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The red imported fire ant Solenopsis invicta Buren (fire ant hereafter) is a global pest that inflicts billions of dollars in damages to the United States economy and poses a major threat on a global scale. Concerns with the broad-spectrum application of insecticides have facilitated the hunt for natural enemy-mediated controls. One of these, the virus Solenopsis invicta virus-3 (SINV-3 hereafter) is exceptionally virulent in laboratory settings. However, despite high mortality rates in the laboratory and documented widespread SINV-3 prevalence in the southern United States, the fire ant remains a major pest. To explore this paradox, we document the immune response elicited by the fire ant when infected with SINV-3. We sequence the fire ant transcriptome prior to and following infection with SINV-3, and identify and discuss in detail genes in immune response pathways differentially expressed following infection with SINV-3. This information provides insights into genes and pathways involved in the SINV-3 infection response in the fire ant and offers avenues to pursue, to suppress key immune response genes and force the fire ant to succumb to SINV-3 infection in the field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines curriculum decisions that resulted from the professional judgment of 13 preservice secondary social studies teachers from rural communities who wanted to return to rural communities and teach. Data from this case study suggests that these preservice social studies teachers developed professional judgment distinctly based upon their experiences in rural schools and their desire to teach in rural schools. Their professional judgment was best articulated in their development and implementation of global issues lesson plans. The findings demonstrate how preservice social studies teachers developed and implemented curriculum on global issues to connect local rural communities to the world. The preservice social studies teachers faced some challenges in implementing their global issue lessons in rural schools, despite using professional judgments based upon rural school experience. These challenges provided an opportunity for deeper reflection on their intentions to return to rural communities and teach. A discussion of the findings and implications for teacher education are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article examines the involvement of White activists in the civil rights movement during the 1960s in the U.S. Particular attention is paid to the motivation of White activists willing to sacrifice their privilege within a democracy in order to initiate social change. The importance of Southern Whites to provide a white voice from within the Southern society to promote change among the status quo is expressed. The activities of five White civil rights activists in the South during the 1950s and 1960s and the opposition they met from both Black and White communities are analyzed. The political actions of civil rights workers Bob Zellner, Mary King, Bob Graetz, Will Campbell, and Jonathan Daniels are detailed.

The article reviews the history of the vested rights doctrine and argues that state legislatures must create certainty and equity in the U.S. It is intended for developers and municipalities by launching a clear, fair, and practical vested rights doctrine. It also discusses the historical background of the vested rights doctrine. It surveys legislative reactions to the vested rights problem. It analyzes the legislative reply to the problem and proposes solutions. Furthermore, it offers a summary of the problem and proposed solutions.

The article discusses smart growth initiatives and the effectiveness of incentive zoning in New Urban communities in the U.S. It also provides information on how these communities can best accommodate incentive zoning through clustered development and density bonuses. The introduction of priority growth districts has arisen as an innovative land use technique.

The article examines the historical and procedural background of the Supreme Court case "Hudson v. Michigan." At case, Michigan law enforcement officers were claimed to have made an unlawful entry into the house of Booker T. Hudson in search for guns and narcotics. Key information about the knock-and-announce rule is further presented.

Focuses on the impact of corporate governance reformation on the improvement of corporate accountability in the United States. Changes in the role of corporate boards of directors; Increase in the use of independent directors on mandatory basis; Relationship of directors with the corporation.

Reveals the lessons the United States private sector can learn from public sector management. Government philosophies and the management approach; Continuity and style of leadership; Personnel practices; Evaluation systems; Checks and balances.

Focuses on the sales of control stock and rights of minority shareholders in Los Angeles, California. Evaluation of federal law regulating securities trading; Background of rule of equal opportunity; Application of a prophylactic rule of accountability.

Focuses on appraisal procedures for dissenting stockholders in Delaware. Description of stockholder; Requirements imposed by Section 262 of the Delaware General Corporation Law; Steps in the actual procedure for appraisal.

The expansion of Africanized honeybees from South America to the southwestern United States in <50 years is considered one of the most spectacular biological invasions yet documented. In the American tropics, it has been shown that during their expansion Africanized honeybees have low levels of introgressed alleles from resident European populations. In the United States, it has been speculated, but not shown, that Africanized honeybees would hybridize extensively with European honeybees. Here we report a continuous 11-year study investigating temporal changes in the genetic structure of a feral population from the southern United States undergoing Africanization. Our microsatellite data showed that (1) the process of Africanization involved both maternal and paternal bidirectional gene flow between European and Africanized honeybees and (2) the panmitic European population was replaced by panmitic mixtures of A. m. scutellata and European genes within 5 years after Africanization. The post-Africanization gene pool (1998-2001) was composed of a diverse array of recombinant classes with a substantial European genetic contribution (mean 25-37%). Therefore, the resulting feral honeybee population of south Texas was best viewed as a hybrid swarm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To explore the handling of psychiatric patients in medical hospitals and emergency departments (EDs) as well as hospital characteristics associated with the availability of psychiatric services in these settings., Methods: From October 1, 2017, to April 1, 2018, a telephone survey regarding the presence and nature of psychiatric services was attempted among all US registered Medicare hospitals., Results: Of the included 4812 US hospitals, 2394 (50%) were surveyed. Of these hospitals, 1108 (46%) have some psychiatric services available, either in medical EDs or through psychiatric consultation on general medical inpatient wards. If medical ED patients with active psychiatric issues need admission, 59% of hospitals transfer the patient to a different hospital and 28% admit the patient to a medical ward. Exploration by logistic regression analysis of the association of selected variables and available psychiatric expertise suggested that larger hospitals, nonprofit services, or hospitals in urban settings were more likely to have psychiatrists on staff or available for consultation., Conclusion: Despite the growing number of psychiatric patients seeking help in medical EDs and general hospitals, more than 50% of the EDs and general hospitals lack psychiatric services. These results suggest that accessibility to psychiatric care in medical settings requires improvement., (Copyright © 2021 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

This is a condensed summary of an international multisociety statement on ethics of artificial intelligence (AI) in radiology produced by the ACR, European Society of Radiology, RSNA, Society for Imaging Informatics in Medicine, European Society of Medical Imaging Informatics, Canadian Association of Radiologists, and American Association of Physicists in Medicine. AI has great potential to increase efficiency and accuracy throughout radiology, but it also carries inherent pitfalls and biases. Widespread use of AI-based intelligent and autonomous systems in radiology can increase the risk of systemic errors with high consequence and highlights complex ethical and societal issues. Currently, there is little experience using AI for patient care in diverse clinical settings. Extensive research is needed to understand how to best deploy AI in clinical practice. This statement highlights our consensus that ethical use of AI in radiology should promote well-being, minimize harm, and ensure that the benefits and harms are distributed among stakeholders in a just manner. We believe AI should respect human rights and freedoms, including dignity and privacy. It should be designed for maximum transparency and dependability. Ultimate responsibility and accountability for AI remains with its human designers and operators for the foreseeable future. The radiology community should start now to develop codes of ethics and practice for AI that promote any use that helps patients and the common good and should block use of radiology data and algorithms for financial gain without those two attributes., (Copyright © 2019 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Aflatoxin is a potent toxin produced by Aspergillus flavus Link:Fr, an opportunistic ear-rot pathogen of maize (Zea mays L. subsp. Mays). Prior to the discovery of aflatoxin, A. flavus was considered a minor pathogen and was not a priority for maize breeders or pathologists. Aflatoxin was discovered in England in 1961 following an epidemic in poultry. By the early 1970s, surveys of agricultural commodities in the USA found that maize produced in the Southeast was especially vulnerable to aflatoxin contamination. Aflatoxin contamination was initially treated as a post-harvest issue, but pre-harvest contamination was proven by 1975. Pre-harvest contamination meant that genetically based host-plant resistance was a possible solution. The potential magnitude of the problem became apparent in 1977 when the southeastern US maize crop suffered epidemic aflatoxin contamination. The first experiment demonstrating the heritability of host-plant resistance to aflatoxin accumulation was published in 1978. These events combined to make breeding for reduced aflatoxin contamination both a high priority and a rational breeding objective. This review surveys the early scientific literature in order to place research on the genetics of aflatoxin accumulation in maize into historical context. It tells the story of how multi-disciplinary research began with veterinary diseases of unknown etiology and resulted in host-plant resistance to a previously minor plant pathogen becoming a central public sector breeding objective.

Three thousand nine hundred thirty-one veterans aged 75 and older receive primary care (PC) in two large practices of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Boston Healthcare System. Cognitive and functional disabilities are endemic in this group, creating needs that predictably exceed available or appropriate resources. To address this problem, Geriatrics in Primary Care (GPC) embeds geriatric services directly into primary care. An on-site consulting geriatrician and geriatric nurse care manager work directly with PC colleagues in medicine, nursing, social work, pharmacy, and mental health within the VA medical home. This design delivers interdisciplinary geriatric care within PC that emphasizes comprehensive evaluations, care management, planned transitions, informed resource use, and a shift in care focus from multiple subspecialties to PC. Four hundred thirty-five veterans enrolled during the project's 4-year course. Complex, fragmented care was evident in a series of 50 individuals (aged 82 ± 7) enrolled during Months 1 to 6. The year before, these individuals made 372 medical or surgical subspecialty clinic visits (7.4 ± 9.8); 34% attended five or more subspecialty clinics, 48% had dementia, and 18% lacked family caregivers. During the first year after enrollment the mean number of subspecialty clinic visits declined significantly (4.7 ± 5.0, P = .01), whereas the number of PC-based visits remained stable (3.1 ± 1.5 and 3.3 ± 1.5, respectively, P = .50). Telephone contact by GPC (2.3 ± 2.0) and collaboration with PC clinicians replaced routine follow-up geriatric care. GPC facilitated planned transitions to rehabilitation centers (n = 5), home hospice (n = 2), dementia units (n = 3), and home care (n = 37). GPC provides efficient, comprehensive geriatric care and case management while preserving established relationships between patients and the PC team. Preliminary results suggest "care defragmentation," as reflected by a significant reduction in subspecialty clinic use. Model simplicity and flexibility facilitated ready implementation., (Published 2016. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.)

Skin cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in the United States. A number of UV protection programs have been developed and initiated both globally and domestically, and this article will review and assess the effectiveness of each of these programs. The programs reviewed in this article target grade school aged children, as this is a time when adult health behaviors are being formed. Among these programs, multiunit programs were more effective at changing behavior as they were given over a longer period of time with more frequent interventions and included various learning techniques.

We evaluated the effectiveness of a web-based version of the Life-Steps intervention combined with modules for stress reduction and mood management, designed to improve medication adherence among HIV infected individuals. 168 HIV+ adults were randomized into either the Life-Steps program or a waitlist control condition. All participants completed a baseline assessment and provided a 2-week electronic pill (MEMS) cap baseline reading. Follow up data collection was conducted at 3, 6 and 9 months. Patients in the web-based Life-Steps condition had significantly higher antiretroviral medication adherence rates than patients in the control group over the nine-month period as measured by the MEMS cap. In addition, analysis of viral load data indicated that the program also resulted in a significant decrease in viral load. These findings indicate that a web-based Life-Steps program can be a useful and implementable tool for helping patients living with HIV maintain medication adherence.

Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) has emerged as a significant public health issue. Increases in both the prevalence and awareness of this injury have resulted in a greater demand for mTBI-informed care. Our exploratory, qualitative study examines the work lives of front-line mTBI professionals. Findings suggest that mTBI rehabilitation work often requires substantial emotional energy given the impact that injury-related issues have on professionals' therapeutic work with clients. We suggest that social work, with a focus on the psychosocial implications of injury and recovery, is well-positioned to take a larger role in mTBI care and rehabilitation.

Suicidology and suicide prevention are relatively new fields of study in the United States, but they have made significant progress since their beginnings. This study aimed to identify the most impactful theories in the history of science and suicidology and the most impactful events in the suicide prevention movement. These theories and events were identified through expert nomination. The most impactful theories were those of Shneidman, Durkheim, and Joiner. The most impactful events included the opening of the first suicide prevention center and hotline, the founding of the American Association of Suicidology, and national publications (e.g., National Strategy for Suicide Prevention)., (© 2012 The American Association of Suicidology.)

There is a great need for increased community awareness to encourage women to seek treatment for urinary incontinence (UI). This article reviews the literature pertaining to the efficacy of increased awareness and knowledge of UI in reducing barriers to health care access and early intervention. Discussion focuses on the implications for clinical practice based on the available evidence.

Urinary incontinence is a highly prevalent problem that has a great impact on the quality of life of many women. Despite its prevalence, there have been few attempts to translate research into practice with clinical practice guidelines for urinary incontinence. A summary of current policy to address urinary incontinence and future implications for the clinician are presented.

Introduction: Approximately 150,000 people are diagnosed with colorectal cancer each year and 56,000 may die from it annually in the United States. Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths in the USA and yet, when diagnosed at an early stage, it is one of the most preventable cancers. According to the US Preventive Services Task Force, initial screening for colorectal cancer is recommended in people above 50 years of age with average risk and earlier in people with a strong family history and other risk factors. Adenomatous polyps are considered as precursors of colorectal cancer. Removal of polyps and postpolypectomy surveillance reduces the overall mortality from colorectal cancer., Discussion: According to updated guidelines in 2006, a 3-year-follow-up colonoscopy is recommended in patients with adenomatous polyps>or=1 cm. An important factor in the surveillance and prevention of colorectal cancer in postpolypectomy patients is compliance with follow-up colonoscopy. In the present article, we provide an overview of the importance of postpolypectomy surveillance and summarize the compliance data for postpolypectomy surveillance. Compliance to postpolypectomy surveillance varies from one study to another and it should be expected that the compliance with follow-up would be low outside of clinical trials. Some measures that can improve patient compliance include patient education regarding a need of follow-up screening, reminder letters, and alerts in patient's charts., Conclusion: In conclusion, effective surveillance screening with good patient compliance in postpolypectomy patients will contribute significantly in reducing colon cancer morbidity and mortality.

In 3 studies, the authors tested the hypothesis that Chinese participants would view social groups as more entitative than would Americans and, as a result, would be more likely to infer personality traits on the basis of group membership--that is, to stereotype. In Study 1, Chinese participants made stronger stereotypic trait inferences than Americans did on the basis of a target's membership in a fictitious group. Studies 2 and 3 showed that Chinese participants perceived diverse groups as more entitative and attributed more internally consistent dispositions to groups and their members. Guided by culturally based lay theories about the entitative nature of groups, Chinese participants may stereotype more readily than do Americans when group membership is available as a source of dispositional inference., ((PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2007 APA, all rights reserved).)

Background: The ability to adapt to the long-term aspects of chronic haemodialysis is multifactorial and poorly understood. Given the many comorbidities of a patient on haemodialysis, religious beliefs may be an important factor in the patient's ability to cope., Methods: End-stage renal disease patients in an inner-city American in-center haemodialysis unit were given two surveys to quantify their quality of life (KDQOL) and beliefs (Royal Free Score). The population studied included 97% African Americans. The demographics were collected and recorded. The relationship between religious/spiritual beliefs, demographic variables, and how quality of life (QOL) is viewed was analysed., Results: The vast majority of patients considered themselves religious, spiritual or both. KDQOL scores did not correlate with belief in a higher power, but the non-religious group demonstrated a significantly lower blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and creatinine as compared with the religious group. There was a negative correlation with age and physical function as reported by KDQOL and physical health composite., Conclusion: As physical function declines, religious and spiritual beliefs are stronger in the haemodialysis population studied. Given the overwhelming prevalence of religious and spiritual beliefs in this population, further study is needed as acknowledging and incorporating these beliefs into patient treatment plans may be warranted.

Background: During the past decade, a variety of federal regulations have had a significant impact on the way allergen immunotherapy is reimbursed and how Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) codes are used for this purpose. As mandated by the US Congress, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) through the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) targeted immunotherapy codes for scrutiny, because they are some of the most frequently used codes., Objective: To examine how federal regulations have affected reimbursement for allergy immunotherapy and other allergy services., Methods: A review was performed of the OIG survey of allergy immunotherapy and the OIG recommendations on CPT coding compliance guidelines., Results: A preliminary survey found problems with medical appropriateness of allergen immunotherapy. For this reason, the OIG performed a more comprehensive study of 301 physicians using code 95165 to analyze by medical record and billing data whether the new billing rules were being correctly used and found that only 44% of physicians were following the new definition of a billable dose. In the early 1990s, the federal government served notice of its intent to more aggressively identify and prosecute health care providers who improperly billed and collected for medical services. Through the adoption of the 1991 US Sentencing Commission Guidelines, the government sought to enhance compliance by mandating lesser criminal penalties for violating organizations that nevertheless maintained and operated "effective compliance plans." In 2002, the OIG audited health care providers and recouped dollar 14.4 billion in improper payments by Medicare. Between January and June 2003, Medicare excluded 1,241 individual providers and health care entities due to fraudulent billing practices., Conclusions: Federal regulations have significantly affected reimbursement for allergy immunotherapy and other allergy services. Allergists need to be aware of these changes and implement the new recommendations into their practices.

Some managed care companies are considering reducing or eliminating coverage for several second-generation antihistamines prescribed to treat patients with allergic rhinitis, chronic idiopathic hives, and other allergy-related conditions. Treatment options for all patients with allergic and immunologic diseases should reflect accepted standards of medical care. Prescription policies limiting coverage and/or use of second-generation antihistamines are medically inappropriate, below current national standards of practice in the field of allergic and immunologic diseases, and may increase health expenditures in the long-term. Any action to reduce or limit coverage will not only diminish the quality of medical care for allergy patients but have significant health and safety implications for the general public.

Objective: African-American elders were recruited from a transitional unit after hospitalization and tracked for 6 months in the community after discharge to (a) examine functional outcomes on the unit and in the community and (b) identify patterns of participation in daily life activities. The International Classification of Impairments, Disabilities, and Handicaps (ICIDH-2) framework provided the structure to examine the connections among body systems, functional outcomes, and social participation for this population that has been underrepresented in past research., Method: A mixed design combined qualitative and quantitative methods, including qualitative interviews to document personal adaptive experience, a standardized functional assessment to identify functional outcomes, and a structured format to record activity participation., Results: Findings revealed that 11 of the 17 participants improved their functional outcomes after discharge. Three patterns of activity participation identified were self-care, self-care and household management, and mixed activities. Contextual influences were diverse family support arrangements., Conclusion: Complex relationships were identified among body systems, functional outcomes, and daily life activities that were influenced by individual values and support arrangements.

Background: The National Veterans Affairs Surgical Risk Study was designed to collect reliable, valid data on patient risk and outcomes for major surgery in the Veterans Health Administration and to report comparative risk-adjusted postoperative mortality and morbidity rates for surgical services in the Veterans Health Administration., Study Design: This was a cohort study conducted at 44 Veterans Affairs Medical Centers closely affiliated with university medical centers. Included were 87,078 major noncardiac operations performed under general, spinal, or epidural anesthesia between October 1, 1991, and December 31, 1993. The main outcomes measures in this report are 21 postoperative adverse events (morbidities) occurring within 30 days after the index procedure. Multivariable logistic regression risk-adjustment models for all operations and for eight surgical subspecialties were developed., Results: Patient risk factors predictive of postoperative morbidity included serum albumin level, American Society of Anesthesia class, the complexity of the operation, and 17 other preoperative risk variables. Wide variation in the unadjusted rates of one or more postoperative morbidities for all operations was observed across the 44 hospitals (7.4-28.4%). Risk-adjusted observed-to-expected ratios ranged from 0.49 to 1.46. The Spearman rank order correlation between the ranking of the hospitals based on unadjusted morbidity rates and risk-adjusted observed-to-expected ratios for all operations was 0.87. There was little or no correlation between the rank order of the hospitals by risk-adjusted morbidity and risk-adjusted mortality., Conclusions: The Department of Veterans Affairs has successfully implemented a system for the prospective collection and comparative reporting of postoperative mortality and morbidity rates after major noncardiac operations. Risk adjustment had only a modest effect on the rank order of the hospitals.

Background: The National Veterans Affairs Surgical Risk Study was designed to collect reliable, valid data on patient risk and outcomes for major surgery in the Veterans Health Administration and to report comparative risk-adjusted postoperative mortality rates for surgical services in Veterans Health Administration., Study Design: This cohort study was conducted in 44 Veterans Affairs Medical Centers. Included were 87,078 major noncardiac operations performed under general, spinal, or epidural anesthesia between October 1, 1991, and December 31, 1993. The main outcomes measure was all-cause mortality within 30 days after the index procedure. Multivariable logistic regression risk-adjustment models for all operations and for eight surgical subspecialties were developed. Risk-adjusted surgical mortality rates were expressed as observed-to-expected ratios and were compared with unadjusted 30-day postoperative mortality rates., Results: Patient risk factors predictive of postoperative mortality included serum albumin level, American Society of Anesthesia class, emergency operation, and 31 additional preoperative variables. Considerable variability in unadjusted mortality rates for all operations was observed across the 44 hospitals (1.2-5.4%). After risk adjustment, observed-to-expected ratios ranged from 0.49 to 1.53. Rank order correlation of the hospitals by unadjusted and risk-adjusted mortality rates for all operations was 0.64. Ninety-three percent of the hospitals changed rank after risk adjustment, 50% by more than 5 and 25% by more than 10., Conclusions: The Department of Veterans Affairs has successfully implemented a system for the prospective collection and comparative reporting of risk-adjusted postoperative mortality rates after major noncardiac operations. Risk adjustment had an appreciable impact on the rank ordering of the hospitals and provided a means for monitoring and potentially improving the quality of surgical care.