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The article discusses the rules in different states of the U.S. pertaining to attorney-mediator's drafting a settlement agreement between a divorcing couple.

In response to the destructive floods of 1983, 1986, 1995, and 1997, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Reclamation Board of the State of California are partnering a study to investigate flood damage reduction and ecosystem restoration opportunities in the Sacramento and San Joaquin River Basins, California. This paper provides a short background on the study and details the method-ology used to develop the baseline technical hydrology needed to support ongoing system analyses and modeling efforts. Discussion emphasizes conceptual relations between rain flood hydrology and floodplain delineation, a short retrospective of Central Valley flood events, and a method for developing synthetic flood hydrographs. Conclusions are drawn regarding the effective use of gaged flow data in flood frequency analyses, benefits of performing flood frequency analyses from a watershed perspective, and potential of Comprehen-sive Study methodologies for use in other macroscale studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Examines effectiveness of multivariate hedging models for risk management in the United States soy complex. Overview of multivariate hedging methods; Relevance of historical data on decision-making about hedging portfolios; Comparison between risk reductions of multivariate methods and hedge ratios.

Examines the economic situation of 1968 in the United States. Classification of this period; Mood among policy makers in Washington; Status of balance of payments deficits; Role of Cold War; Contributions of Vietnam War; Implications of assault on dollar; Complications of devaluation of pound sterling; Impact of American crisis on world; Role of American Federation of Labor; Status of political situation.

Examines the effect of the practice of allocating monthly payments to principal and interest on the cost of credit in the United States. Impact of the practice on effective interest rates, loan balances, total cash outlay that is required to repay a loan and the present value of the differences in charges; Examination of the conditions under which the practice violates Regulation Z: Truth in Lending; Three methods that can be used to allocate monthly payments to principal and interest.

Opinion. Comments on tooth decay in children as a public health problem in the United States. Annual cost of teeth restoration in children; Indication of decline in untreated and prevalent tooth decay in children; Fluoride as tooth decay prevention.

Objectives: This study uses a national model of community-based long-term services and supports, the Program of All-inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE), to identify organizational structures and protocols that can facilitate the delivery of dental examinations., Design: We developed an online survey instrument and conceptual model for this study representing 10 domains believed to characterize a quality PACE dental program., Setting and Participants: The Qualtrics survey was distributed nationally to all 124 PACE programs in the 31 states PACE was available. Respondents in this study represented 35 programs (program response rate = 28.2%) in 23 states (state response rate = 74.2%)., Methods: Selected independent variables from each of the 10 domains were tested against the reported delivery of dental examinations variable using the Kendall τ and χ 2 . Twenty-nine programs were included in the final analysis., Results: Most programs mandated a dental examination within 31-60 days of enrollment (63.6%). Few programs had a dental manual (15.6%) or any quality assurance for dental care (32.3%). A majority of programs (58.8%) stated that they had a protocol for enrollees to receive a cleaning every 6-12 months. Having a system for quality assurance for dental care, protocol for a cleaning every 6-12 months, mandating a comprehensive dental examination and providing preventive dental services onsite with built-in equipment, were all statistically associated with a higher reported delivery of dental examinations., Conclusion and Implications: Organizations providing long-term services and supports, including PACE, can use these identified domains to develop minimal standards to ensure dental care is part of innovative models of community-based long-term services and supports. Implementing these domains can facilitate effective delivery of dental examinations that have the potential to support positive oral health and general health outcomes., (Copyright © 2021 AMDA – The Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: The integration of dentistry into comprehensive and long-term care has occurred infrequently and with limited success. The authors aim to describe how the Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) has the potential for such incorporation for the growing population of nursing home-appropriate older adults preferring to age in place., Methods: The authors used a 56-item online survey to explore aspects of oral health care within PACE, including organizational structure, availability and provision of care, preventive protocols, and provider reimbursement. The survey was distributed to all 124 programs nationally. Data analyses included descriptive statistics for each of the variables of interest., Results: Thirty-five programs completed the survey (28%) in 23 states (74%) where PACE is available. Most programs covered comprehensive dental services and predominantly provided care off-site. Most programs reimbursed dentists at Medicaid fee-for-service rates and some at commercial rates. Dentistry was most frequently ranked the second-highest specialty focus behind mental health., Conclusions: PACE is a comprehensive interdisciplinary model of care and an underused opportunity for furthering medical-dental integration. It uses local dental resources in order to accommodate the oral health care needs of the growing population of older adults preferring to age in place., Practical Implications: PACE is an opportunity for the dental profession to further medical-dental integration and ensure that newer models of long-term care include comprehensive and coordinated oral health care programs. It is also an opportunity to promote an integrated model of care with policy makers to support integrated oral health care for the nursing home-eligible population., (Copyright © 2020 American Dental Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

This descriptive study sought to establish an oral health baseline of need for enrollees at a Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) and identify opportunities for nursing interventions. The Oral Health Assessment Tool (OHAT) was applied to a random sample of 120 enrollees, 64 of whom met inclusion criteria, agreed to participate to assess their oral health status, and were included in the analysis. The mean OHAT score was 4.4 (SD = 2.6; range 0-12). Higher scores indicate poorer oral health. The oral conditions found needing the most attention were gums, saliva, natural teeth, dentures, and oral cleanliness. Oral cleanliness scored the worst on the OHAT, highlighting opportunities for nursing interventions and the necessity for oral hygiene routines. This study also identifies the need for nurses to address enrollees' oral health and relay information back to the PACE interdisciplinary team (IDT) to initiate referrals to the dentist as needed., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: Performance validity testing is an increasingly vital component of neuropsychological evaluation, though administration of stand-alone performance validity tests (PVTs) can be time-consuming. As the Test of Memory Malingering (TOMM) is among the most commonly used and researched PVTs, much work has focused on creating abbreviated versions while preserving diagnostic accuracy. A recent addition to this effort, errors on the first 10 items of Trial 1 (TOMMe10), was analyzed for its utility in predicting TOMM performance., Method: Subjects were 180 veterans seen on a long-term epilepsy monitoring unit. TOMM learning trials, Word Memory Test (WMT), and WAIS-IV Digit Span (for Reliable Digit Span; RDS) were administered as part of a larger battery. Performance invalidity was classified using established cut scores. Diagnostic classification statistics were calculated predicting TOMM, WMT, and RDS performance, including sensitivity, specificity, receiver operating characteristics (ROC), and positive and negative predictive values for multiple TOMMe10 cut scores., Results: A cut score of ≥2 errors on TOMMe10 yielded the highest sensitivity (.88) while maintaining ≥.90 specificity when predicting TOMM (also supported by ROC analysis). This cut score was also optimal when validated against combinations of PVTs (e.g. two of TOMM, WMT, and RDS; WMT and/or RDS)., Conclusions: TOMMe10 shows great promise in predicting future TOMM performance. In settings where time with patients is at a premium, ≥2 errors on TOMMe10 may be used as an early TOMM discontinue criteria, allowing examiners to use their limited time more effectively. The use of TOMMe10 in settings with varying TOMM failure base rates was discussed.

Device longevity in cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) is affected by the pacing capture threshold (PCT) and programmed pacing amplitude of the left ventricular (LV) pacing lead. The aims of this study were to evaluate the stability of LV pacing thresholds in a nationwide sample of CRT defibrillator recipients and to determine potential longevity improvements associated with a decrease in the LV safety margin while maintaining effective delivery of CRT. CRT defibrillator patients in the Medtronic CareLink database were eligible for inclusion. LV PCT stability was evaluated using ≥2 measurements over a 14-day period. Separately, a random sample of 7,250 patients with programmed right atrial and right ventricular amplitudes ≤2.5 V, LV thresholds ≤ 2.5 V, and LV pacing ≥90% were evaluated to estimate theoretical battery longevity improvement using LV safety margins of 0.5 and 1.5 V. Threshold stability analysis in 43,256 patients demonstrated LV PCT stability of <0.5 V in 77% of patients and <1 V in 95%. Device longevity analysis showed that the use of a 0.5-V safety margin increased average battery longevity by 0.62 years (95% confidence interval 0.61 to 0.63) compared with a safety margin of 1.5 V. Patients with LV PCTs >1 V had the greatest increases in battery life (mean increase 0.86 years, 95% confidence interval 0.85 to 0.87). In conclusion, nearly all CRT defibrillator patients had LV PCT stability <1.0 V. Decreasing the LV safety margin from 1.5 to 0.5 V provided consistent delivery of CRT for most patients and significantly improved battery longevity., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: The basis for the associations among anger, hostility, aggressive behavior, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) remains unclear. We suggest classifying aggressive behavior may elucidate the associations among these factors. On the basis of diagnostic and neurobiological similarities between impulsive aggression (IA) and PTSD, we proposed that IA was the predominant form of aggression in PTSD and that anger and hostility would not significantly predict PTSD when IA was also included as a predictor., Methods: We used cross-sectional self-report data obtained from two samples of male veterans (N = 136)., Results: Over 70% of veterans with PTSD reported IA compared to 29% of those without PTSD. IA, not anger, hostility, or premeditated aggression significantly predicted a diagnosis of PTSD., Conclusions: Associations between anger and PTSD may be unique to individuals with IA, and considering impulsive and premeditated aggressors separately may account for the heterogeneity found within samples of aggressive veterans with PTSD.

The paper is in three parts. 1) A description of acute anterior poliomyelitis; 2) A summary of the condition of post-polio syndrome; 3) A description of two small epidemics of poliomyelitis juxtaposed and related to one another.