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Trans young adults of color experience systemic harm that contributes to negative health outcomes and hinders their ability to live freely. The present study used a grounded theory qualitative methodology rooted in a critical–ideological paradigm to understand the intersections of racial and gender oppression. Trans young adults of color from across the United States (N = 15; ages 20–29; majority racial identities: Asian, Black, and multiracial; majority gender identities: nonbinary and transmasculine) participated in a semistructured interview. Analyses identified a six-category empirical framework explaining major dimensions and processes of intersectional experiences of trans people of color. The core category, Reclaiming Creativity, reflected how trans communities of color use creativity to build their identities and communities beyond intersectional oppressive societal norms and imagine a better, more liberated world. The remaining five categories were Creating and Recreating Identity, Experiencing Discrimination and Its Impacts on Wellness, Surviving Oppression and Compromising Authentic Self, Embracing Identity Strengths, and Finding Liberation. They provided insights into the role of creativity within the intersectional experiences of trans young adults of color. In doing so, they provided directions to address structural injustice, pursue liberation, and allow creativity to flourish. Public Significance Statement: Interviews with a diverse sample of young adults found that trans people of color have complex experiences navigating the overlap of social stigma and harm from transphobia and racism. Participants used creativity to construct their identities, survive oppression, and create strength and joy. Particularly in the context of antitrans legislative attacks across the United States, these experiences should be recognized and honored by efforts to address structural injustice and inequity, promote rights and dignity, and create environments where the creativity of trans people of color can thrive. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: When children and youth feel connected to their school, family, and others in their community, they are less likely to engage in risky behaviors and experience negative health. Disruptions to school operations during the COVID‐19 pandemic have led many teachers and school administrators to prioritize finding ways to strengthen and re‐establish a sense of connectedness among students and between students and adults in school. METHODS: We conducted a systematic search of peer‐reviewed literature that reported on US‐based research and were published in English from January 2010 through December 2019 to identify classroom management approaches that have been empirically tied to school connectedness‐related outcomes in K‐12 school settings. FINDINGS: Six categories of classroom management approaches were associated with improved school connectedness among students: (1) teacher caring and support, (2) peer connection and support, (3) student autonomy and empowerment, (4) management of classroom social dynamics, (5) teacher expectations, and (6) behavior management. IMPLICATIONS FOR SCHOOL HEALTH POLICY, PRACTICE, AND EQUITY: Prioritizing classroom management approaches that emphasize positive reinforcement of behavior, restorative discipline and communication, development of strong, trusting relationships, and explicitly emphasize fairness has potential to promote equitable disciplinary practices in schools. CONCLUSIONS: Classroom management approaches most linked to school connectedness are those that foster student autonomy and empowerment, mitigate social hierarchies and power differentials among students, prioritize positive reinforcement of behavior and restorative disciplinary practices, and emphasize equity and fairness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Strip crowns are the first treatment of choice for restoring anterior teeth affected with early childhood caries. However, shade matching of resin composites is still an issue. The broad color matching ability of a recently introduced single shade composite, Omnichroma eliminates the need for shade-matching procedure, reduces composite inventory, and minimizes chair-side time.Aim: The aim is to evaluate the color match, color stability, and retention of one shade universal composite resin, Omnichroma and nanohybrid resin composite, Tetric-N-Ceram.Settings: and: Design: The study design involves split-mouth randomized controlled trial.Materials: and: Methods: The study was conducted on 25 children aged 3-5 years with multi-surface caries lesions in primary maxillary anterior teeth. Teeth were allocated to two groups randomly: Group 1 - One shade universal composite, Omnichroma (n = 25), Group 2 - Nanohybrid composite, Tetric-N-Ceram (n = 25). After caries excavation and tooth preparation, teeth were restored with corresponding materials using strip crowns. Color match at baseline, color stability, and retention after 6- and 12-month follow-up were evaluated using the Modified United States Public Health Services criteria.Statistical: Analysis: The Mann-Whitney U test and Wilcoxon signed-rank test were used to analyze the data.Results: On comparison of Omnichroma and Tetric-N-Ceram groups, no statistically significant difference was observed in the color match at baseline (P = 0.716) as well as color stability (P = 0.575 at 6 months and 0.990 at 12 months) and retention (P = 0.153 at 6 months and 0.226 at 12 months) at both 6- and 12-month intervals. On intragroup comparison, the difference in the color stability at 6 and 12-month interval was statistically significant (P = 0.001) for both the groups, indicating that the color stability of restorations was better at 6-month interval compared to 12-month interval. In both Omnichroma and Tetric-N-Ceram groups, retention of restorations was better at 6-month interval compared to 12-month interval and this difference was statistically significant (P = 0.025 and 0.014, respectively).Conclusion: The clinical performance of Omnichroma in terms of color match, color stability, and retention was comparable to nanohybrid composite, Tetric-N-Ceram. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Objectives: No data exist regarding the validity of International Classification of Disease (ICD)‐10 dementia diagnoses against a clinician‐adjudicated reference standard within Medicare claims data. We examined the accuracy of claims‐based diagnoses with respect to expert clinician adjudication using a novel database with individual‐level linkages between electronic health record (EHR) and claims. Design: In this retrospective observational study, two neurologists and two psychiatrists performed a standardized review of patients' medical records from January 2016 to December 2018 and adjudicated dementia status. We measured the accuracy of three claims‐based definitions of dementia against the reference standard. Setting: Mass‐General‐Brigham Healthcare (MGB), Massachusetts, USA. Participants: From an eligible population of 40,690 fee‐for‐service (FFS) Medicare beneficiaries, aged 65 years and older, within the MGB Accountable Care Organization (ACO), we generated a random sample of 1002 patients, stratified by the pretest likelihood of dementia using administrative surrogates. Intervention: None. Measurements: We evaluated the accuracy (area under receiver operating curve [AUROC]) and calibration (calibration‐in‐the‐large [CITL] and calibration slope) of three ICD‐10 claims‐based definitions of dementia against clinician‐adjudicated standards. We applied inverse probability weighting to reconstruct the eligible population and reported the mean and 95% confidence interval (95% CI) for all performance characteristics, using 10‐fold cross‐validation (CV). Results: Beneficiaries had an average age of 75.3 years and were predominately female (59%) and non‐Hispanic whites (93%). The adjudicated prevalence of dementia in the eligible population was 7%. The best‐performing definition demonstrated excellent accuracy (CV‐AUC 0.94; 95% CI 0.92–0.96) and was well‐calibrated to the reference standard of clinician‐adjudicated dementia (CV‐CITL <0.001, CV‐slope 0.97). Conclusion: This study is the first to validate ICD‐10 diagnostic codes against a robust and replicable approach to dementia ascertainment, using a real‐world clinical reference standard. The best performing definition includes diagnostic codes with strong face validity and outperforms an updated version of a previously validated ICD‐9 definition of dementia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: In the historic 2018 Georgia gubernatorial election, which for the first time featured a black Democratic woman against a white Republican man, we assess opinions toward voting‐related concerns and their impact on voters' preferences. Methods: We surveyed political behavior with a representative sample of likely Georgia voters to gauge their perceptions of voting‐related improprieties and their possible effect on vote choice. Results: Our analysis makes it clear that not only did voters divide over election‐related concerns, which dominated the narrative of the gubernatorial contest, but opinions on this matter strongly influenced the choice for governor. Conclusions: Reflecting a national development, but amplified in Georgia because demographic changes and growing minority participation are increasing competition, election administration has become highly politicized and it was the focal point of the 2018 gubernatorial campaign and the principal short‐term factor shaping mass voting behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wetland loss has increased the importance of multi-species management in remaining wetlands, which provide habitat for a multitude of wetland-dependent species. Many public wetlands across the mid-latitude United States are managed as moist soil impoundments with emphasis on migratory waterfowl. However, how the timing of these water management decisions affects rails is still uncertain. Wetland managers identified this as an area of uncertainty regarding timing of alternative water management strategies to benefit waterfowl and rails, which was addressed through a 3-year management experiment. Sora (Porzana carolina) and waterfowl were surveyed on 10 public wetland properties in Missouri, USA from 2014-2016, and their responses to early autumn inundation of managed palustrine wetlands were compared. A total of 558 Sora surveys detected 5,755 birds (20.6 birds/survey ± 30.8 SD), and 1,304 waterfowl surveys detected 1,411,779 birds (15,686.4 birds/survey ± 23,933.9 SD). Sora responded positively (birds/ha) to inundation of moist soil impoundments earlier in autumn migration (August). The top model for Sora included treatment, year and region of Missouri. There was no difference in waterfowl abundance between early or late inundation. Inundating wetlands earlier in autumn migration can provide habitat for migrating Sora without negative effects on waterfowl use of those wetlands, and wetland managers can incorporate this into their decision-making framework. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Poverty is a widely researched topic in economics. However, despite growing research on the economic lives of lesbians and gay men in the United States since the mid 1990s, very little is known about poverty in same-sex couple households. This study uses American Community Survey data from 2010 to 2014 to calculate poverty rates for households headed by different-sex versus same-sex couples. Comparing households with similar characteristics, the results show that those headed by same-sex couples are more likely to be in poverty than those headed by different-sex married couples. Despite that overall disadvantage, a decomposition of the poverty risk shows that same-sex couples are protected from poverty by their higher levels of education and labor force participation, and their lower probability of having a child in the home. Lastly, the role of gender - above and beyond sexual orientation - is clear in the greater vulnerability to poverty for lesbian couples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to develop an efficient hybrid method that can collectively address assembly sequence generation (ASG) and exploded view generation (EVG) problem effectively. ASG is an act of finding feasible collision free movement of components of a mechanical product in accordance with the assembly design. Although the execution of ASG is complex and time-consuming in calculation, it is highly essential for efficient manufacturing process. Because of numerous limitations of the ASG algorithms, a definite method is still unavailable in the computer-aided design (CAD) software, and therefore the explosion of the product is not found to be in accordance with any feasible disassembly sequence (disassembly sequence is reverse progression of assembly sequence). The existing EVG algorithms in the CAD software result in visualization of the entire constituent parts of the product over single screen without taking into consideration the feasible order of assembly operations; thus, it becomes necessary to formulate an algorithm which effectively solves ASG and EVG problem in conjugation. This requirement has also been documented as standard in the "General Information Concerning Patents: 1.84 Standards for drawings" in the United States Patent and Trademark office (2005) which states that the exploded view created for any product should show the relationship or order of assembly of various parts that are permissible.Design/methodology/approach In this paper, a unique ASG method has been proposed and is further extended for EVG. The ASG follows a deterministic approach to avoid redundant data collection and calculation. The proposed method is effectively applied on products which require such feasible paths of disassembly other than canonical directions.Findings The method is capable of organizing the assembly operations as linear or parallel progression of assembly such that the assembly task is completed in minimum number of stages. This result is further taken for EVG and is found to be proven effective.Originality/value Assembly sequence planning (ASP) is performed most of the times considering the geometric feasibility along canonical axes without considering parallel possibility of assembly operations. In this paper, the proposed method is robust to address this issue. Exploded view generation considering feasible ASP is also one of the novel approaches illustrated in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study is the first to apply the econometric tools developed in the study of race and gender discrimination to the newer question of sexual orientation discrimination. Analyzing pooled 1989-91 data from a national random sample, the General Social Survey, the author finds that gay and bisexual male workers earned from 11% to 27% less than heterosexual male workers with the same experience, education, occupation, marital status, and region of residence. There is also evidence that lesbian and bisexual women earned less than heterosexual women, hut this result is not consistently statistically significant across all variable definitions and specifications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Monitoring and conserving waterbirds, including Sora (Porzana Carolina), in Missouri, is constrained by the lack of information on migration phenology. We performed nocturnal distance sampling surveys by ATV across 11 state and federal managed wetlands in Missouri, USA from 2012-2015 to compare the timing of Sora' autumn migration among years. Migration of Sora in Missouri began in the first week of August, on average it peaked on 25 September, and continued through the last week of October. We detected migration of Sora earlier in autumn than did previous work. We found the start and end of migration did not vary annually in 3 of 4 years. With our results, wetland managers should be able to better time their management for rails in Missouri. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BackgroundThe U.S. Army uses universal preventives interventions for several negative outcomes (e.g. suicide, violence, sexual assault) with especially high risks in the early years of service. More intensive interventions exist, but would be cost-effective only if targeted at high-risk soldiers. We report results of efforts to develop models for such targeting from self-report surveys administered at the beginning of Army service.Methods21 832 new soldiers completed a self-administered questionnaire (SAQ) in 2011–2012 and consented to link administrative data to SAQ responses. Penalized regression models were developed for 12 administratively-recorded outcomes occurring by December 2013: suicide attempt, mental hospitalization, positive drug test, traumatic brain injury (TBI), other severe injury, several types of violence perpetration and victimization, demotion, and attrition.ResultsThe best-performing models were for TBI (AUC = 0.80), major physical violence perpetration (AUC = 0.78), sexual assault perpetration (AUC = 0.78), and suicide attempt (AUC = 0.74). Although predicted risk scores were significantly correlated across outcomes, prediction was not improved by including risk scores for other outcomes in models. Of particular note: 40.5% of suicide attempts occurred among the 10% of new soldiers with highest predicted risk, 57.2% of male sexual assault perpetrations among the 15% with highest predicted risk, and 35.5% of female sexual assault victimizations among the 10% with highest predicted risk.ConclusionsData collected at the beginning of service in self-report surveys could be used to develop risk models that define small proportions of new soldiers accounting for high proportions of negative outcomes over the first few years of service. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This article investigates the circumstances surrounding large investments by firms in the hospitality sector in the United States. The authors identify 400 large-scale investment events for firms in the restaurant, hotel, and recreation industries. During these events, firms increase their size substantially through building or acquiring assets. The authors determine that a combination of market and firm-specific factors lead to such events. Firms are more likely to engage in large investments when they have experienced strong recent sales growth and when they have lower existing leverage. These investments are more likely when the market is less volatile and when general economic conditions indicate strong consumer demand. Finally, the authors show that firms are more likely to rely on a combination of cash flow and debt financing to complete such investments, though firms experiencing higher sales growth are prone to use more equity financing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. This article examines the role of black votes in contributing to the renomination of 36-year Republican Senator Thad Cochran of Mississippi. In 2014, Senator Cochran faced a formidable primary challenge from State Senator Chris McDaniel, a notably more conservative politician. After narrowly losing the primary, Cochran prevailed in the runoff because enough black voters decided to support him. Methods. We use precinct-level racial data to derive ecological inference estimates of turnout and then employ a racially homogenous precinct analysis to determine the percentage of the black and white vote won by Cochran and McDaniel. Results. Our empirical analysis provides convincing evidence that if not for the increase in black voters in the runoff and their overwhelming support for Senator Cochran, his opponent would have ended his lengthy political career. Conclusions. Race has always been the centerpiece of politics in the Deep South state of Mississippi. This is an empirical account of an unlikely electoral event that speaks to the importance of the changing state of southern politics and how a marginalized minority population can still play a pivotal role in a region dominated by a white Republican majority. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives Our research assesses the distinctiveness of Tea Party adherents among mobilized Republicans in the South. Methods The data come from an interactive voice response (IVR) survey of households containing at least one Republican primary voter across nine southern states conducted approximately one month before the 2012 presidential election. We analyze the data using multivariate logistic regression. Results Unlike other scholarship, we find no evidence that racial animosity drives the movement, but we do find a strong relationship between evangelicalism and Tea Party support. We also find Tea Party adherents are older, more likely to be men, less wealthy, more ideologically conservative, and more partisan than their fellow Republicans. Conclusions Tea Party supporters in the South are likely to have a significant impact on the future of the Republican Party-both in the South, and nationally. The fact that our profile of southern Tea Party supporters does not include growing segments of the electorate does not bode well for the future development of the GOP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although the vast majority of minority candidates run under the Democratic label and minority voters are more supportive of the Democratic Patty, in recent years a nontrivial number of minority candidates have won Republican Party nominations in high-profile elections (i.e., governor and US Senate). In this study, we assess the level of support that white conservative voters give to minority Republican candidates. We are interested in seeing whether these voters are less supportive of the Grand Old Party (GOP) standard-bearer when the candidate is not white, since the vast majority of Republican candidates and Republican identifiers are non-Hispanic whites. Our data come from the 2006,2010, and 2012 Cooperative Congressional Election Study (CCES) surveys-election years with minority Republican nominees for governor and US Senate. Controlling for various factors, we consistently find that white conservatives are either more supportive of minority Republicans or just as likely to vote for a minority as they are a white Republican (a null result). Although we hesitate to dismiss the presence of racial prejudice in voting behavior, in the case of white conservatives our analyses suggest that the base of the GOP does not discriminate against minority nominees in high-profile contemporary general elections. At a minimum, the level of ideological polarization in American politics masks racially prejudiced voting behavior, and at a maximum, it renders it inoperable, because white conservatives view recent minority Republican nominees as at least as conservative as white GOP nominees and their level of support reflects this. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study was conducted on correlation and path coefficient analysis for seed cotton yield and its component traits in 56 crosses involving seven lines and eight testers. The results showed that number of monopodia per plant, number of sympodia per plant, number of bolls per plant, boll weight, number of seeds per boll and 2.5% span length were positively and significantly correlated with seed cotton yield and the traits days to 50% flowering, uniformity ratio and micronaire value exhibited significant negative correlation. Similarly path coefficient analysis revealed that number of bolls per plant and boll weight exhibited maximum direct effect on yield. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

US have been considered primary pharmaceutical market in the world since long back. US pharmaceutical market shares 30 to 35% of global pharmaceutical market despite low growth rate in last two years. Tremendous growth of US pharma sector is based on three prevailing factors like presence of big pharma players in the county, government willingness to provide healthcare facility and third largest population with 315 million. Pharma companies have three ways, NDA (New Drug Application), ANDA (Abbreviated New Drug Application) and OTC (Over The Counter) monograph, to market their drug products in US.NDA 505 (b) (2) is one of the types of NDA. Section 505 (b) (2) was introduced in FD&C act through Hatch-Waxman Act 1984 and becoming popular day by day due to its importance. 505 (b) (2) application has changed the concept of new drug definition. 505 (b) (2) is still under its revolving stage and FDA is taking all steps to keep things in line without compromising to safety & efficacy which are utmost important from FDA perspective. FDA has started emphasizing on access, affordability and quality of drug. Shortage of drug is being a problem in US and 505 (b) (2) application has come in support of FDA to solve it because it takes less time to get through regulatory approval process. 505 (b) (2) application motivates innovation and at the same time drug product price do not surge highlike 505 (b) (1) application dueto its low requirement of finance in drug development phase. Keeping above viewpoint in mind, this study encompasses development of 505 (b) (2) application in the history of FDA, eligibility for 505 (b) (2) application, submission requirements and detailed CDER (Center of Drug Evaluation and Research) review process of NDA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO) is the most prominent mode of tropical intraseasonal variability in the climate system and has worldwide influences on the occurrences and forecasts of heavy precipitation. This paper investigates the sensitivity of precipitation over the contiguous United States (CONUS) in a case study (boreal 2004-05 winter). Several major storms affected the western and eastern CONUS producing substantial economic and social impacts including loss of lives. The Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model is used to perform experiments to test the significance of the MJO amplitude. The control simulation uses the MJO amplitude observed by reanalysis, whereas the amplitude is modified in perturbation experiments. WRF realistically simulates the precipitation variability over the CONUS, although large biases occur over the Western and Midwest United States. Daily precipitation is aggregated in western, central and eastern sectors and the frequency distribution is analyzed. Increases in MJO amplitude produce moderate increases in the median and interquartile range and large and robust increases in extreme (90th and 95th percentiles) precipitation. The MJO amplitude clearly affects the transport of moisture from the tropical Pacific and Gulf of Mexico into North America providing moist rich air masses and the dynamical forcing that contributes to heavy precipitation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective Sarah Palin and the Tea Party played active roles in endorsing candidates for the U. S. House in 2010; we explore whether they followed different strategies. Palin proved more careful in backing candidates while the decentralized Tea Party movement often became involved in hopeless causes. Method We analyze the endorsements made by Palin and the Tea Party in contests involving House seats held by Democrats going into the 2010 elections. Results We show that Palin and the Tea Party had different endorsement approaches. Conclusions Palin's endorsements seem to have been guided by more strategic considerations than those from the Tea Party. The Tea Party concentrated more on trying to defeat incumbents and especially incumbents who had supported the Obama legislative package with the stimulus bill being a lightning rod for Tea Partiers. Palin proved far more selective in making endorsements and concentrated more on backing challengers likely to unseat Democrats. Although she endorsed less than half as many races as the Tea Party, she backed almost as many winners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The spatial-intensity variability of extreme precipitation over the contiguous United States (CONUS) during boreal winter and relationships with the Madden-Julian oscillation (MJO) are investigated. Daily gridded precipitation is used to define two types of contiguous regions of extreme precipitation (CREPs): the intensity and spatial extent exceeding the 75th and 90th percentiles of frequency distributions. Extreme precipitation occurs twice as frequently when the MJO is active than inactive. Joint probabilities of the fractional area of CONUS sectors when the MJO is active are 2.0-2.5 higher than probabilities during inactive days for both 75th and 90th percentile CREPs (similar for the intensity of CREPs). Probabilities of the fractional area of 75th percentile CREPs when the MJO is active in neutral ENSO are higher than during warm or cold ENSO. Joint probabilities of the fractional area during MJO and warm ENSO are higher than MJO and cold ENSO and statistically significant over southern sectors. Results are similar for joint probabilities of intensity exceedance and MJO activity in warm and cold ENSO phases. Proportions of 75th and 90th percentile CREPs for each sector and phase of the MJO are predominantly large when MJO convective signals are over the central Indian Ocean or western Pacific. Probabilities of the fractional area of 90th percentile CREPs conditioned on MJO phases, however, do not show clear predominance. This indicates that the MJO is not the sole player in the occurrences of CREPs. Last, this study concludes that probabilities of the fractional area and intensity of 75th and 90th percentile CREPs in the CONUS do not depend on the amplitude of the MJO. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives. In contemporary U. S. elections there is no shortage of allegations concerning election fraud. These claims are, however, based in large part on anecdotal evidence, unsubstantiated assertions, or the study of reported complaints. The absence of a general methodology to actively search for evidence of election fraud has resulted in policy arguments devoid of empirical data and systematic analyses. Methods. In this article, we present a general methodology to study contemporary election fraud based on the Knowledge Discovery in Databases ( KDD) process. We then apply this approach to a case study of a particular type of fraud. Results. After examining approximately 2.1 million votes cast during the 2006 general election in Georgia, we find no evidence that election fraud was committed under the auspices of deceased registrants. Conclusion. In this article, we have introduced a general methodology for the scientific study of election fraud. We urge social scientists to make use of such a framework to investigate the prevalence of different types of fraud across varying election cycles and jurisdictions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article offers information on various bryophytes species from different countries. It states the barbilophozia atlantica was found in Portugal with good quantity and grows in granitic rock crevices. It mentions the bucklandiella microcarpa moss native in Hungary which grows on non-calcareous rocks. It adds the climacium dendroides located in wet and damp grasslands in the U.S.

The article discusses immigration rights for binational same-sex couples. According to the author, there is a strong link between the legal recognition granted by marriage and that granted by immigration status. It is suggested that pressure for reforms to laws and policies regarding binational same-sex couples can come from local, state, or provincial governments on one hand, and from national policy on the other. Other topics include binational couples who call themselves love exiles living in the Netherlands, the difficulties such couples face when traveling to the U.S., and possibilities for political activism, education, and resistance on an individual level.

The Madden--Julian oscillation (MJO) is the most prominent form of tropical intraseasonal variability that impacts weather and climate. Forecast skill of extreme precipitation in the contiguous United States (CONUS) during winter is higher when the MJO is active and has enhanced convection over the Western Hemisphere, Africa, and/or the western Indian Ocean. This study applies a simple decision model to examine the relationships between the MJO and the relative value of deterministic forecasts of extreme precipitation. Value in the forecasts is significantly higher and extends to longer leads (2 weeks) during active MJO. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this review is to study the frequency of common and the occurrence of rare and novel mutations of the delta-globin gene and of Hb Lepore defects that might interfere with thalassemia diagnostics and to report the rationale of HbA2 estimation in the presence of delta- or alpha-gene mutations. A total of 135 cases suspected to have a delta-globin gene defect collected in a diagnostic center in the USA and in a reference laboratory in the Netherlands were characterized by molecular analysis. Hb B2 was found at a frequency of at least 0.5% in the USA and 0.87% in the Netherlands. Known variants such as Hb A2-Babinga, Hb A2-Sphakia, Hb A2-Fitzroy, Hb A2-Flatbush, Hb A2-NYU, Hb A2-Grovetown, HbA2-Yialousa, Hb A2-Indonesia and several delta-thalassemia mutations were found together with 13 new mutations and two new polymorphisms, while Hb Lepores were regularly observed. HbA2 mutations either structurally stable and visible or undetectable because of a thalassemia effect or instability are clinically asymptomatic but may compromise the diagnosis of beta-thalassemia minor. Stable mutations result in two HbA2 fractions of about half of the expected value. Expression defects are undetectable as a protein fraction but reduce the amount of HbA2 by half. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extreme precipitation events are among the most devastating weather phenomena since they are frequently accompanied by loss of life and property. This study uses reforecasts of the NCEP Climate Forecast System (CFS.v1) to evaluate the skill of nonprobabilistic and probabilistic forecasts of extreme precipitation in the contiguous United States (CONUS) during boreal winter for lead times up to two weeks. The CFS model realistically simulates the spatial patterns of extreme precipitation events over the CONUS, although the magnitudes of the extremes in the model are much larger than in the observations. Heidke skill scores (HSS) for forecasts of extreme precipitation at the 75th and 90th percentiles showed that the CFS model has good skill at week 1 and modest skill at week 2. Forecast skill is usually higher when the Madden--Julian oscillation (MJO) is active and has enhanced convection occurring over the Western Hemisphere, Africa, and/or the western Indian Ocean than in quiescent periods. HSS greater than 0.1 extends to lead times of up to two weeks in these situations. Approximately 10%%--30%% of the CONUS has HSS greater than 0.1 at lead times of 1--14 days when the MJO is active. Probabilistic forecasts for extreme precipitation events at the 75th percentile show improvements over climatology of 0%%--40%% at 1-day lead and 0%%--5%% at 7-day leads. The CFS has better skill in forecasting severe extremes (i.e., events exceeding the 90th percentile) at longer leads than moderate extremes (75th percentile). Improvements over climatology between 10%% and 30%% at leads of 3 days are observed over several areas across the CONUS--especially in California and in the Midwest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and purpose: We present the early experience in thrombolysis in three major centers of Ho Chi Minh city, namely 115 People Hospital, Gia Dinh Hospital, and An Binh Hospital. Methods: A prospective study of consecutive patients treated with intravenous tPA with a treatment protocol similar to that of the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) trial. National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) scores on admission and Modified Rankin Scale (MRS) scores at 3 months were measured for all patients. Intracranial and systemic hemorrhagic complications were recorded. Result: A total of 121 of 6171 (2%) patients with acute IS received thrombolysis over 3 years. Mean age was 57 years (range 18–78) and initial median NIHSS score was 12 (range 5–23). The mean delay between symptom onset and treatment was 143 min (range 50–210). Seventy-three (60.3%) patients received the standard dose with the remaining 48 patients (36.9%) treated with a lower dose, a mean calculated dose of 0.62 mg/kg (range, 0.6–0.86 mg/kg). Over half (56.3%) of the patients receiving low dose achieved functional independence (mRS score 0–1) at 3 months compared with 34.2% in the standard-dose group ( P = 0.01). The 3-month mortality rate was also higher in the standard-dose group (2.1% vs. 12.5% with standard-dose tPA; P = 0.04). Symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage was noted in four patients of standard-dose group and one patient of low-dose group ( P = 0.36). Conclusion: Intravenous thrombolysis, particularly in a lower dose, is safe and feasible in the treatment of acute IS in our selected Vietnamese population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives. We take a step forward in examining the electoral effects of redistricting by: (1) demonstrating that voters with a new incumbent because of redistricting are less likely to recognize their representative, and (2) voters are less likely to vote for their representative if they fail to recognize him or her. Methods. Our data come from a survey of white respondents who resided in the redrawn Eighth District of Georgia for the 2006 U.S. House elections. We use probit regressions to first measure the effect of redistricting on incumbent recognition. Then, we assess the likelihood of voting for the incumbent depending on whether a respondent was redrawn or has the same incumbent after redistricting, and whether or not the respondent could recognize his or her representative. Results. Our analyses make it clear that redrawn voters were much less likely to recognize their incumbent and it is the inability to recognize one's incumbent, irrespective of whether the representative has changed due to redistricting, which accounts for a reduced likelihood of voting for the incumbent. Conclusions. Other scholars have examined the relationship between redistricting and incumbent recognition. Likewise, many have evaluated the effects of redistricting on vote choice. This article, however, is the first to merge these two relationships. We find that redrawn constituents are less likely to know who their representative is, and it is indeed a lack of familiarity that reduces an incumbent's vote share. Thus, we have shown empirically that the absence of a personal vote, which is exacerbated by redistricting, proves electorally harmful to the incumbent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This collaborative project between the National Board of Medical Examiners and four schools in the UK is investigating the feasibility and utility of a cross-school progress testing program drawing on test material recently retired from the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) Step 2 Clinical Knowledge (CK) examination. This article describes the design of the progress test; the process used to build, translate (localize), review, and finalize test forms; the approach taken to (web-based) test administration; and the procedure used to calculate and report scores. Results to date have demonstrated that it is feasible to use test items written for the US licensing examination as a base for developing progress test forms for use in the UK. Some content areas can be localized more readily than others, and care is clearly needed in review and revision of test materials to ensure that it is clinically appropriate and suitably phrased for use in the UK. Involvement of content experts in review and vetting of the test material is essential, and it is clearly desirable to supplement expert review with the use of quality control procedures based on the item statistics as a final check on the appropriateness of individual test items. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, we examine the role that in-migration played in contributing to the 2008 Democratic presidential victory in North Carolina. Prior to Barack Obama, the last time the Tar Heel State was carried by a Democrat was Jimmy Carter in 1976. Since the late 1980s, North Carolina has undergone tremendous demographic change. In addition to a growing Hispanic population that is primarily comprised of noncitizens, the state has witnessed a very large increase in the number of residents who were born and raised in Northern states such as New York. Historically, in much of the postwar South, Northern migrants helped grow the Republican Party. We find that in North Carolina this pattern no longer holds. In contemporary North Carolina, migrants born outside the South are more likely to identify and register as politically unaffiliated, and their growing share of the state's electorate directly contributed to Obama's narrow win. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the variability of the South America monsoon system (SAMS) over tropical South America (SA). The onset, end, and total rainfall during the summer monsoon are investigated using precipitation pentad estimates from the global precipitation climatology project (GPCP) 1979–2006. Likewise, the variability of SAMS characteristics is examined in ten Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) global coupled climate models in the twentieth century (1981–2000) and in a future scenario of global change (A1B) (2081–2100). It is shown that most IPCC models misrepresent the inter-tropical convergence zone and therefore do not capture the actual annual cycle of precipitation over the Amazon and northwest SA. Most models can correctly represent the spatiotemporal variability of the annual cycle of precipitation in central and eastern Brazil such as the correct phase of dry and wet seasons, onset dates, duration of rainy season and total accumulated precipitation during the summer monsoon for the twentieth century runs. Nevertheless, poor representation of the total monsoonal precipitation over the Amazon and northeast Brazil is observed in a large majority of the models. Overall, MIROC3.2-hires, MIROC3.2-medres and MRI-CGCM3.2.3 show the most realistic representation of SAMS’s characteristics such as onset, duration, total monsoonal precipitation, and its interannual variability. On the other hand, ECHAM5, GFDL-CM2.0 and GFDL-CM2.1 have the least realistic representation of the same characteristics. For the A1B scenario the most coherent feature observed in the IPCC models is a reduction in precipitation over central-eastern Brazil during the summer monsoon, comparatively with the present climate. The IPCC models do not indicate statistically significant changes in SAMS onset and demise dates for the same scenario. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Toni Morrison has consciously inherited the legacy of the search for new perceptions of the African-American cosmology. This includes the reclamation of the African-American individual, community and freedom, and the search for a new literary discourse corresponding with the challenge of the new vision, from the committed discourses of the African-American leaders, philosophers, writers and audio-visual artists such as the Blues, right from the turn of the century to the present. Having been engaged in the construction of a multidimensional text since her The Bluest Eye and Beloved, Morrison, in her Playing in the Dark (1992), devotes her theoretical concerns to an Afrocentric perspective emerging from her historical and literary responses to the US and its White-American classics. Morrison's enquiry opens an integrated social perspective towards Africanism. To her, "Africanism is inextricable from the definition of Americanness", and criticism, to her, cannot remain "too polite or too fearful to notice a disruptive darkness before its eyes". This paper is a detailed attempt to focus on Morrison's social and literary concerns in upholding integrity and centrality of Africanness in the US and her search for new perceptions of the African-American cosmology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the development of convection model in the cloudy layer to discover the possibility of localized phenomenon in the U.S. The study shows that convection can take place at particular time and vanishes at long distance if the layer has movable boundaries. Moreover, the convection region is associated with the larger instability gradients and can achieve stationary state. In the tornados' supercell rotation is usually with the atmosphere jet stream.

This paper focuses on the statistical based Probabilistic Neural Network (PNN) for pattern classification problems with Expectation -- Maximization (EM) chosen as the training algorithm. This brings about the problem of random initialization, which means, the user has to predefine the number of clusters through trial and error. Global k-means is used to solve this and to provide a deterministic number of clusters using a selection criterion. On top of that, Fast Global k-means was tested as a substitute for Global k-means, to reduce the computational time taken. Tests were done on both homescedastic and heteroscedastic PNNs using benchmark medical datasets and also vibration data obtained from a U.S. Navy CH-46E helicopter aft gearbox (Westland). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the impact of allowing same-sex couples to marry on the budget of Maryland. It mentions its effects in the areas of taxation, state employee benefit provisions and public assistance programs. It estimates the costs that could result from expanding the right to marriage. It also examines the economic impact of marriages by same-sex couples on business in the state.

Three independent single particle mass spectrometers measured Pb in individual aerosol particles. These data provide unprecedented sensitivity and statistical significance for the measurement of Pb in single particles. This paper explores the reasons for the frequency of Pb in fine particles now that most gasoline is unleaded. Trace amounts of Pb were found in 5 to 25% of 250 to 3000 nm diameter particles sampled by both aircraft and surface instruments in the eastern and western United States. Over 5% of particles at a mountain site in Switzerland contained Pb. Particles smaller than 100 nm with high Pb content were also observed by an instrument that was only operated in urban areas. Lead was found on all types of particles, including Pb present on biomass burning particles from remote fires. Less common particles with high Pb contents contributed a majority of the total amount of Pb. Single particles with high Pb content often also contained alkali metals, Zn, Cu, Sn, As, and Sb. The association of Pb with Zn and other metals is also found in IMPROVE network filter data from surface sites. Sources of airborne Pb in the United States are reviewed for consistency with these data. The frequent appearance of trace Pb is consistent with widespread emissions of fine Pb particles from combustion sources followed by coagulation with larger particles during long-range transport. Industrial sources that directly emit Pb-rich particles also contribute to the observations. Clean regions of the western United States show some transport of Pb from Asia but most Pb over the United States comes from North American sources. Resuspension of Pb from soil contaminated by the years of leaded gasoline was not directly apparent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE -- At birth, the lifetime risk of developing diabetes is one in three, but lifetime risks across BMI categories are unknown. We estimated BMI-specific lifetime diabetes risk in the U.S. for age-, sex-, and ethnicity-specific subgroups. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS -- National Health Interview Survey data (n = 780,694, 1997-2004) were used to estimate age-, race-, sex-, and BMI-specific prevalence and incidence of diabetes in 2004. U.S. Census Bureau age-, race-, and sex-specific population and mortality rate estimates for 2004 were combined with two previous studies of mortality to estimate diabetes- and BMI-specific mortality rates. These estimates were used in a Markov model to project lifetime risk of diagnosed diabetes by baseline age, race, sex, and BMI. RESULTS -- Lifetime diabetes risk at 18 years of age increased from 7.6 to 70.3% between underweight and very obese men and from 12.2 to 74.4% for women. The lifetime risk difference was lower at older ages. At 65 years of age, compared with normal-weight male subjects, lifetime risk differences (percent) increased from 3.7 to 23.9 percentage points between overweight and very obese men and from 8.7 to 26.7 percentage points for women. The impact of BMI on diabetes duration also decreased with age. CONCLUSIONS -- Overweight and especially obesity, particularly at younger ages, substantially increases lifetime risk of diagnosed diabetes, while their impact on diabetes risk, life expectancy, and diabetes duration diminishes with age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Prior to the 1990s, the size of the Hispanic population in the Deep South was negligible. Since that time, states in this region have experienced an explosive growth in members of this ethnic group. Methods: Georgia and the Carolinas are among five states that maintain registration and turnout files by ethnicity. We make use of these political data in conjunction with demographic information from the Census to create a snapshot of Hispanic political emergence in the southeast. Results: A sizable gap exists between the size of the Hispanic population in the southeast and levels of political participation on the part of Latinos. Much of the explanation for this observation centers on the fact that the bulk of recent migration to the region has been by Hispanics who are not U.S. citizens. Participation rates among Hispanic citizens, however, were also found to lag behind those of other racial groups in the region. Conclusions: Although it is likely that Hispanics will become a sizable political force in the Deep South, it should be noted that the gulf between latent political influence and actual political power may take quite some time to close. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. The purpose of our study was to analyze prognostic factors associated with mortality for patients with severe community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). Methods. We conducted a prospective multicenter study including all patients with CAP admitted to the intensive care unit during a 15-month period in 33 Spanish hospitals. Admission data and data on the evolution of the disease were recorded. Multivariate analysis was performed using the SPSS statistical package (SPSS). Results. A total of 529 patients with severe CAP were enrolled; the mean age (±SD) was 59.9 ± 16.1 years, and the mean Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) II score (±SD) was 18.9 ± 7.4. Overall mortality among patients in the intensive case unit was 27.9% (148 patients). The rate of adherence to Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) guidelines was 5 7.8%. Significantly higher mortality was documented among patients with nonadherence to treatment (3 3.2% vs. 24.2%). Multivariate analysis identified age (odds ratio [OR], 1.7), APACHE II score (OR, 4.1), nonadherence to IDSA guidelines (OR, 1.6), and immunocompromise (OR, 1.9) as the variables present at admission to the intensive care unit that were independently associated with death in the intensive care unit. In 15 (75%) of 20 cases of Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection, the antimicrobial treatment at admission was inadequate (including 8 of 15 cases involving patients with adherence to IDSA guidelines). Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (OR, 17.9), malignancy (OR, 11.0), previous antibiotic exposure (OR, 6.2), and radiographic findings demonstrating rapid spread of disease (OR, 3.9) were associated with P. aeruginosa pneumonia. Conclusions. Better adherence to IDSA guidelines would help to improve survival among patients with severe CAP. Pseudo monas coverage should be considered for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, malignancy, or recent antibiotic exposure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Following the 1984 divestiture of AT&T, local telephone service was provided by several Regional Bell Operating Companies (RBOCs). The RBOCs served as monopoly providers of local telephone service in their respective territories hut were prohibited from offering long-distance service to their in-region subscribers. Section 271 of the landmark Telecommunications Act of 1996 allows an RBOC to offer in-region long-distance service if it demonstrates that the local telephone exchange market is often to competitive entry. This study empirically evaluates the efficacy of this policy by considering the impact of RBOC entry into long-distance on the development of competitive entry into local telephony. The results suggest that .section 271 has been successful in promoting entry into local telephony. However, aggregate price data suggest that this entry has not been realized with lower rates for residential telephone subscribers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several USA state, federal, and Canadian agencies study lake sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens) within the St Clair River and Lake St Clair, collectively referred to hereafter as the St Clair River (SCR) system. Previously, there has been no set standard for determining condition for SCR system lake sturgeon. Condition measures the variation from the expected weight for length as an indicator of fatness, general well-being, gonad development, etc. The aim of this project was to determine the length–weight relationship of lake sturgeon caught from the SCR system, from which a relative condition factor (Kn) equation could be derived. Total length (TL, mm) and weight (W, kg) were measured for 1074 lake sturgeon (101 males and 16 females were identifiable) collected by setline and bottom trawl from the SCR system in May–September, 1997–2002. Analysis of covariance found no difference in the length–weight relationship between sampling gear or sex. Least-squares regression of log10W × log10TL produced the overall equation logW = 3.365logTL − 9.320. Using the exponential form of the slope andy-intercept, relative condition factor for lake sturgeon from the SCR system can be calculated asKn = W/[(4.786 × 10−10)(TL3.365)]. Equations for males and females were also developed. Overall, body condition was significantly correlated with both age and girth; no significant difference inKn by sex was found. In general, the SCR lake sturgeon population was near the upper ends of growth and condition ranges listed in the literature, comparable with those populations that are at similar latitudes. Although condition factors should be interpreted with caution, proper use of a standard equation provides a non-lethal measure of overall fish health that can be used by biologists and managers in ongoing efforts to restore lake sturgeon throughout the Great Lakes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]