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Objective: Describe the epidemiology of cluster headache (CH) using Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Electronic Health Record (EHR) data. Background: Epidemiologic studies of CH at the population level are difficult because it has a prevalence of ~0.1%. Hospital system‐wide studies are an attractive alternative as they have large numbers of patients and broader populations than headache or neurology clinic‐based studies. The VHA is an ideal hospital‐based system in which to study CH because it is nationwide, predominantly male, has a strong focus on mood disorders and suicidality, and has accessible individual medical records. Here, we report the first headache study based on an ongoing longitudinal cohort of patients with CH using VHA EHR data. Methods: The VHA EHR data were accessed from Fiscal Year 2008 to 2019. Patients with CH consisted of all patients with at least one outpatient visit containing a CH diagnosis code from the International Classification of Diseases (ICD)‐9 or ‐10. We extracted data on demographic features, incidence, and prevalence, as well as pain and psychiatric comorbidities. Results: Of the 1,524,960 distinct patients who presented for headache treatment in the VHA between Fiscal Year 2008–2019, 24,131 had at least one visit with a CH diagnosis. The 1‐year period prevalence of a CH diagnosis in the VHA ranges from 0.08% to 0.10% for women and 0.10% to 0.18% for men. A larger proportion of women versus men received a diagnosis of unspecified CH (59.6% [1412/2368] vs. 53.6% [11,663/21,763], p < 0.001). Most patients with CH had both comorbid headache and non‐headache pain diagnoses. Headache not‐otherwise‐specified was the most common comorbid headache disorder at 70.0% (16,885/24,131) and was more common in women (76.1%, 1801/2368) compared to men (69.3%, 15,084/21,763). Other common comorbidities included migraine, depression, tobacco use, and obstructive sleep apnea. Rates of suicidal ideation or attempt were almost 50% higher in women (5‐year proportion 9.4%, 222/2368) with CH compared to men (6.6%, 1433/21,763). Conclusions: To our knowledge this is the largest hospital system study of CH to date and reinforces several previous studies. Pain, mental health, and sleep disorders comorbidities are particularly prevalent in this group and were often more common in women compared to men with CH. Future work should examine gender and race stratified prevalence estimates within the VHA and other healthcare systems. Plain Language Summary: This study describes the epidemiology of cluster headache among all Veterans Health Administration (VHA) enrollees using electronic medical record data from the VHA. We found that during any given 1‐year period, between 0.08–0.10% of women and 0.10–0.18% of men in the VHA were treated for cluster headache. Many of these patients also had co‐occurring disorders including other headache disorders and depression, so more research is needed to find the best ways to treat these patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Financial scales were developed to understand and explain the financial behavior of adults in the United States using data from the 2018 National Financial Capability Study (NFCS) and the Spanish-Language Supplement. The main difference between them is that the Spanish-Language Supplement was composed only of Hispanics who prefer Spanish as their first language. Researchers combined various related questions using factor analysis (principal component analysis) to create the scales for financial anxiety, financial capability, financial readiness, financial self-efficacy, and financial technology. These scales and their corresponding scores allowed researchers to better measure specific concepts related to consumer financial management. Cronbach's alpha showed scales were reliable and the Kaiser–Meyer–Olkin index confirmed the appropriateness of factor analyses. Except for financial capability, all financial scales using the 2018 NFCS State-by-State Survey were validated using the 2018 NFCS Spanish Supplement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Medication for Opioid Use Disorder (MOUD) helps individuals safely withdraw from opioids. Though MOUD is effective, women stop using MOUD prematurely. The present study examined family relationships in relation to MOUD treatment acceptability among women. A convergent mixed methods research design was used in which 62 participants completed surveys and 23 participated in focus groups. Integrating qualitative data, convergence was found across two domains: 1) MOUD was perceived as acceptable and beneficial to recovery for the participants, and 2) Family support and desire for family services in MOUD treatment. Implications for MOUD treatment policy and future research are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Parkinson's disease (PD) affects both men and women with documented gender differences across functional domains, with findings varying among reports. Knowledge regarding gender differences in PD for different geographic locations is important for further understanding of the disease and for developing personalized gender-specific PD assessment tools and therapies. Objective: This study aimed to examine gender differences in PD-related motor, motor-cognitive, cognitive, and psychosocial function in people with PD from the southern United States (US). Methods: 199 (127 men and 72 women; M age: 69.08±8.94) individuals with mild-moderate idiopathic PD (Hoehn &Yahr (H&Y) Median = 2, stages I-III) from a large metro area in the southeastern US were included in this retrospective, cross-sectional study. Motor, motor-cognitive, cognitive, and psychosocial data were obtained using standardized and validated clinical tests. Univariate analyses were performed, adjusting for age and housing type. Results: After adjustment for age, housing, PD duration and fall rate, men exhibited statistically significantly greater motor (Movement Disorders Society (MDS)-Unified Parkinson Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS)-II) and non-motor (MDS-UPDRS-I) impact of PD, and more severe motor signs (MDS-UPDRS-III). Men exhibited worse PD-specific health-related quality of life related to mobility, activities of daily living, emotional well-being, cognitive impairment, communication, and more depressive symptoms. Men performed worse on a subtraction working memory task. Women had slower fast gait speed. Conclusions: In the southeastern United States, men may experience worse PD-related quality of life and more depression than women. Many non-motor and motor variables that are not PD specific show no differences between genders in this cohort. These findings can contribute to the development of gender-sensitive assessment and rehabilitation policies and protocols for people with PD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study tested the idea that faith in intuition (people's reliance on their intuition when making judgments or decisions) is negatively associated with vaccination attitudes in the U.S. populace. Intuition is an implicit, affective information processing mode based on prior experiences. U.S. citizens have few threatening experiences with vaccines because vaccination coverage for common vaccine-preventable diseases is high in the United States. Experiences with vaccination-side effects, however, are more prevalent. This is likely to shape an intuition that favors refusal over vaccination. Results of multiple regression analyses support this supposition. With increasing faith in intuition, people's vaccination attitudes become less favorable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Infertility is a major reproductive health issue that affects about 12% of women of reproductive age in the United States. Aneuploidy in eggs accounts for a significant proportion of early miscarriage and in vitro fertilization failure. Recent studies have shown that genetic variants in several genes affect chromosome segregation fidelity and predispose women to a higher incidence of egg aneuploidy. However, the exact genetic causes of aneuploid egg production remain unclear, making it difficult to diagnose infertility based on individual genetic variants in mother's genome. In this study, we evaluated machine learning-based classifiers for predicting the embryonic aneuploidy risk in female IVF patients using whole-exome sequencing data. Using two exome datasets, we obtained an area under the receiver operating curve of 0.77 and 0.68, respectively. High precision could be traded off for high specificity in classifying patients by selecting different prediction score cutoffs. For example, a strict prediction score cutoff of 0.7 identified 29% of patients as high-risk with 94% precision. In addition, we identified MCM5, FGGY, and DDX60L as potential aneuploidy risk genes that contribute the most to the predictive power of the model. These candidate genes and their molecular interaction partners are enriched for meiotic-related gene ontology categories and pathways, such as microtubule organizing center and DNA recombination. In summary, we demonstrate that sequencing data can be mined to predict patients' aneuploidy risk thus improving clinical diagnosis. The candidate genes and pathways we identified are promising targets for future aneuploidy studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The experience of individuals with Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID‐19) ranges from asymptomatic to life threatening multi‐organ dysfunction. Specific HLA alleles may affect the predisposition to severe COVID‐19 because of their role in presenting viral peptides to launch the adaptive immune response to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2). In this population‐based case–control study in the midwestern United States, we performed high‐resolution HLA typing of 234 cases hospitalized for COVID‐19 in the St. Louis metropolitan area and compared their HLA allele frequencies with those of 22,000 matched controls from the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP). We identified two predisposing alleles, HLA‐DRB1*08:02 in the Hispanic group (OR = 9.0, 95% confidence interval: 2.2–37.9; adjusted p = 0.03) and HLA‐A*30:02 in younger African Americans with ages below the median (OR = 2.2, 1.4–3.6; adjusted p = 0.01), and several candidate alleles with potential associations with COVID‐19 in African American, White, and Hispanic groups. We also detected risk‐associated amino acid residues in the peptide binding grooves of some of these alleles, suggesting the presence of functional associations. These findings support the notion that specific HLA alleles may be protective or predisposing factors to COVID‐19. Future consortium analysis of pooled cases and controls is warranted to validate and extend these findings, and correlation with viral peptide binding studies will provide additional evidence for the functional association between HLA alleles and COVID‐19. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The cost-effectiveness of endovascular thrombectomy (EVT) in patients with acute ischemic stroke due to M2 branch occlusion remains uncertain. Objective To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of EVT compared with medical management in patients with acute stroke presenting with M2 occlusion using a decision-analytic model. Methods A decision-analytic study was performed with Markov modeling to estimate the lifetime quality-adjusted life years and associated costs of EVT-treated patients compared with no-EVT/medical management. The study was performed over a lifetime horizon with a societal perspective in the Unites States setting. Base case, one-way, two-way, and probabilistic sensitivity analyses were performed. Results EVT was the long-term cost-effective strategy in 93.37% of the iterations in the probabilistic sensitivity analysis, and resulted in difference in health benefit of 1.66 QALYs in the 65-year-old age groups, equivalent to 606 days in perfect health. Varying the outcomes after both strategies shows that EVT was more cost-effective when the probability of good outcome after EVT was only 4-6% higher relative to medical management in clinically likely scenarios. EVT remained cost-effective even when its cost exceeded US$200 000 (threshold was US$209 111). EVT was even more cost-effective for 55-year-olds than for 65-year-old patients. Conclusion Our study suggests that EVT is cost-effective for treatment of acute M2 branch occlusions. Faster and improved reperfusion techniques would increase the relative cost-effectiveness of EVT even further in these patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the implications of the tenancies in common (TIC) and installment land contracts (ILC) for residential tenants in the U.S. Topics discussed include the effect of less favorable treatment of tenants on the wealth gap and affordable housing crisis, tendency of TIC to displace low-income renters of color, and constructive legal and policy responses to TIC and ILC such as statutory extensions of tenant protections in condominium conversion laws.

Research Findings: This study uses data from a comprehensive meta-analytic database of early childhood education (ECE) program evaluations published between 1960 and 2007 in the United States to examine the incremental effects of adding enhancement program components to ECE programs on children's cognitive abilities, pre-academic skills, behavioral, health, and socio-emotional outcomes. Preschool enhancement programs include parenting programs, skill-based curricula, and teacher professional development programming. Our findings suggest that the addition of parent programs and skill-based curricula to ECE programs can result in improvements to a range of children's ECE outcomes leading to better school readiness. We found no differences in the impacts of ECE programs with or without additional professional development enhancements. Practice or Policy: Designing fully-developed parent programs by explicitly targeting parents, developing academically focused and skill-based curricula, and providing additional teacher professional development enhancements to existing ECE programs can have a substantial impact on a range of children's ECE outcomes leading to better school readiness. Further research is needed in order to determine what conditions are essential to enhancement program success as well as what conditions have negligible effects on or inhibit children's school readiness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

According to Richard Florida, the world is in the grip of a 'New Urban Crisis'. In his most recent book Florida recounts a visit to Medellín that provoked an epiphany in which he realized that the New Urban Crisis is global in scope. Unfortunately, Florida's discovery of the global South is informed by a deeply Eurocentric understanding of urbanization. This leads him to conclude that Southern cities should 'unleash' creativity, and he proposes that the United States should develop a global urban policy that would export a version of American urbanism. In this essay we deconstruct Florida's notion of the New Urban Crisis and show that its Eurocentric assumptions obscure the very real environmental, economic and political challenges facing cities in the global South and their residents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The clinical assessment of older adults' judgment is important for mitigating safety risks that often precipitate loss of independence. Our national survey of geriatric healthcare providers (N = 496; M years of experience = 17.11 ± 10.60) indicated that formal judgment tests are underutilized in clinical practice. We developed the Verbal Test of Practical Judgment (VPJ) as a new test of judgment for older adults intended to identify difficulty performing instrumental activities of daily living (IADL). Method: In two prospective studies, participants were long-term care facility residents (age ≥ 50) in Maryland, USA (Study 1, N = 51; Study 2, N = 110) referred to licensed psychologists for neuro-cognitive and mood evaluation by facility attending physicians. Psychometric analyses were performed to examine the construct validity of the VPJ. Results: The VPJ evidenced adequate reliability and strong construct validity across both studies. Receiver operating characteristic analysis yielded an optimal VPJ cut score for identifying impaired judgment. The VPJ significantly predicted IADL performance beyond clinician and participant ratings. Conclusion: The VPJ appears to be a valid tool for assessing judgment among older adults with suspected cognitive impairment. VPJ score inferences can inform clinicians on the odds of requiring assistance for specific IADLs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hypoxia is defined as a lack of oxygen throughout the body, which can be caused by several factors at any altitude. General aviation (GA) pilots may argue that most GA aircraft cannot attain the required altitudes where one might be more affected by hypoxia, but it is exactly that attitude that may makes pilots more susceptible to hypoxia. The impact of this hazardous attitude is even more apparent if one considers that out of the 590,038 certificated pilots in the USA, a little over 30% of them are GA pilots (FAA, 2015). The problem is that unlike airline pilots or military pilots, there are no specific requirements for GA pilots to receive flight physiology training that could cover hypoxia causes, recognition, and recovery. Furthermore, there is no existing mandate requiring GA pilots to report episodes of hypoxia to any safety or statistics agency, such as NASA. Without reports, records, or statistics on hypoxia, there is no way to observe trends through the years, which could help prevent other GA pilots from experiencing the same hazard. To obtain more information on GA pilots' experiences with hypoxia, the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association and Curt Lewis & Associates, a safety forum and recommendation service for the aviation industry, distributed an anonymous survey via electronic newsletter to collect hypoxia data. Questions within this survey asked about the pilot's experience at the time, flight condition, and any previous flight physiology training he or she may have had. The information obtained was analyzed to create statistics that could show how often hypoxia occurs for GA pilots and how effective flight physiology training is for the GA population. To this day, there are no reported statistics about GA pilots that have survived hypoxia during normal flight operations. This leaves the aviation community unsure of which circumstances pilots find themselves in that might create a hypoxic state, as well as whether or not that pilot reported the occurrence to the proper establishments. It is with this in mind that several questions arise: 1. Are GA pilots trained to recognize the effects and symptoms of hypoxia? 2. Have those that have survived hypoxic situations reported them? 3. Are the current reporting requirements satisfactory?. The GA community was the focus for this study due to the common belief that GA aircraft, usually normally aspirated single-engine aircraft, cannot attain altitudes where hypoxia is a factor. This invulnerable attitude, in combination with a lack of resources available for flight physiology training to the GA community, made this population of the aviation industry prime candidates for this study. It should be noted that Federal Aviation Regulation 91.211 does not require pilots to use supplemental oxygen until cruising at 12,500 feet for 30 minutes or more. The training requirements for the Private Pilot Airman Certification Standards require students to understand the causes, effects, and recovery methods of hypoxia, but no further practical training is required. It should also be noted that pilots, whether commercial operators or GA, have no legal requirement to report a hypoxic event, and it is because of this that the research team believes there are no statistics on the frequency, commonality, or severity of GA hypoxia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A growing number of institutions offer a master's degree in health communication to prepare individuals for applied work in the field, but there is very little literature on the career paths graduates pursue. The current study reports the results of a national survey that targeted the alumni of five institutions that offer the degree. Of the 522 total graduates to whom the survey was sent, 398 responded (76.2% response rate). Results show that the degree recipients have found employment in a wide variety of organizations across the country, including jobs within very prestigious organizations, such as the National Cancer Institute. Common job titles include manager, coordinator, communication associate/specialist, and program/project director. The most common job responsibilities include research activities, the development of health communication materials, project/program management, communication management, and social media/website management. The results also include stories of graduates across programs that illustrate details of career paths. The discussion of the findings addresses implications for career preparation, curriculum development, and advising. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, we estimate the risk spillovers among 74 U.S. Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) using the state-dependent sensitivity value-at-risk approach. This methodology allows for the quantification of the spillover size as a function of a company's financial condition. We show that the size of risk spillovers is more than twice as large when REITs are in financial distress and find evidence for the impact of geographical proximity. Our results provide new insights concerning the relevance of geographical diversification for REITs and have important implications for the investment and risk management decisions of real estate investors, mortgage lenders, home suppliers and policy makers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, the author presents her views on the relationship between the U.S. food policy and land use law. Topics discussed include importance of the proper regulation of the urban agriculture and local food, laws responsible for prohibiting the conditions of the urban agricultural practices and role of local governments in regulating the urban agriculture and local food consumption.

OBJECTIVE: This study examined outcomes of the first four years (2005-2009) of the Bridge Program, an occupational therapy (OT) program that incorporates principles of supported education and supported employment. This program was developed to assist individuals with mental illness to achieve higher education and employment goals. PARTICIPANTS: Forty-eight adult participants with various mental health diagnoses. METHODS: A quantitative one-group pretest-posttest survey design and posttest qualitative focus groups were used. RESULTS: Participants enrolled in higher education increased from 7 to 11 (pretest=15%; posttest=23%), participants employed increased from 5 to 19 (pretest=10%; posttest=40%), and the combined category of higher education/employment increased from 12 to 30 (pretest=25%; posttest=63%) Statistical significance was achieved from pre to posttest in the employment sample (p<0.000), and in the combined sample of higher education/employment (p< 0.000), but was not achieved in the higher education sample from pre to posttest (p=0.125). CONCLUSIONS: Quantitative and qualitative results support that an OT program incorporating principles of supported education and employment can assist individuals with mental illness to achieve higher education and employment goals. Results also outlined items participants found to be supports and barriers to achieving goals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Currently, fewer than 15% of children between the ages of 4–8years consume the recommended levels of fruit and vegetables. In order to address this serious public health issue, a variety of nutrition programs have been implemented across the United States which have varied in their success. The present research analyzed the effectiveness of providing fruit and vegetable exposure as part of a school nutrition program. Kindergarten students at two schools (N=59) were exposed to interactive activities about healthy eating and physical activity. In addition, those at one school (n =29) were exposed to a variety of fruits and vegetables as part of this program. Assessment of children''s ability to identify and their willingness to try fruit and vegetables before and after the program indicated that while all children were better able to identify a range of fruit, only those who received exposure to healthful foods were more willing to try fruit after the program. There were no changes in their identification or willingness to eat vegetables. These results suggest that schools should provide exposure to a variety of healthy foods as part of their nutrition programs. Such programs should focus specifically on exposing children to vegetables because increasing children''s willingness to try foods that are typically considered unpalatable may be especially challenging. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The article discusses potential uses for abandoned retail shopping locations in the U.S. which were once occupied by big box stores as of March 2012, focusing on several problems associated with these structures such as lowered real estate values and a loss of tax revenue. The adaptive reuse of buildings concept is addressed, along with an examination of legal issues such as restrictive covenants.

The 2010 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act is intended to transform the U.S. health care system. Its success will require the transformation of consumers' views about health and their willingness to participate in healthful behaviors. Focusing on three barriers to consumers' engagement in healthful behaviors, the authors review the research literature and suggest opportunities for further research. Using a social marketing perspective, they suggest actions for health care providers, marketers, and policy makers to help overcome these barriers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The number of clinical trials for Alzheimer’s disease conducted outside the United States in a broad array of countries is increasing. As the number of compounds ready for clinical testing increases, and as trials become longer and more complex, this trend is expected to grow. The cultural and ethical context of global clinical trials, potential benefits for those involved, and practical approaches to obstacles generated by these global trials were discussed at a meeting of the Alzheimer’s Association Research Roundtable. Regulatory issues, including regional differences in study registration procedures, rules for collecting and reporting serious adverse events, requirements for national identity of study populations, and regulatory audits were also discussed by individuals who are knowledgeable about global clinical trials for Alzheimer’s disease. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background: The reported incidence of pressure ulcers in critically ill infants and children is 18% to 27%. Patients at risk for pressure ulcers and nursing interventions to prevent the development of the ulcers have not been established. Objectives: To determine the incidence of pressure ulcers in critically ill children, to compare the characteristics of patients in whom pressure ulcers do and do not develop, and to identify prevention strategies associated with less frequent development of pressure ulcers. Methods: Characteristics of 5346 patients in pediatric intensive care units in whom pressure ulcers did and did not develop were compared. Multiple logistic regression was used to determine which prevention strategies were associated with less frequent development of pressure ulcers. Results: The overall incidence of pressure ulcers was 10.2%. Patients at greatest risk were those who were more than 2 years old; who were in the intensive care unit 4 days or longer; or who required mechanical ventilation, noninvasive ventilation, or extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. Strategies associated with less frequent development of pressure ulcers included use of specialty beds, egg crates, foam overlays, gel pads, dry-weave diapers, urinary catheters, disposable underpads, body lotion, nutrition consultations, change in body position every 2 to 4 hours, blanket rolls, foam wedges, pillows, and draw sheets. Conclusions: The overall incidence of pressure ulcers among critically ill infants and children is greater than 10%. Nursing interventions play an important role in the prevention of pressure ulcers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We show that the oil sands industry releases the 13 elements considered priority pollutants (PPE) under the US Environmental Protection Agency's Clean Water Act, via air and water, to the Athabasca River and its watershed. In the 2008 snowpack, all PPE except selenium were greater near oil sands developments than at more remote sites. Bitumen upgraders and local oil sands development were sources of airborne emissions. Concentrations of mercury, nickel, and thallium in winter and all 13 PPE in summer were greater in tributaries with watersheds more disturbed by development than in less disturbed watersheds. In the Athabasca River during summer, concentrations of all PPE were greater near developed areas than upstream of development. At sites downstream of development and within the Athabasca Delta, concentrations of all PPE except beryllium and selenium remained greater than upstream of development. Concentrations of some PPE at one location in Lake Athabasca near Fort Chipewyan were also greater than concentration in the Athabasca River upstream of development. Canada's or Alberta's guidelines for the protection of aquatic life were exceeded for seven PPE-cadmium, copper, lead, mercury, nickel, silver, and zinc-in melted snow and/or water collected near or downstream of development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the initiative of federal government to implement a Medicare and Medicaid provision known as False Claims Act (FCA) to eliminate fraudulent enforcement activities occurred in public contractors in the U.S. It aims that strategic move applies financial incentives to healthcare providers to improve medical care services using pay of performance tool. The role of patient quality department is also considered to manage substantial civil and criminal liabilities.

The article offers information on the trends in family support services and spending in the U.S. Family support refers to a support given to children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. In comparison with national effort, states have greater advantage in identifying the types of service and support that would be included in a state family program. The authors also presented tables and figures that depict the growth of family support between fiscal years (FY) 2000 and 2006. One table indicated family support program expenditure, revenue and participant data in FY 2006.

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to guide managers' choices of rightmost digits in retail prices by acquiring a better understanding of the psychological mechanisms by which price endings can influence sales. Design/methodology/approach - The paper observes and compares the price endings used in large matched samples of advertised prices in two countries with considerable cultural differences, the USA and Japan. Findings - Although the digit 9 predominates among the rightmost digits of advertised prices in the USA the digit 8 predominates in Japan. In contrast to this difference, the US and Japanese prices are similar in that both show greater use of 9 or 8 endings when this choice lowers the price's leftmost digit and when the advertised price is claimed to be a discount price. Research limitations/implications - Future research should include a wider range of price advertising media and should examine usage patterns of less frequently occurring digits. Practical implications - Setting a price that falls just below a round number can be helpful in creating a low-price image. Setting this just-below price with a 9-ending would be appropriate in the USA and European countries, but in Japan and other Asian countries, it would be more appropriate to set this just-below price with an 8-ending. Originality/value - These results provide guidance to the retail price setter and illustrate to the basic researcher how universal psychological processes and specific cultural meanings can interact to determine consumer perceptions of marketing stimuli. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adults with any DSM-IV diagnosed mental illness smoke nearly half of the cigarettes consumed in the U.S. (Lasser et al. 2000). This study compared two smoking cessation interventions for persons with schizophrenia or other serious mental illness because national data suggests that: (I) they smoke at two to three times the rate of the general population; (2) cessation interventions for this population are understudied; (3) most cessation studies exclude persons with serious mental illness; and (4) cessation results in public health care savings and disposable income savings for clients. This study included a large number of persons with serious mental illness (N = 181) who were randomly assigned to one of three groups: contingent reinforcement (CR), CR plus nicotine patch (21 mg, CR+NRT) for 16 weeks, and a minimal intervention, self-quit control group. These participants were followed for 36 weeks. CR was accomplished with escalating financial compensation for achieving and maintaining abstinence as verified by expired carbon monoxide (CO). Quit rates, as measured by expired CO, were higher and discordant with saliva cotinine quit rates. Cotinine showed lower quit rates and small differences between intervention and control participants at weeks 20 and 36. There was, however, evidence of reduced smoking and importantly, no evidence of psychiatric exacerbation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Smoking is the leading cause of preventable death in the United States. This public health problem is of particular concern among individuals with substance use disorders in that they smoke at a greater rate than the general public. Smoking-related illness represents a major source of preventable death in persons with drug dependencies. Substance abuse treatment programs have access to persons with substance use disorders and the opportunity to intervene on their smoking; however, nicotine dependence has historically not been viewed in the same light as other drug dependencies by the treatment field. As a result, many persons in these treatment program settings do not receive opportunities to address their smoking. When substance abuse treatment organizations consider implementing smoking policies and services, many questions and choices arise. In practice, a range of approaches has been developed from simple assessment and referral for smoking cessation treatment to implementing smoke-free grounds and requiring that patients stop smoking concurrent with addressing their other drug dependencies. Smoking cessation policy decisions have the potential to directly affect the patients, the workforce, the referral network, and other major stakeholders related to these organizations. The authors consider a range of both practical and policy issues facing treatment organizations and conclude that advances in smoking policy are possible with current resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the least understood aspects of aquatic ecology is the role of riparian zones of lakes, and how these habitats and their functions are impacted by human development of lakeshores. We investigated the effects of residential lakeshore development on littoral coarse woody debris (CWD) distribution and on riparian forest characteristics by comparing 18 lakes in the U.S. Pacific Northwest with 16 previously surveyed lakes in the U.S. Upper Midwest. Residential development had a strong negative effect on CWD and riparian forest characteristics at both local and whole-lake scales. There was a strong positive correlation between riparian forest density and littoral CWD abundance in both regions. We found regional variation in CWD and riparian forest characteristics, mostly owing to differences in native forests. Our results suggest the role of local processes in determining CWD distribution and point to potential regional differences in littoral habitat structure associated with forest composition and lake-shore development that may have consequences for littoral-pelagic coupling in lakes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neoangiogenesis is required for tumor development and progression. Many solid tumors induce vascular proliferation by production of angiogenic factors, prominently vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). Because nutrition is a causative factor for tumor prevention and promotion, we determined whether secondary plant constituents, i.e., flavonoids, tocopherols, curcumin, and other substances regulate VEGF in human tumor cells in vitro. VEGF release (concurrent with synthesis) from MDA human breast cancer cells and, for comparison, U-343 and U-118 glioma cells was measured by ELISA. Of 21 compounds tested, 9 showed significant inhibitory activity at 0.1 micromol/L in MDA human breast cancer cells. The rank order of inhibitory potency was naringin > rutin > alpha-tocopheryl succinate (alpha-TOS) > lovastatin > apigenin > genistein > alpha-tocopherol >or= kaempferol > gamma-tocopherol; chrysin and curcumin were inactive except at a concentration of 100 micromol/L. Glioma cells were similarly sensitive, with U343 more than U118, especially for alpha-TOS and tocopherols. Among the tocopherol derivatives, alpha-TOS (0.1 micromol/L) was the most effective in reducing VEGF release. Overall, the glycosylated flavonoids (i.e., naringin, a constituent of citrus fruits, and rutin, a constituent of cranberries) induced the greatest response to treatment at the lowest concentration in MDA human breast cancer cells. Inhibition of VEGF release by flavonoids, tocopherols, and lovastatin in these models of neoplastic cells suggests a novel mechanism for mammary cancer prevention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For the first time since the late 1940s, Washington is attempting a comprehensive analysis of the role and performance of the American intelligence system. In rethinking intelligence, it needs to address that the sixth column—Islamist terrorists residing in states that knowingly or unknowingly give them sanctuary—is the weak underbelly in the war on terror. To defeat this sixth column, important personnel, doctrinal, and cultural issues need to be addressed. The experience of other countries that have had success infighting terrorism suggests that the United States must focus on offensive counter- intelligence, penetrating terrorist groups, and creating mistrust among them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies an Eocene species of the hermit-crab symbiont Hippoporidra from the Ocala limestone in Florida. Type species; Diagnosis; Description; Occurrence; Fossil record of bryozoans.

We conducted a statistical analysis of a long-term (1964-1998) record of intra- and interannual temperature fluctuations in Lake Washington, Washington. Lake Washington has experienced a warming trend, with overall increases of 1.5 (0.045°C yr[sup-1]) and 0.9°C (0.026°C yr[sup-1]), respectively, for temperature data weighted over the surface (0-10 m) and entire lake volume. This warming trend was greatest for the period from April to September and was smallest and nonsignificant for November-February. A principal-components analysis of the long-term mean monthly temperature time series identified two independent modes of interannual variability. The first mode represented the months of the year when the lake warms and is warmest (e.g., March-October) and explained 54% of the variability in the overall time series. The second mode represented the months when the lake cools and is coldest (November-February) and explained 24% of the variability. The March-October mode was positively correlated with interannual variability in air temperatures and the Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO), multivariate r² = 0.65. The November-February mode was positively correlated with air temperature, PDO, relative humidity, solar radiation, and wind speed (r² = 0.83). A heat budget model indicated that long-term trends had a secondary role and interannual variability dominated, with exceptions being net long-wave atmospheric radiation and surface-emitted radiation, for which the long-term trend explained ∼25% and 53% of the total variance, respectively. An increase in incoming long-wave radiation fluxes was mainly associated with the increase in minimum daily temperatures (0.06°C yr[sup-1], r² = 0.47), especially during the March-October mode, when the linear trend accounted for 85% of the variability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A classic example of a sustainable fishery is that targeting sockeye salmon in Bristol Bay, Alaska, where record catches have occurred during the last 20 years. The stock complex is an amalgamation of several hundred discrete spawning populations. Structured within lake systems, individual populations display diverse life history characteristics and local adaptations to the variation in spawning and rearing habitats. This biocomplexity has enabled the aggregate of populations to sustain its productivity despite major changes in climatic conditions affecting the freshwater and marine environments during the last century. Different geographic and life history components that were minor producers during one climatic regime have dominated during others, emphasizing that the biocomplexity of fish stocks is critical for maintaining their resilience to environmental change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deals with a study which examined how human residential development influenced the level of lake eutrophication in the Seattle, Washington region. Materials and methods; Results; Management implications.

Features a study that tested the hypothesis that sockeye salmon in Lake Washington, Washington experience growth limitation because of content of phosphorus or specific essential fatty acids in their diet. Equations and parameter values for the bioenergetics model; Potential for food quality limitation of growth; Ratios of phosphorus to carbon for both sockeye salmon and zooplankton.

Increased exposure to ultraviolet-B (UV-B) radiation has been proposed as a major environmental stressor leading to global, amphibian declines. Prior experimental evidence from the U.S. Pacific Northwest (PNW) indicating the acute embryonic sensitivity of at least four amphibian species to UV-B has been central to the literature about amphibian decline. However, these results have not been expanded to address population-scale effects and natural landscape variation in UV-B transparency of water at amphibian breeding sites: both necessary links to assess the importance of UV-B for amphibian declines. We quantified the UV-B transparency of 136 potential amphibian breeding sites to establish the pattern of UV-B exposure across two montane regions in the PNW. Our data suggest that 85% of sites are naturally protected by dissolved organic matter in pond water, and that only a fraction of breeding, sites are expected to experience UV-B intensities exceeding levels associated with elevated egg mortality. Thus, the spectral characteristics of natural waters likely mediate the physiological effects of UV-B on amphibian eggs in all but the clearest waters. These data imply that UV-B is unlikely to cause broad amphibian declines across the landscape of the American Northwest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding factors that affect the potassium (K) status of soil is important to chemical prediction of plant-available K in corn (Zea mays L.). Soils vary widely in their ability to replenish labile K from nonlabile forms. No research has been done to investigate the effects clay fraction mineralogy of South Dakota soils have on the efficacy of chemical prediction methods. The objectives of this study were to (i) evaluate the ability of 1.0 M NH4OAc-extractable soil K test and other common chemical extractants to predict plant-available K, and (ii) relate clay fraction mineralogy to chemical prediction of tissue K concentration. Composite soil surface samples (0–15 cm) and corn tissue samples were collected from eight different corn production field sites across east-central South Dakota. Plants grown at these sites either exhibited or did not exhibit K deficiency symptoms. Soils were extracted and plant-available K was determined by four common procedures. X-ray diffraction and total colloidal CEC analyses were also determined for all soils using standard procedures. When exchangeable Ca2+ and Mg2+ were included in the prediction model, NH4OAc- and CaCl2-extractable K+ explained 80 and 85% of the variation in plant K concentration, respectively. The NH4OAc and CaCl2 methods proved superior to NaBPh4 5- and 15-minute extraction in estimating plant K availability. Since the clay fraction mineralogy of the soils in this study was montmorillonite, there was no advantage to using the NaBPh4 method to estimate plant K concentration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Explores the implications of the increased prosecution of adolescents in the adult criminal justice system in the U.S. Factors contributing the use of harsh criminal sanctions toward youth offenders; Difficulties posed by imprisonment of child for families; Recommendations for policy reform.

Focuses on the impact of punitive justice policies on minority youths in the United States. Legislation allowing the prosecution of juveniles in adult criminal courts; Effect of incarceration on minority families and communities; Increase incidents of juvenile prosecution in adult courts; Efforts to reduce prosecution of minorities in federal courts.

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In this paper an attempt is made to establish a relationship between airport capacity and economic development in the Chicago metropolitan area. Formulating a quantitative link between infrastructure and development has proven difficult. In the analysis adopted in this paper an association between employment growth and airport enplanements is used to provide the link. The employment data are then fed into an econometric input-output model of the region's economy to assess the impact of future capacity limitations on employment growth, income, and gross output in the Chicago region over the period 2001–18. The capacity is assumed to be disembodied (i.e., there is no prior assumption about expansion of existing facilities or the creation of a new, third airport). The results indicate that without additional capacity employment losses (jobs that would otherwise have been expected to be located in the region) would amount to 84,000 in 2001 (2.24% of estimated jobs for that year) rising to 522,000 in 2018 (11% of total jobs). In income terms the losses amount to 13.6% of total income in 2018 and gross output (the volume of goods and services produced) would be reduced by 16% in the same year. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a report of the executive committee of the journal The American Review on general concepts and standards of accounting. The charge of the committee was to consider and to advise the Executive Committee through the Director of Research, what subjects should be reviewed and studied by task-groups of the Association in the preparation of statements supplementary to Accounting and Reporting Standards for Corporate Financial Statements. The committee has considered an extensive list of specific accounting problems. But this has led to the conclusion that the greatest need would be served by study and clarification of six underlying accounting concepts: business entity, the matching concept, realization, materiality, consistency and objectivity. According to a research report, the idea that the existence of a distinct business entity is something, which the accountant universally assumes, is not a current innovation; but its importance has recently been stressed. The concept of matching costs and related revenues in the determination of periodic income is firmly embedded in accounting literature and in accounting practice.

The article presents abstracts of doctoral dissertations in accounting. The dissertation "The Development and Present Status of the Accounting Concept of Surplus," by Billy Lee Barnes of the University of Illinois, presented in the year 1958, focuses on the accounting surplus. Since corporate surplus emerged in the seventeenth century as an integral part of the financial structure of the business corporation, it has undergone a significant evolutionary development. A concept of total capital, adequate for the single venture, was inadequate for the perpetual business enterprise with diverse ownership. The concept of surplus had its genesis in the dichotomy of the concept of total capital into separate concepts of permanent capital and surplus. The dissertation "Legal Liability in Public Accounting Practice," by Robert Glen Berryman of the University of Illinois, presented in the year 1958, provides a complete exposition of legal liability in public accounting practice and to review measures which public accountants may appropriately adopt to reduce the risks from this source.

The article presents information on lists of research projects in accounting. Master's theses are reported only upon completion. All doctoral dissertations and faculty research projects either in progress or completed during the period are reported. Abstracts of many of the doctoral dissertations listed herein will appear in subsequent issues of the periodical "The Accounting Review." Copies of doctoral dissertations and master's theses frequently can be secured on interlibrary loan from the library of the school where they were submitted. When copies are not permitted to be withdrawn, libraries usually can supply photostatic copies or microfilm reproductions at reasonable costs. The subjects classification used for previously published reports on research projects is continued in this listing. Each project is listed only under one classification, although several might well be classified under two or more headings.

Focuses on a study which compared a University of Colorado training program in applied linguistics and contemporary methodology with other summer institute programs for language teachers. Background on the development of such programs; Overview of the study population; Findings and its implications.

Focuses on the establishment concept in strike disqualifications under unemployment insurance laws in the U.S. Causes of the loss of employment; Emphasis of the degree of voluntariness in unemployment; Inclusion of the functional integration of the plants.