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Background The Recipient Epidemiology and Donor Evaluation Study-IV-Pediatric (REDS-IV-P) Epidemiology, Surveillance and Preparedness of the Novel SARS-CoV-2 Epidemic (RESPONSE) seroprevalence study conducted monthly cross-sectional testing for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) antibodies in blood donors in 6 US metropolitan regions to estimate the extent of SARS-CoV-2 infections over time. Methods During March–August 2020, approximately ≥1000 serum specimens were collected monthly from each region and tested for SARS-CoV-2 antibodies using a well-validated algorithm. Regional seroprevalence estimates were weighted based on demographic differences compared with the general population. Seroprevalence was compared with reported coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) case rates over time. Results For all regions, seroprevalence was <1.0% in March 2020. New York, New York, experienced the biggest increase (peak seroprevalence, 15.8% in May). All other regions experienced modest increases in seroprevalence (1%–2% in May–June to 2%–4% in July–August). Seroprevalence was higher in younger, non-Hispanic black, and Hispanic donors. Temporal increases in donor seroprevalence correlated with reported case rates in each region. In August, 1.3–5.6 estimated cumulative infections (based on seroprevalence data) per COVID-19 case were reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Conclusions Increases in seroprevalence were found in all regions, with the largest increase in New York. Seroprevalence was higher in non-Hispanic black and Hispanic than in non-Hispanic white blood donors. SARS-CoV-2 antibody testing of blood donor samples can be used to estimate the seroprevalence in the general population by region and demographic group. The methods derived from the RESPONSE seroprevalence study served as the basis for expanding SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence surveillance to all 50 states and Puerto Rico. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This interrupted time-series analysis examined whether activating a quality measure, supported by education and a population management tool, was associated with higher postdischarge engagement (PDE) in outpatient care after inpatient and residential stays for mental or substance use disorder care.Methods: Discharges from October 2016 to May 2019 were identified from national Veterans Health Administration (VHA) records representing all 140 VHA health care systems. Engagement was defined as multiple mental or substance use disorder outpatient visits in the 30 days postdischarge. The number of such visits required to meet the engagement definition depended on a patient's suicide risk and acuity level of inpatient or residential treatment. Health care system-level performance was calculated as the percentage of qualifying discharges with 30-day PDE. A segmented mixed-effects linear regression model tested whether monthly health care system performance changed significantly after activation of the PDE measure (activation rollout period, October-December 2017).Results: A total of 322,344 discharges qualified for the measure. In the regression model, average health care system performance was 65.6% at the beginning of the preactivation period (October 2016) and did not change significantly in the following 12 months. Average health care system performance increased by 5.7% (SE=0.8%, p<0.001) after PDE measure activation and did not change significantly thereafter-a difference representing 11,464 more patients engaging in care than would have without activation of the measure.Conclusions: Results support use of this measure, along with education, technical assistance, and population management tools, to improve engagement after discharge from residential and inpatient mental and substance use disorder treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Brassica carinata, a nonfood oilseed crop, is used to produce renewable fuels because of its high oil content and favorable fatty acid profile. Production in the southeastern United States is relatively new, and information on agronomic management practices to optimize growth and yield is limited. Since optimal seeding rate may depend on the land preparation method for this small‐seeded crop, a study was conducted to evaluate the effect of tillage system (conventional, no‐till, broadcast‐disc, and ripper‐roller) and seeding rate (1.12, 5.60, 10.09, and 14.57 kg seed ha−1) on the performance of B. carinata. A randomized complete block design with a strip‐plot restriction on randomization and four replications was implemented in Headland, AL, Jay, FL, and Quincy, FL, over five site‐years during the 2017–2018 and 2018–2019 growing seasons. Data were collected on soil residue cover; plant population; soil penetrometer resistance and moisture; biomass (including carbon and nitrogen); stalk diameter; yield and yield components; seed oil, protein, and glucosinolates concentration; and oil composition. Soil penetrometer resistance was significantly affected by tillage system, with the ripper‐roller consistently having the lowest penetration resistance values across all site‐years. Ripper‐roller tillage had the highest oil content and lowest protein and glucosinolate contents. Yield response to tillage system was variable. Among seeding rate treatments, yield was lowest at 1.12 kg seed ha−1 and similar among 5.60, 10.09, and 14.57 kg seed ha−1 at all site‐years. There was no tillage by seeding rate interaction for yield. Results indicate that among seeding rate treatments used, 5.6 kg seed ha−1 rate was optimal at all site‐years regardless of land preparation method and is thus the recommended seeding rate for commercial carinata production in the Southeastern United States. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Periodontitis is a major cause of tooth loss globally. Risk factors include age, smoking, and diabetes. Intake of specific nutrients has been associated with periodontitis risk but there has been little research into the influence of overall diet, potentially more relevant when formulating dietary recommendations. Objectives We aimed to investigate potential associations between diet and periodontitis using novel statistical techniques for dietary pattern analysis. Methods Two 24-h dietary recalls and periodontal examination data from the cross-sectional US NHANES, 2009–2014 (n = 10,010), were used. Dietary patterns were extracted using treelet transformation, a data-driven hierarchical clustering and dimension reduction technique. Associations between each pattern [treelet component (TC)] and extent of periodontitis [proportion of sites with clinical attachment loss (CAL) ≥ 3 mm] were estimated using robust logistic quantile regression, adjusting for age, sex, ethnicity, education level, smoking, BMI, and diabetes. Results Eight TCs explained 21% of the variation in diet, 1 of which (TC1) was associated with CAL extent. High TC1 scores represented a diet rich in salad, fruit, vegetables, poultry and seafood, and plain water or tea to drink. There was a substantial negative gradient in CAL extent from the lowest to the highest decile of TC1 (median proportion of sites with CAL ≥ 3 mm: decile 1 = 19.1%, decile 10 = 8.1%; OR, decile 10 compared with decile 1: 0.67; 95% CI: 0.46, 0.99). Conclusions Most dietary patterns identified were not associated with periodontitis extent. One pattern, however, rich in salad, fruit, and vegetables and with plain water or tea to drink, was associated with lower CAL extent. Treelet transformation may be a useful approach for calculating dietary patterns in nutrition research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Production of carinata (Brassica carinata A. Braun) as a winter crop in the Southeast United States presents a unique opportunity for growers to produce significant amounts of biofuel feedstock to meet domestic energy needs. Field experiments were conducted to quantify the effects of N application rates (0, 45, 90, and 135 kg N ha−1) and split management (single, two‐way split, or three‐way split of 90 kg N ha−1 applied at planting, bolting, and flowering) on carinata growth, yield, and chemical composition. In Study 1, plant height, mainstem node numbers, primary and secondary branches, pod length, pods numbers, and seeds per pod increased quadratically with N application rate. Averaged over the 5 yr, seed yield response to N application rate was quadratic and ranged from 1,245 kg ha−1 with 0 kg N ha−1 to 2,444 kg ha−1 with 117 kg N ha−1. The economic optimum nitrogen rate (EONR) occurred at 103 kg N ha–1, which produced 2,427 kg seed ha−1 representing a US$386 ha−1 profit margin. Except for protein, N application rate did not have an effect on glucosinolates and fatty acid composition. In Study 2, a split application of N had variable effects on carinata growth; however, seed yield did not vary with split management or timing of N averaging 3,905 kg ha−1. Split management and N source did not have an effect on seed chemical composition. These results suggest that carinata grown at the EONR of 103 kg N ha−1 can maximize seed and oil production in the Southeast. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Discusses the status of the relations between the United States and North Korea. Reputation of North Korea in the international community; How should the United States deal with North Korea; Sale of missile technology by North Korea to Iran and Pakistan; Illustration on the experience of Israel in dealing with North Korea; Economic problem of North Korea.

Brassica carinata is grown as a winter crop in the Southeast United States and it is a non-edible oilseed feedstock for 'dropin' aviation and transportation fuels. The objective of this 2-yr study was to determine the effects of N application on dry matter (DM) production and the accumulation of nutrients in above- and belowground biomass. Carinata var. 110994EM was treated with four N rates (0, 45, 90, and 135 kg N ha-1) in 2014 and 2015 at Quincy, Florida. Above- and belowground biomass were collected and analyzed for macro- and micronutrients. The allocation of DM among root, leaves, stems, flowers/pods, and seed did not differ with N rate. Carinata was highly responsive to N with maximum yield (2798 kg ha-1) produced at 102.3 kg N ha-1, while the economic optimum N rate occurred at 93 kg N ha-1. Maximum N uptake occurred between 50% bolting and 50% flowering while all other elements had maximum uptake between 50% flowering and pod formation. Nitrogen concentration in seed and straw increased with N rate. These results were attributed to the strong relationship between uptake and dry matter production. Total N uptake exceeded applied N by 11 to 160%, suggesting that carinata is highly efficient at scavenging and utilizing residual soil N. The identification of growth stages associated with maximum nutrient uptake may aid in aligning time of N application to critical growth stages corresponding to maximum N uptake. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carinata (Brassica carinata A. Braun) is an oilseed crop with potential as a winter crop in the southeastern United States to diversify crop rotations and provide biofuel production and livestock feed. The objective was to evaluate the effects of row spacing and seeding rate on carinata yield and oil composition. Field experiments were conducted in Jay and Quincy, FL, from 2013 to 2016 evaluating carinata growth, seed and oil yield, and oil composition grown in a factorial arrangement of four seeding rates (3, 6, 9, and 12 kg ha-1) and four row spacings (18, 36, 53, and 89 cm). No interactions between seeding rate and row spacing were detected. Seeding rate did not influence any of the variables studied. In contrast, row spacing affected seed and oil yield, branch production, and pods per plant. Seed yield (ranked from highest to lowest) was 2761, 2286, 1851, and 1572 kg ha-1 for rows spaced at 36, 18, 53, and 89 cm, respectively. Branching and pods per plant increased with row spacing. Neither seeding rate nor row spacing affected oil concentration and quality. Oil concentration averaged 40%, of which more than a third was erucic acid (C22:1). Protein concentration was 31%, and glucosinolate concentration was 93 µmol g-1. The results of the present study demonstrated that carinata can be successfully grown in the southeastern United States, reaching yields and oil quality similar to those reported at other latitudes, and can be a source of biofuel, protein for animal feed, and cropping system diversification for growers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Focuses on several arguments on the assessment of the ballistic missile threat in the Unites States of the Rumsfeld commission. Other means of ballistic missile deliveries; Proliferation of ballistic missile; Debates on the missile defense.

Study Design: Retrospective, large administrative database.Objective: To investigate cost variation within current spinal fusion diagnosis-related groups (DRGs).Summary Of Background Data: Medicare reimbursement to hospitals for spinal fusion surgery is provided as a fixed payment for each admission based on DRG. This assumes that patients can be grouped into homogenous units of resource use such that a single payment will cover the costs of hospitalization for most patients within a given DRG. However, major differences in costs exist for different methods of spinal fusion surgery. A previous study in total joint arthroplasty (TJA) showed that variation within DRGs can lead to differences between hospital costs and Medicare reimbursement, resulting in predictable financial losses to hospitals and hindering access to care for some patients. No study to our knowledge has investigated cost variation within current spinal fusion DRGs.Methods: Direct hospital costs were obtained from the 2011 Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS) for patients in spinal fusion DRGs 453-460 and TJA DRGs 466-470. Our primary outcome was the coefficient of variation (CV), defined as the ratio of the standard deviation (SD) to the mean (CV = SD/mean × 100), for all costs within a given DRG. CVs were compared to an established TJA benchmark for within-DRG cost variation.Results: CVs for costs within spinal fusion DRGs ranged from 44.16 to 52.6 and were significantly higher than the CV of 38.2 found in the TJA benchmark group (P < 0.0001).Conclusion: As in TJA, the cost variation observed within spinal fusion DRGs in this study may be leading to differences between costs and reimbursement that places undue financial burden on some hospitals and potentially compromises access to care for some patients. Future studies should seek to identify drivers of cost variation to determine whether changes can be made to further homogenize current payment groups and ensure equal access for all patients.Level Of Evidence: 3. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agricultural journals were in wide circulation in the nineteenth century, and they were means of transmitting information about agrarian technologies and techniques to American Frontier-Phase farmers. This article explores the environmental and cultural context for the addition of a drainage feature to a nineteenth-century farmstead in Illinois (called the Bond Farm site), which preceded the site's eventual abandonment when rainfall reached anomalously high levels. Geoarchaeological and paleoclimatologic datasets are presented as evidence of high rainfall, and the period of site settlement is constrained by both artifact and documentary sources. High maintenance costs associated with occupying the structure apparently exceeded the value of remaining, so the site was abandoned. As archaeologists grapple with how to determine causation in site occupation and abandonment, we advocate a multidisciplinary research design in historical archaeology that includes geoarchaeological analyses, which can be useful in building a microscale settlement reconstruction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Privacy impact assessments (PIAs) may soon be standardised. The European Commission plans to make PIAs mandatory if Article 33 of its proposed Data Protection Regulation is adopted without any serious depredations by lobbyists. Concurrently, the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) is considering a standard for PIAs. The approaches currently being pursued by the Commission and the ISO have their antecedents in the PIA methodologies used in Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, the UK and the US. However, almost no attention has been paid to actual PIA reports to see how well or poorly they have been prepared and how closely they follow the PIA guidance documents in their countries. This paper argues that it is worth doing -- to review actual PIA reports to see what can be learned from how they are implemented and whether their implementation offers any signposts for the policymaking process. However, finding actual PIA reports is something of a challenge. Following a search for UK PIA reports, this paper provides the results of analysis of some of those in terms of how well they followed the ICO PIA Handbook guidance, and what we can learn from an analysis of actual PIA reports. Along the way, this paper argues that organisations in the UK should create a registry of publicly available PIA reports. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Europe's proposed Data Protection Regulation is expected to make data protection impact assessment (DPIA) mandatory, a development that could impact hundreds of thousands of organizations (both governmental and private sector) in Europe, as well as non-European entities offering their wares and services there. This article reviews the DPIA provisions outlined in the new regulation. For the nuts and bolts of a privacy impact assessment (PIA) methodology, Europe could select features from the PIA methodologies used in Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States, the countries with the most experience in PIA. A European Commission (EC)-funded project, called PIAF, reviewed these various methodologies and proposed an “optimized” PIA for Europe (and elsewhere) based on the best practices of the aforementioned countries. Based on these best practices, this article outlines a 16-step PIA process. It argues that while some organizations may regard a PIA as a hassle, in fact, a PIA offers many benefits, as spotlighted in the article. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article explores cases of severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) in the U.S. Caused by a bump, blow, jolt or penetrating wound, TBI was the reason behind at least 2.4 million emergency department visits, hospitalization, or deaths in 2009. Minimizing adverse outcomes as well as improving acute care and early management are considered an effective public health response to TBI. Based on studies, patients with TBI can regain function through a comprehensive program of rehabilitation.

Faculty culture and communication networks are pivotal components of technology transfer on university campuses. Universities are focused upon diffusing technology to external clients and upon building structure and support systems to enhance technology transfer. However, engaging faculty members in technology transfer requires an internal diffusion of new ideas that are largely dependent upon faculty culture. New policies, structures, and support staff help to promote technology transfer ideologically, but are of little use if faculty researchers avoid involvement because of more intangible factors. The current study investigates this internal diffusion on one campus, using interviews with faculty members, administrators, technology transfer office personnel, licensees, and spin-off company administrators. Results show that faculty culture concerning technology transfer is dependent upon informal communication networks, principles of diffusion, history, and social interaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Institutions receiving federal funding for research from the U.S.Public Health Service need to have policies and procedures to both prevent research misconduct and to adjudicate it when it occurs. The person who is designated to handle research misconduct is typically referred to as the research integrity officer (RIO). In this interview study we report on 79 RIOs who describe how they would handle allegations of research misconduct. Their responses were compared to two expert RIOs. The responses to the allegations in the scenarios demonstrated that RIOs are not uniformly well prepared to handle activities associated with reported allegations of research misconduct. We recommend greater preparation through directed training, use of check lists of possible behaviors necessary to consider when situations arise, being involved in a network of RIOs so one can discuss options, and the possible need to certify RIOs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: More than 66,000 blood donors are deferred annually in the United States due to travel to malaria-endemic areas of Mexico. Mexico accounts for the largest share of malaria travel deferrals, yet it has extremely low risk for malaria transmission throughout most of its national territory, suggesting a suboptimal balance between blood safety and availability. This study sought to determine whether donor deferral requirements might be relaxed for parts of Mexico without compromising blood safety. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Travel destination was recorded from a representative sample of presenting blood donors deferred for malaria travel from six blood centers during 2006. We imputed to these donors reporting Mexican travel a risk for acquiring malaria equivalent to Mexican residents in the destination location, adjusted for length of stay. We extrapolated these results to the overall US blood donor population. RESULTS: Risk for malaria in Mexico varies significantly across endemic areas and is greatest in areas infrequently visited by study donors. More than 70% of blood donor deferrals were triggered by travel to the state of Quintana Roo on the Yucatán Peninsula, an area of very low malaria transmission. Eliminating the travel deferral requirement for all areas except the state of Oaxaca might result in the recovery of almost 65,000 blood donors annually at risk of approximately one contaminated unit collected every 20 years. CONCLUSION: Deferral requirements should be relaxed for presenting donors who traveled to areas within Mexico that confer exceptionally small risks for malaria, such as Quintana Roo. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The consequences of temporary predonation deferral are unsatisfactorily understood. Studies have found that deferral negatively impacts future donor return. However, the applicability of these findings across centers has not been established. Using a cohort design, presenting donors with a temporary deferral in 2006 to 2008 in one of six categories (low hematocrit [Hct], blood pressure or pulse, feeling unwell, malaria travel, tattoos or piercing and related exposures, or could not wait or second thoughts) were passively followed for up to a 3-year period for the time to first return after deferral expiration at six US blood centers. Time-to-event methods were used to assess return. We also analyzed which donor characteristics were associated with return using multivariable logistic regression. Of 3.9 million donor presentations, 505,623 resulted in deferral in the six categories. Low Hct was the most common deferral, had the shortest median time to return (time in days when 50% of deferred donors had returned), and had the largest cumulative proportion of donors returning. Deferrals of shorter duration had better return. Longer-term deferrals (up to 1 year in length) had the lowest cumulative return proportion, which did not exceed 50%. Return was associated with previously identified factors such as repeat donor status, older age, and higher educational attainment regardless of the type of deferral. In addition, return was associated with having been born in the United States and donation at fixed sites. The category of temporary deferral influences the likelihood of future return, but the demographic and donation factors associated with return are largely consistent regardless of the deferral. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Teachers’ subjective understandings of their students’ cognitive abilities have important implications for classroom interactions, children’s access to resources and opportunities, and educational equity more broadly. Using nationally representative data and three-level hierarchical linear models, this study explored the links between teacher perceptions and children’s sociodemographic backgrounds. The authors find that teachers perceive substantial racial-ethnic, socioeconomic, and gender differences in children’s literacy skills. Roughly half of these disparities are explained by actual between-group differences. The remaining perceptual inaccuracies flow more from classroom characteristics than from teachers’ professional or personal backgrounds (e.g., their own race or ethnicity). Specifically, holding students’ social and academic backgrounds constant, the authors find that teachers in lower-socioeconomic-status and lower-achieving contexts more often underestimate their students’ abilities. These results highlight the importance of recent policy efforts to avoid isolating traditionally disadvantaged children. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Racial inequality in education is a serious problem in the United States. The latest government attempt to address this problem was the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB). This study used the Educational Longitudinal Study of 2002 (ELS: 2002) to examine the relationship between race and composite reading and math scores among Black and White students. A total of 8,315 10th grade students were included in this analysis. The results showed a difference in test scores between Black and White students with Whites scoring higher than Blacks. The findings from this study suggest that discrimination based on race as well as family factors outside the school setting contribute to this difference in test scores between Black and White students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research institutions receiving U. S. Public Health Service (PHS) funding must assure the Office of Research Integrity (ORI/OPHS/DHHS) that policies and procedures are in place conforming to 42 CFR 93 to investigate allegations of Misconduct in Research, defined as fabrication or falsification of research data, or plagiarism. An institutional official known as the Research Integrity Officer (RIO) generally administers these policies and procedures. The role of the RIO is complex, exacting, and unique. There is no closely analogous position in the academy of higher education. Some university attorneys refer to the RIO's role as "quasi-judicial," but, in fact, the RIO functions variously as prosecutor, judge, mediator, counselor, teacher, and regulatory manager. Institutions rarely train their RIOs, and no professional society has provided training or support for RIOs. Serious errors by RIOs in handling allegations of research misconduct have landed in the press and in the courts and, in the worst cases, have cost their institutions millions of dollars, public embarrassment, and internal upheaval. The RIO Boot Camp project aims to train RIOs and to professionalize their roles. The RIO Boot Camps were developed in collaboration with the ORI Division of Investigative Oversight (DIO). This paper outlines the unique aspects of the curriculum and the pedagogical techniques used. Results of a survey of RIO Boot Camp participants provide a portrait of the roles and responsibilities of RIOs and the challenges they face. The paper concludes by discussing the planned final products of the RIO Boot Camp initiative and future efforts to support the RIOs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Research suggests that primary care physicians may help to control health care costs by encouraging more efficient service use. However, most studies do not account for data aggregation effects that can significantly affect the direction and magnitude of findings. To re-examine the association between the proportion of primary care physicians and health care utilization rates in an area, and investigate the potential impact of aggregating data to different geographic levels on these observed associations, we estimate four distinct cross-sectional multivariate regression models to predict health care utilization at the county level and the metropolitan statistical area (MSA) level using data from 2007. Our study focuses on health care utilization in the United States using inpatient admissions, outpatient visits, emergency room visits, and total (both inpatient and outpatient) surgeries as dependent variables in separate regressions. The key independent variable is the proportion of primary care physicians in the area. Several community-level control variables are also included. We find that a higher proportion of primary care physicians in the area’s physician supply is associated with a decreased number of inpatient admissions at the MSA level, but not the county level, and a decreased number of emergency room visits at the county level, but not the MSA level. Outpatient visits and total surgeries are not associated with the proportion of primary care physicians. From our findings we are able to conclude that there is some evidence that a higher concentration of primary care physicians is associated with a decrease in health care utilization, but these findings depend on the level of aggregation. Investigators should be aware of the implications of aggregating data and acknowledge any resultant limitations. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This paper provides a literature review of the incongruence between Americans' beliefs and practices regarding marriage. In the United States, marriage is conceptualized as a monogamous, lifelong partnership. Yet American practices do not support this conceptualization, which is evidenced by infidelity and divorce rates that approximate 25-50 percent. This paper explores the incongruence and examines how cultural shifts in marital practices have contributed to higher rates of infidelity and divorce. Information is presented about the purpose of marriage, and attitudes and practices regarding infidelity and divorce. We present these topics using a sociohistorical context and describe how the nature of marriage has changed over time. It is argued that the purpose of marriage has shifted from being a social obligation to a choice based on personal fulfillment; and that this shift puts individuals at greater risk of infidelity and divorce. Throughout the paper, and particularly in the concluding section, we offer commentary about how the incongruence between marital beliefs and practices can be reconciled at the intrapersonal, interpersonal, and contextual levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Whole blood donation in the United States is restricted in volume to 10.5 mL/kg or less in an effort to prevent hypovolemic reactions, but still may exceed more than 15% of a donor's estimated blood volume (EBV). We analyzed the association of EBV with prefaint and systemic vasovagal reactions (SVRs) among whole blood donors and the potential impact of an EBV-based deferral policy. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Independent predictors for prefaint reactions and SVRs were assessed by multivariate logistic regression analysis on 591,177 unique donors participating in the Retrovirus Epidemiology Donor Study-II study. RESULTS: Young age (16 years old odds ratio [OR], 3.70; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.78-4.94), low EBV (<3.5 L OR, 3.30; 95% CI, 2.57-4.23), and first-time donation status (OR, 2.33; 95% CI, 2.03-2.67) were the strongest predictors for SVRs, with similar trends seen for prefaint reactions. Sex, height, race, blood center, and donation site were weakly associated predictors. A total of 5.6% of all donors had an EBV of less than 3.5 L and experienced 12.5% of all prefaint reactions and 14.5% of SVRs. The highest reaction rates were seen in donors less than 23 years old with an EBV of less than 3.5 L who comprised 2.7% of all donors, who were mostly female (99.9%), and who experienced 8.8% of prefaint reactions and 11.0% of SVRs. CONCLUSION: Young age, low EBV, and first-time donation status are the major correlates of prefaint reactions and SVRs, suggesting that high school and college donors are at particular risk. Deferral of donors with low EBV who are less than 23 years old may offer a rational approach to protecting donors at greater risk of reactions without jeopardizing the adequacy of the blood supply. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nitrogen (N) leaching from agricultural soils is a major concern in the southeastern USA. A winter cover crop following the summer crop rotation is essential for controlling N leaching and soil run-off, thereby improving sustainable development. Rotation of peanut (Arachis hypogea L.) and cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) with bahiagrass (Paspalum notatum) (i.e. sod-based rotation) can greatly improve soil health and increase crop yields and profitability. In the sod-based rotation, the winter cover crop is an important component. The objective of this study was to determine effects of summer crops, cotton and peanut, on growth and physiology of a subsequent oat (Avena sativa L.) cover crop in both a conventional (Peanut-Cotton-Cotton) and sod-based (Bahiagrass-Bahiagrass-Peanut-Cotton) rotations. Two rotations with an oat cover crop were established in 2000. In the 2006-07 and 2007-08 growing seasons, oat plant height, leaf chlorophyll and sap NO3-N concentrations, shoot biomass, and N uptake were determined. Our results showed that the previous summer crop in the two rotations significantly influenced oat growth and physiology. Oat grown in the sod-based rotation had greater biomass, leaf chlorophyll and NO3-N concentrations as compared with oat grown in the conventional rotation. At pre-heading stage, oat in the sod-based rotation had 44% greater biomass and 32% higher N uptake than oat in the conventional rotation; oat following peanut produced 40 to 49% more biomass and accumulated 27 to 66% more N than oat following cotton. Therefore, the sod-based rotation improved not only summer crops, but also the winter cover crop. Increased oat growth and N status from the sod-based rotation indicated greater soil quality and sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Deferral for travel to malaria-endemic areas excludes many blood donors in the United States. Most transfusion-transmitted malaria is associated with lengthy residence in malaria-endemic areas rather than routine travel. This study compares the impact of existing deferral requirements to the risk that a presenting donor with malaria travel history harbors malaria parasites under current and hypothetical alternate regulations. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Deferred donors from six blood centers were sampled to estimate a national cohort of donors deferred annually for malaria travel to different geographic regions. Risk for malaria infection after travel to each region and distribution of incubation periods for each malaria species were estimated for US travelers. Region-specific travel risks were used to estimate the risk that a presenting blood donor with malaria travel might asymptomatically harbor malaria parasites at different intervals after return to the United States. RESULTS: Travel to Africa presents risk for malaria infection greater than 1000 times that of travel to malaria-endemic parts of Mexico, yet Mexico accounts for more than 10 times as many deferred donors. Shortening the deferral period from 12 to 3 months for travelers to Mexico increases the risk of collecting a contaminated unit by only 1 unit per 57 years (sensitivity analysis, 1 every 29-114 years), at annual gain of more than 56,000 donations. CONCLUSION: This study provides the first systematic appraisal of the US requirements for donor qualification regarding travel to malarial areas. Consideration should be given to relaxing the guidelines for travel to very-low-risk areas such as Mexico. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents studies that focused on the intergenerational mobility experiences of both women and men in the U.S. The findings from the two studies using occupational measures revealed that men and women had both similarities and differences in the mobility experiences. The researchers also examine the intergenerational mobility studies using status attainment models wherein they immersed the central importance of parents' occupation or education to the occupational or educational levels achieved by children as adults. The methodological procedures used to develop the socioeconomic status (SES) measures, descriptive tables, and regression analysis are also offered.

Thrips cause damage to seedling cotton, and they are associated with the spread of Fusarium hardlock, a serious disease affecting cotton boils that reduces lint yield in the southern United States. The population dynamics and within-plant distribution of Frankliniella spp. thrips in cotton were determined in 2005,2006, and 2007 in Quincy and in 2006 and 2007 in Marianna, FL. Frankliniella tritici (Fitch) was >98% of the adult thrips collected. The adults of F. bispinosa (Morgan), F. occidentalis (Pergande), and F. fusca (Hinds) also were collected. Populations of F. fusca inhabited the cotton leaves of vegetative-stage cotton. The other species were highly anthophilic, primarily inhabiting cotton during its reproductive growth stages. Densities of these species peaked during mid-season, which also coincided with peak bloom. The adult F. tritici and the thrips larvae were aggregated in the flowers over the other plant parts, with more collected in the upper than the lower canopies. These patterns of aggregation were observed at each location each year, and the numerical differences usually were significant (P < 0.05). Densities of adult F. tritici were low on the leaves, squares, and bolls. The population dynamics and with-plant distribution of individual thrips species has not previously been determined for cotton in the southern United States. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context and Purpose: Depression among rural women is a major public health concern. The purpose of this study was to test the competing theories of social causation and social selection to assess the relationship between depression and economic status for a sample of rural, low-income women in the United States. Methods: Structural equation modeling was used to analyze data from Rural Families Speak, a US Department of Agriculture-funded multi-state, longitudinal study of rural low-income families (N = 413). Findings: Results indicated that the social causation theory yielded a better approximation of the relationship between economic status and depression (RMSEA = 0.50 for a model based on this theory) than the social selection theory (RMSEA = 0.067). Conclusions: The association between lesser economic status and depressive symptoms is pressing in rural areas, given the high prevalence of both depression and poverty. These findings further emphasize the need for improved mental health services in this vulnerable population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Understanding factors that encourage different racial and ethnic groups to donate is crucial for donor recruitment and retention. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: A 28-item self-administered questionnaire was completed in 2003 by 1862 Asian, 1479 black, 1641 Hispanic, and 2940 White US donors who had given whole blood within the past year. With a 1 to 5 scale, donors were asked to rate the importance of 17 factors in their last donation decision. Logistic regression was conducted to compare the odds of a factor being important or very important (score of 4 or 5) in one’s decision to donate between race or ethnic groups, stratified by first-time and repeat status. RESULTS: More than 90 percent of each respondent group cited a desire, responsibility, or perceived duty to help others as an important or very important motivator. Being asked to donate at work was also an important motivator for all race and ethnic groups (56-70%). Getting the results of a health screen appealed to many (approx. 30% found it important or very important) and was most important to Black and Hispanic donors (odds ratios of 1.3-1.9 compared to White donors; p < 0.003). CONCLUSION: Recruitment and retention programs should build on people’s sense of social responsibility. Direct requests to donate are particularly effective motivators. Of a variety of incentives evaluated, offering more comprehensive health screens may motivate many donors, especially Black and Hispanic donors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

National blood donor screening for West Nile virus (WNV) RNA using minipool nucleic acid amplification testing (MP-NAT) was implemented in the United States in July 2003. We compiled national NAT yield data and performed WNV immunoglobulin M (IgM) testing in 1 WNV-epidemic region (North Dakota). State-specific MP-NAT yield, antibody seroprevalence, and the average time RNA is detectable by MP-NAT were used to estimate incident infections in 2003. WNV donor screening yielded 944 confirmed viremic donors. MP-NAT yield peaked in August with >0.5% of donations positive for WNV RNA in 4 states. Peak IgM seroprevalence for North Dakota was 5.2% in late September. The average time viremia is detectable by MP-NAT was 6.9 days (95% confidence interval [CI] 3.0-10.7). An estimated 735,000 (95% CI 322,000-1,147,000) infections occurred in 2003, with 256 (95% CI 112-401) infections per neuroinvasive case. In addition to preventing transfusion-transmitted WNV infection, donor screening can serve as a tool to monitor seasonal incidence in the general population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: HTLV-I is associated with adult T-cell leukemia, and both HTLV-I and -II are associated with HTLV-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP). Several published reports suggest that HTLV-I may lead to decreased survival, but HTLV-II has not previously been associated with mortality. Results: We examined deaths among 138 HTLV-I, 358 HTLV-II, and 759 uninfected controls enrolled in a prospective cohort study of U.S. blood donors followed biannually since 1992. Proportional hazards models yielded hazard ratios (HRs) for the association between mortality and HTLV infection, controlling for sex, race/ethnicity, age, income, educational level, blood center, smoking, injection drug use history, alcohol intake, hepatitis C status and autologous donation. After a median follow-up of 8.6 years, there were 45 confirmed subject deaths. HTLV-I infection did not convey a statistically significant excess risk of mortality (unadjusted HR 1.9, 95%CI 0.8-4.4; adjusted HR 1.9, 95%CI 0.8-4.6). HTLV-II was associated with death in both the unadjusted model (HR 2.8, 95%CI 1.5-5.5) and in the adjusted model (HR 2.3, 95%CI 1.1-4.9). No single cause of death appeared responsible for the HTLV-II effect. Conclusions: After adjusting for known and potential confounders, HTLV-II infection is associated with increased mortality among healthy blood donors. If replicated in other cohorts, this finding has implications for both HTLV pathogenesis and counseling of infected persons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND : There is a declining margin between US blood collections and transfusions. Donation patterns were examined to characterize returning first-time donors and predict the impact on blood availability of decreasing the number of nonreturning donors. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS : First-time donors giving between 1991 and 1994 were followed for 3 to 6 years. The impact of decreasing the number of nonreturning donors in a 12-month period was projected using the Poisson distribution to model the donation patterns of 539,063 donors who gave in 1995. Repeat donors were classified as “returning first-time” (gave a first-time donation within 12 months of their index donation), “established” (gave a repeat donation), and “inactive” (didn't donate in the 12 months before their index donation). RESULTS : A total of 49 percent of first-time donors did not return within 6 years. Returning first-time donors tended to be US born, white, and had more than a high school education. In 1995, 30 percent of donors were first time, 31 percent were established, 7 percent were returning first time, and 32 percent were inactive, giving 1.5, 2.4, 1.9, and 1.7 donations in 12 months, respectively. Reducing nonreturning donors by 5 percent could increase blood collections by 2.7 percent. Similarly, 15 or 25 percent reductions in nonreturns could increase collections by 8.6 or 16.0 percent, respectively. CONCLUSIONS : Most donors are not giving near the donation limit. A substantial increase in donations could be achieved by a relatively small decrease in donor nonreturn. Research is needed to understand why approximately half of first-time donors donate only once. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Examines the intercept test program of the ground-based midcourse national missile defense system in the United States. Growing threat of ballistic missiles; Anatomy of an intercept engagement; Use of the C-band beacon.

This article focuses on the North American Joyce Conference titled "Post-Industrial Joyce," by the James Joyce Quarterly (JIQ), held at the University of Tulsa in Tulsa, Oklahoma, on June 2003. The conference focus on the the JIQ and its history, and on the display of currently available James Joyce books. Many of the speakers call to attention the dangers of following fashion and forgetting aspects that need to be kept in mind when reading, notably Joyce's tendency to sentimentality. A keynote roundtable discussion demonstrated the coherence and continuity of the Joyce community, nevertheless it simultaneously drew attention to some of the changes that marked the community over the past forty years. The author states that the customary pleasures of the conference were hearing thoughtful presentations about some fascinating texts, reviving friendships with Joyceans known from earlier encounters and meeting new ones.

Examines the risk and return performance of the high-yield securities in the U.S. Development of bond indexes; Comprehension of the fixed-income and equity research techniques; Analysis of operating and credit variables.

Examines age differences in patterns of worker displacement and employment and earning changes of displaced workers in the United States. Displacement of older workers on the goods-producing sector; Impact of economic social structure changes on older displaced workers; Benefit of displacement of older workers on employers.

BACKGROUND: With changing demographics of the United States population and the continuous need to recruit new donors, it is important to monitor the demographic profile of first-time donors and to evaluate changes in the donor pool to improve recruitment targeting. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: First-time whole blood (n = 901,862) donors at five United States blood centers between 1991 and 1996 were analyzed. RESULTS: The total number of first-time donors appears to be decreasing. Over the 6-year period, there was an overall increase in the proportion of Hispanic and other minority first-time donors and a concurrent decrease in the proportion of white donors at Retrovirus Epidemiology Donor Study centers. Other variables, including age, sex, and education, did not show a consistent trend. CONCLUSION: The demographic profile of first-time donors is changing. These data highlight the importance for blood centers to continuously monitor the donor population. A better understanding of the donor population may help blood centers adjust their donor outreach, recruitment, and retention programs. New recruitment efforts appear needed to counter general apathy toward donating blood, and minority groups appear to be receprive to becoming blood donors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents the latest round of `The Debate on National Missile Defenses' as of December 2000. Information on the proposed national missile defense (NMD) system developed by the administration of United States President Bill Clinton; Countermeasures that could be implemented by an attacker with limited technical resources and could possibly defeat the planned NMD system; Security costs of deploying the planned NMD.

This article analyzes the changing volatility of the government bond market in the U.S. from the 1950s to the 1990s, and the relationship between bond market and stock market volatility. We have documented and analyzed changes in the volatility of the U.S. bond market over the 50-year period between 1950 and 1999. The examination of bond market volatility indicated significant differences in volatility over time, with major peaks occurring in 1958 and 1970 to 1972, and the highest volatility in 1980 to 1982. Our analysis of stock market volatility also indicated significant changes in stock market volatility over time. An analysis of the relationship between the volatilities of the two asset classes indicated a low and volatile relationship. Overall, an analysis of the volatility of bonds relative to the volatility of stocks indicated that the relationship is very unstable.

Context: Evaluating trends in blood donor infectious disease rates is essential for monitoring blood supply safety and donor screening effectiveness.Objective: To determine changes over time in blood donor population infection rates of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), human T-lymphotropic virus (HTLV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), and hepatitis B virus (HBV).Design: Cross-sectional survey data from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute-sponsored Retrovirus Epidemiology Donor Study.Setting: Five blood centers in different regions of the United States.Participants: A total of 1.9 million volunteer blood donors with 1 or more nonautologous donations from January 1991 to December 1996.Main Outcome Measures: Changes in rates of HIV, HTLV, HCV, and HBV infections were evaluated by comparing yearly prevalence estimates (per 100,000 donations) for first-time allogeneic donors and period-specific incidence rates (IRs) (per 100,000 person-years) for repeat allogeneic donors between 1991 and 1996 (for HCV, from about March 1992 to June 1996).Results: Prevalence of HIV decreased in first-time donors from 0.030% to 0.015% (P=.006) and HCV prevalence decreased from 0.63% to 0.40% (P<.001). Trends were not statistically significant for the proportion of first-time donors with hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) or HTLV. For repeat donors, IRs did not change significantly, indicating a stable but low level of seroconversion. The overall IRs (95% confidence intervals) per 100,000 person-years were 2.92 (2.26-3.70) for HIV, 1.59 (1.12-2.19) for HTLV, 3.25 (2.36-4.36) for HCV, and an estimated 10.43 (7.99-13. 37) for HBV (based on an HBsAg rate of 2.66 [2.04-3.41] with presumed false-positive results considered negative). The HBV IR estimate with presumed false-positive results considered positive (for comparability to previous analyses) was 17.83 (14.60-21.56).Conclusion: The decrease in HIV and HCV prevalence rates, combined with the previously documented lower rates of infection in first-time donors compared with the general population, suggests the continued benefit of behavioral risk factor screening. JAMA. 2000;284:229-235 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Analyzes the role of engineers in planning for infrastructure improvements in the context of sustainable development in the United States. Plan and built of cities; Role of the engineer in the history of change in development; Fundamental changes to promote more sustainable development; Engineering, regulatory and bureaucratic philosophy; US Army Corps of Engineers.

Thrush Lake, Minnesota, was treated with limestone in 1988 to evaluate the efficacy of protective base addition against the loss of sport fisheries in a sensitive, mildly acidic lake. Prior to treatment, the lake was stressed (pH 6.46, ANC 64 μq/L) but not severely de- graded by acidic deposition and had a macrophyte community typical of lakes in northeastern Minnesota with low acid-neutralizing capacity (ANC). This paper describes the changes observed in aquatic plant communities during the 5 years after treatment, as pH and ANC slowly returned to pretreatment levels. Sphagnum platyphyllum, intolerant of non-acid conditions, was completely eliminated from the lake. The charophyte, Nitella, that originally shared dominance in the deep littoral zone with S. platyphyllum, decreased in importance during the first 2 years after treatment. Two vascular plants, Potamogeton pusillus and Najas flexilis, were first found in the lake the year after treatment and were abundant for 2 years after liming, probably in response to a combination of more neutral pH and reduced cover of Nitella. As the ANC and pH slowly returned to pretreatment conditions, Nitella again increased in coverage and depth range, with a concomitant decrease in P. pusillus and N.flexilis. The moss, S. platyphyllum, had not reinvaded the lake by 1993, 2 years after its dramatic decline. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A limestone slurry was sprayed on the surface of Thrush Lake, a small headwater lake in northeastern Minnesota, to test a treatment designed to protect acid-sensitive waters from anthropogenic acidification. The 6-year study, consisting of pretreatment, transition, and post-treatment phases, was part of the four-state Acid Precipitation Mitigation Program directed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Measured water-chemistry parameters, including acid-neutralizing capacity, pH, dissolved calcium, and dissolved inorganic carbon, increased following treatment, although local climatic conditions influenced the magnitude and duration of the chemical changes. Physical changes to the lake, other than an increase in conductivity and a short-term alteration of water clarity subsequent to treatment, were not documented. The composition of the zooplankton community was altered, with the proportion of rotifers increasing after treatment. Individual zooplankton species showed a variety of changes in abundance that were associated with treatment over both seasonal and multi-year intervals. For example, Holopedium gibberurn was absent from lake samples immediately following treatment and recovered within a season, whereas Diaptomus minutus and Keratella taurocephala populations were reduced after treatment and had not recovered by the end of the study. Alternately, Asplanchna priodonta increased in abundance after treatment. These observed abundance patterns were generally consistent with previous acidification or base-addition studies. In contrast, the changes in community composition of zooplankton did not consistently fit patterns developed from regional studies across water-chemistry gradients. These differences emphasize the importance of biotic as well as abiotic factors in controlling zooplankton community composition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evaluates some of the factors that may be affecting the level of interest rate risk among commercial banks. Techniques for measuring the risk; Development of a basic screening model; Comparison of the model with that developed by the Office of Thrift Supervision; Assumptions about core deposits.