access movement. While traditionally Open Access has focused on serials, OER offer the opportunity to expand its benefits to other formats. This article examines opportunities and tensions surrounding OER, as well as highlighting major players on the OER landscape. Our efforts began with a focus group for faculty to assess their own knowledge of and opinions on OER. After establishing a stipend budget, we sent out a call for proposals to faculty who were interested in participating in the Copley OER Initiative. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Research building on political economy and ecological modernisation theories has paid increasing attention to the conditions that affect the prospects for environmental reform. Much work focuses on variation among political units in support of a single type of energy policy, whereas we examine within-state variation in support of a wide range of energy reform policies. Applying multilevel analyses to the 2011–2012 legislative session in California, we identify bill characteristics associated with divisions between Republicans and Democrats. Expanding the size or scope of government (through spending, government commissions, and business regulations) reduces support for energy reform among Republicans, whereas promoting transparency and other ‘good government’ initiatives reduces support among Democrats. In contrast with the standard view that Republicans oppose almost all energy reforms proposed by Democrats, we identify bill characteristics that increase the likelihood of support from both parties, namely tax reductions and credits, including for bills that promote renewable energy. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The objective of this study was to advance our knowledge of the epizootiology of Bear Canyon virus and other Tacaribe serocomplex viruses (Arenaviridae) associated with wild rodents in California. Antibody (immunoglobulin G [IgG]) to a Tacaribe serocomplex virus was found in 145 (3.6%) of 3977 neotomine rodents (Cricetidae: Neotominae) captured in six counties in southern California. The majority (122 or 84.1%) of the 145 antibody-positive rodents were big-eared woodrats ( Neotoma macrotis) or California mice ( Peromyscus californicus). The 23 other antibody-positive rodents included a white-throated woodrat ( N. albigula), desert woodrat ( N. lepida), Bryant's woodrats ( N. bryanti), brush mice ( P. boylii), cactus mice ( P. eremicus), and deer mice ( P. maniculatus). Analyses of viral nucleocapsid protein gene sequence data indicated that Bear Canyon virus is associated with N. macrotis and /or P. californicus in Santa Barbara County, Los Angeles County, Orange County, and western Riverside County. Together, analyses of field data and antibody prevalence data indicated that N. macrotis is the principal host of Bear Canyon virus. Last, the analyses of viral nucleocapsid protein gene sequence data suggested that the Tacaribe serocomplex virus associated with N. albigula and N. lepida in eastern Riverside County represents a novel species (tentatively named 'Palo Verde virus') in the genus Arenavirus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The supervision and monitoring of sex offenders has been one of the most hotly contested areas in corrections policy in recent years. The public has called for greater levels of offender scrutiny as the result of heinous acts perpetrated by sex offenders, while critics point to recent legislation with onerous housing restrictions coupled with public censure that prevent many offenders from reentering successfully into society. The current study provides a test of the effectiveness of GPS monitoring for high risk sex offender parolees over and above surveillance and monitoring provided by specialized sex offender caseloads. Using data from a GPS pilot program, 94 high risk sex offenders monitored by GPS and 91 high risk sex offenders on specialized caseloads were followed for 12 months. GPS sex offenders were less likely to be found guilty of failing to register as non-GPS sex offenders and marginally less likely to abscond– reflecting relative success in meeting two goals of sex offender legislation- knowing where sex offenders are and making sure they are registered. Additionally, GPS offenders were less likely to be found guilty of committing a new criminal violation; however we observed no significant differences in the type of new crime violation. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

We analyzed 265 urethral Neisseria gonorrhoeae specimens collected from symptomatic males at San Francisco's municipal sexually transmitted disease clinic, a participant in the Gonococcal Isolate Surveillance Project, during 2009. We used N. gonorrhoeae multiantigen sequence typing to describe characteristics of patients infected with common sequence type families. Specimens were classified into 6 homology-based families and 1 additional family of all other identified strains. Strain family results were combined with results of culture-based antibiotic sensitivity minimum inhibitory concentration, sociodemographic and behavioral risk data collected at the clinic, and presence or absence of the mosaic penicillin-binding protein 2 (penA) allele. Characteristics of patients were compared across strain families through the use of χ2 statistics. Among men who have sex with men, strain distribution differed by those reporting receptive oral sex as their only urethral exposure (P = 0.04), by number of sex partners (P = 0.03), and by race/ethnicity (P < 0.001); there were no differences by age or human immunodeficiency virus status. Also, among men who have sex with men, strain family distributions differed for culture specimens with reduced susceptibility to a range of antibiotics, as well as with presence of the mosaic penA allele (all P < 0.001). The combination of molecular, phenotypic, and epidemiologic data on N. gonorrhoeae infection could help develop a more complete epidemiology of gonorrhea in the United States. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Mobile phone social networking applications such as GRINDR are potential tools for recruitment of men who have sex with men (MSM) for HIV prevention research. Demographics and sexual risk behaviors of men recruited through GRINDR and through traditional media were compared. GRINDR participants were younger (mean age 31 vs. 42, p < 0.0001), more White identified (44 vs. 30 %, p < 0.01), and had more sex partners in the previous 14 days (1.88 vs. 1.10, p < 0.05) than other recruits. Email responses were less successful for enrollment than phone calls (5 vs. 50 %). This approach resulted in successful recruitment of younger and more educated, White identified MSM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As with all Sebastes species, yellowtail rockfish (S. flavidus) produce larvae with an extended pelagic juvenile phase that can be advected in coastal currents. While dispersal potential is high, previous research on population genetic characteristics of Sebastes species indicates that apparent realized dispersal can be much lower and can exhibit complex patterns of genetic structure. We assayed 812 bp of the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene and six microsatellite loci in ~1000 yellowtail rockfish collected from 21 sites that span the species range from southern California to southeastern Alaska. An abrupt genetic cline near Cape Mendocino, California, splits the range into a northern and southern stock, and is highly concordant between our mitochondrial (FCT = 0.32, p  0.001) and microsatellite (FCT = 0.02, p  0.001) datasets. We show that this pattern may be due to a combination of physical (oceanographic or other barriers to larval dispersal), biological (habitat differences), and historical events. This study, and both intra- and inter-specific evidence from other marine species suggests Cape Mendocino demarcates two regions experiencing divergent evolutionary trajectories, and should be considered in management strategies. Comme c'est le cas pour toutes les espèces de Sebastes, le sébaste à queue jaune (S. flavidus) produit des larves à phase juvénile pélagique prolongée qui peuvent être entraînées par advection dans les courants côtiers. Bien que le potentiel de dispersion soit élevé, des études antérieures sur les caractéristiques génétiques des espèces de Sebastes indiquent que la dispersion réalisée apparente peut être beaucoup plus faible et qu'il peut y avoir des patrons complexes de structure génétique. Nous avons analysé 812 pb du gène mitochondrial du cytochrome b et six locus microsatellites chez ~1000 sébastes à queue jaune récoltés dans 21 sites qui couvrent l'ensemble de l'aire de répartition de l'espèce du sud de la Californie au sud-est de l'Alaska. Un cline génétique abrupt près du cap Mendocino, Californie, divise l'aire de répartition en stocks du nord et du sud et ce cline est appuyé de façon hautement concordante par nos banques de données mitochondriales (FCT = 0,32; p  0,001) et microsatellites (FCT = 0,02; p  0,001). Nous démontrons que ce patron peut être dûà une combinaison de causes physiques (barrières océaniques ou autres à la dispersion des larves), biologiques (différences d'habitat) et historiques. Notre étude et des données intra- et interspécifiques provenant d'autres espèces marines indiquent que le cap Mendocino représente la démarcation entre deux régions qui connaissent des trajectoires évolutives divergentes, ce dont on devrait tenir compte dans les stratégies de gestion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the area of power storage for aerospace applications, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, has developed an all solid-state rechargeable micro-scale lithium ion battery cell (micro-battery) rated at 4.25 V, with nano-Ampere–hour capacity. One of the advantages of this development is the ability to fabricate approximately 20 000 individual micro-battery cells adjacent to each other on the same four-inch silicon wafer. To take advantage of a pre/post-fabricated series, parallel or series/parallel connection of the cells, a power management system has been developed and sub-system circuits designed using a combination of device and circuit techniques meeting high voltage switching requirements in silicon on insulator (SOI) technology to reconfigure and control the charge/discharge operation of the cells for practical application. This study will present a detailed analysis of the power management system and its sub-circuit components. The circuit components have been simulated using 3.3 V SOI SPICE models and have been fabricated in a 0.35 µm Microwave SOI process. A description of the system and the results will also be discussed and analysed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Quasi-random number sequences have been used extensively for many years in the simulation of integrals that do not have a closed-form expression, such as Mixed Logit and Multinomial Probit choice probabilities. Halton sequences are one example of such quasi-random number sequences, and various types of Halton sequences, including standard, scrambled, and shuffled versions, have been proposed and tested in the context of travel demand modeling. In this paper, we propose an alternative to Halton sequences, based on an adapted version of Latin Hypercube Sampling. These alternative sequences, like scrambled and shuffled Halton sequences, avoid the undesirable correlation patterns that arise in standard Halton sequences. However, they are easier to create than scrambled or shuffled Halton sequences. They also provide more uniform coverage in each dimension than any of the Halton sequences. A detailed analysis, using a 16-dimensional Mixed Logit model for choice between alternative-fuelled vehicles in California, was conducted to compare the performance of the different types of draws. The analysis shows that, in this application, the Modified Latin Hypercube Sampling (MLHS) outperforms each type of Halton sequence. This greater accuracy combined with the greater simplicity make the MLHS method an appealing approach for simulation of travel demand models and simulation-based models in general. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A method was developed for spatially interpolating tidal constituent amplitude and phase data using the numerical solution of Laplace''s equation. The solution matches the input data values at ‘ internal boundaries ’, i.e., locations that represent observation stations. The boundary condition at land-water interfaces assumes that the normal derivative is proportional to the spatially-averaged value of the derivative in the normal direction. By adjusting the constant of proportionality at land boundaries, realistic distributions were obtained. An equivalent solution field can also be reconstructed by generating a set of weighting functions, thereby minimizing the number of solution fields needed. The method was tested in a simple basin and the solution was evaluated for a variety of parameters such as cell size, grid orientation, and boundary proportionality constant. The method was then applied to San Francisco Bay and distributions of tidal constituent amplitudes and epochs were compared with those generated by a numerical circulation model. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]