bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Stomatopod Crustacea of the Austral and Gambier Islands, French Polynesia
Authors: AHYONG SHANE T.
Published: July 2017

The stomatopods from the Austral and Gambier Islands, southern French Polynesia, collected primarily by the BENTHAUS Expedition (2002) are reported herein. Prior to the present study, only one species of stomatopod, Bathysquilla microps (Manning, 1961), was known from the Austral Islands and two from the Gambier Islands, Gonodactylus chiragra (Fabricius, 1781) and Pseudosquilla ciliata (Fabricius, 1787). Seven of nine species in the present collection are reported for the first time from the area, of which Gonodactylellus rubriguttatus (Erdmann & Manning, 1998) and Odontodactylus hawaiiensis Manning, 1967, are reported for the first time from French Polynesia. The series of specimens of G. rubriguttatus includes the largest known of the species, which also shows significantly longer accessory median carinae of the telson than previously reported. Owing to previous taxonomic instability in Chorisquilla excavata (Miers, 1880), the type species of its genus, it is redescribed based on type and other material.
Weapon System Selection
Authors: Jones George P.
Published: July 2017

A method is described which aids in the selection of the more effective weapon system within some physical limitations in a future time period. An example of a Naval Air Attack System is given. After the system and its functions are defined, the performance of the men and equipment in the system is related to the accomplishment of the system's missions. The role of human performance in system effectiveness is given special mention in this presentation. The conditions bounding the selection of the more effective system are then developed. A treatment of the measures of system accomplishment and bounding conditions to yield unique answers is proposed. Several examples of possible uses of the method to evaluate component changes are given.
Computers, Physicians, and the Diagnostic Decision-Making Process
Authors: Rogers Cecil A. , Balintfy Joseph L. , Goldman Allen M.
Published: July 2017

Utilizing computer gaming techniques, a pilot experiment was conducted which located several possible parameters relating to degree of difficulty of diagnosis in internal medicine; private physicians served as subjects and the field of inquiry was limited to functional and organic diseases of the respiratory system. A second study was then conducted in which a digital computer served the function of providing objective feedback to the M.D. during diagnosis, indicating the number and names of diseases consistent with each acquisition of new information about the patient. Performance of the subjects under the latter condition indicated significant behavioral changes when compared with the previous study. Findings are interpreted in terms of the man–machine relationship and its importance to in-line computer applications of a diagnostic nature.
Effect of Injury Information on Damage Estimates
Authors: Been Richard T. , Braunstein Myron L.
Published: July 2017

Aircraft accident research has revealed a relationship between injury to the occupants and damage to the aircraft structure. The present study explores the possibility that judgments of damage are affected by knowledge of injury. Thirty-six male subjects estimated aircraft damage from 36 photographs of aircraft accidents. In connection with each photograph the subjects were provided with fictitious injury (as well as other) information. Accident photographs, subjects and injury levels were appropriately counterbalanced. The major hypothesis was supported. Accident-involved aircraft were given higher damage ratings when the photographs were presented with higher injury levels than when the same photographs were presented with lower injury levels. Suggestions are made for overcoming this bias which exists in the laboratory and which may exist in the field.
A Method of Evaluating Large Numbers of System Alternatives
Authors: Sadacca Robert , Root Robert T.
Published: July 2017

This paper outlines a method for combining alternatives for each of the factors bearing on a design decision and rank ordering all possible configurations of alternatives. The method permits the rank orderings to be based on the judgments of a relatively large number of persons having diverse points of view and experience but concerned with a common design problem. This method was used to rank order a large number of alternative reporting techniques that might be utilized within a context of a computer-based tactical image interpretation facility for each of four man-computer communication tasks. Results from the application of this method were compared with a scaling of stimuli using Thurstone's law of categorical judgment technique and with the results of a related experimental study.
Equations of Hand Motion Path for Work Space Design
Authors: Kattan Appu , Nadler Gerald
Published: July 2017

This work developed a set of prediction equations for three-dimensional motions of the human hand, thus facilitating the design of the dynamic elements in work space. The variables considered were the distance moved and the direction of motion. It was concluded from the results that: (a) it is possible to develop accurate prediction equations for three-dimensional motions of body members; (b) distance has only a negligible effect on motion path; (c) the effect of direction on motion path is uniform except for the 90° motion; (d) only two sets of equations, one for 90° motions and the other for motions in other directions, are required to predict the path of any motion in the experimental region; (e) the overall length of motion path is only slightly more than the linear movement distance; and (f) the depth dimension in a three-dimensional motion is negligibly small.
Effects of Marker Type, Viewing Angle, and Vehicle Velocity on Perception of Traffic Markers in a Dynamic Viewing Situation
Authors: Ladan C.J. , Nelson T. M.
Published: July 2017

The effects of two types of “stop” markers, nine angles of orientation, four vehicle velocities, and their interactions were studied in a dynamic traffic situation. Because “stop” markers are seen in constant transformation in actual driving situations, the experiment studied dynamic conditions in the laboratory by variation of the mentioned factors in short (10-sec.) film clips. Thirty subjects responded to each clip in one of three possible categories: (1) “stop,” (2) “not stop,” and (3) “not seen“ (not detected). Responses of the first two types were then categorized as either correct or in error, based on stimulus orientation. An analysis of variance proved the factors of marker type, viewing angle, and their interaction to be statistically significant, while the factor of vehicle velocity and other interactions proved not significant. More correct responses were produced by the curved marker than by the two-dimensional marker at most angles of orientation and at all vehicle velocities.
Validation of the Automated Readability Index: A Follow-Up
Authors: Kincaid J. Peter , Delionbach Leroy J.
Published: July 2017

The Automated Readability Index (ARI) is a measure of reading difficulty level of narrative material. In computing the ARI a modified electric typewriter is used to compute average word and sentence length. One hundred and ten Army National Guard personnel read passages of technical material at three levels of reading difficulty, 8th, 12th, and 16th grades, as measured by the ARI. Tested reading comprehension was lower for material written at the highest level of difficulty (16th grade), and was significantly correlated with scores previously obtained on the Armed Forces Qualification Test, which can be considered a measure of general reading ability.
A Two-Level Model of Driver Steering Behavior
Authors: Donges Edmund
Published: July 2017

In evaluating the performance of the driver-vehicle system and in establishing design criteria for favorable vehicle dynamics, a quantitative description of driver steering behavior such as a mathematical model is likely to be helpful. The steering task can be divided into two levels: (1) the guidance level involving the perception of the instantaneous and future course of the forcing function provided by the forward view of the road, and the response to it in an anticipatory open-loop control mode; (2) the stabilization level whereby any occuring deviations from the forcing function are compensated for in a closed-loop control mode. This concept of the duality of the driver's steering activity led to a newly developed two-level model of driver steering behavior. Its parameters were identified on the basis of data measured in driving simulator experiments. The parameter estimates of both levels of the model show significant dependence on the experimental situation which can be characterized by variables such as vehicle speed and desired path curvature.
The Effect of the Relative Intensities of Dichotic Messages in Speech Shadowing
Authors: Moray Neville
Published: July 2017

Prose messages were presented simultaneously and dichotically to a subject who was required to shadow one of them. Five different relative intensities were used. It is shown that once the two messages are of equal intensity there is little further improvement in shadowing performance if the message the subject accepts is made more intense than the message the subject rejects. Even when the accepted message is −5 db with respect to the rejected message there is no significant rise in errors when the number of mistakes is used as the criterion for assessing the subject's accuracy of response.
Joshua Steele and the Melody of Speech
Authors: Alkon Paul K.
Published: July 2017

In 1776 Joshua Steele published a work describing and illustrating his system for transcribing the suprasegmental aspects of speech. Despite certain shortcomings, that method allowed transcriptions of relative duration, pitch, and clause terminals to be recorded as accurately as those sound attributes could be observed. The work was discussed, and its utility investigated at the time, particularly by a group corresponding on linguistic issues with the president of the Royal Society. But by the end of the eighteenth century, Steele's method was largely neglected, primarily because the requisite technological assistance for putting it to use had been unavailable, though partly because academic attention had mainly turned from descriptive to historical linguistics. Nevertheless, the value of Steele's pioneering effort was recognized by Melville Bell and A. J. Ellis. Thus its formulations were absorbed into the main stream of nineteenth century descriptive work, albeit not without creating an exaggerated image of their faults.
The Distribution of Pause Durations in Speech
Authors: Goldman-Eisler Frieda
Published: July 2017

The subject of this paper is the duration of individual pauses and their distribution over extensive tracts of speech uttered in a variety of situations. The determinants isolated include individuals and conditions of speech utterance (social, emotional, cognitive). The analysis of pause time into duration of individual pauses and pause frequency was shown to be more powerful in gauging the type of decision involved in the production of speech than either of these parameters alone.
Categorial Responses to Synthetic Vocalic Stimuli By Speakers of Various Languages
Authors: Scholes Robert J.
Published: July 2017

This paper reports the results of presenting native speakers of thirteen different languages a set of synthetically produced vocalic stimuli. The speakers were asked to judge the relevance of each such sound to the vowel sounds of the native language and to group those judged to be relevant. The results of this procedure closely resemble vowel phoneme inventories as derived by analysis-of-production techniques but is claimed to be superior to the more common procedure due to its freedom from experimenter bias, its freedom from non-linguistic factors present in speech production, its speed, and its automability.
A Spectrographic Investigation of Some Diphthongal Phonemes in Australian English
Authors: Burgess Neil
Published: July 2017

Broad Australian has been described in terms of its realization of the phonemes /i/, /eI/, /aI/, /a /, /o /, and /u/. In the first part of this investigation two groups drawn from the university were used, one consisting of speakers of Educated Australian, the other of speakers of Broad. A spectrographic examination was made of the phonemes listed above, along with the phoneme / I/, in the speech of these two groups. Some of the conclusions that emerged were that /i/ and /u/ are realized as diphthongs in both types of speech (usual ascription: Educated, [i] ; Broad [ ] ); that /eI/ might be represented as [æI] for Educated and [ ε] for Broad (usual ascription: Educated, [eI]; Broad [ I]); that /aI/ in Broad is probably phonetically [ ε] (usual ascription: Educated [aI]; Broad, [ l]); that /au/ follows the usual ascription of [a ] to Educated and [æ ] to Broad; that / I/ is phonetically [ ε] in both types rather than [ I] ; and that /o / is realised as [ ] in Educated and [ ] in Broad (usual ascription: Educated, [o ]; Broad [ ]). In the second part of this investigation spectrograms were made of the same phonemes in the speech of ten Non-Broad and ten Broad speakers in the outside community. In the light of the results obtained, the findings of the first stage were judged to form a reasonable projection for large-scale investigation of Australian speech. However, with two phonemes, viz./a / and /aI/, the clear distinctions established earlier tended to blur.
Processing and Recall of Compatible and Incompatible Question and Answer Pairs
Authors: Fillenbaum Samuel
Published: July 2017

Anyone who knows a language can tell whether an answer is compatible (C) or incompatible (I) with a question. Subjects were presented with a variety of C and I question and answer pairs and allowed as much time as they required to commit each to memory. It was found that subjects took longer for the initial processing of I items than of C items, with performance on the fastest I sub-class worse than performance on the slowest C sub-class. Nevertheless, at recall subjects did worse on I items than C items, with performance on the best I sub-class worse than that on the poorest C sub-class. The most popular error on I items was such as to change these to C items. Subjects' knowledge of the linguistic constraints obtaining across a sentence boundary systematically affected performance. The task ahead is to specify how this may happen.
The Influence of Precursive Sequences on the Perception of Synthesized Vowels
Authors: Ainsworth W. A.
Published: July 2017

The duration of a vowel sound can influence the way in which it is categorized by listeners, especially if the formant frequencies are such as to render the identity of the vowel ambiguous. It is possible, however, that the durations of speech sounds are not perceived absolutely but, rather, relative to the durations of the sounds which precede them. An experiment has been performed to test this hypothesis. It was found that the classification of vowel sounds is influenced by the rhythm of sounds in a precursive sequence, especially if the duration of these vowels lies in the region between the normal durations of “short” and “long” vowels.
Remembering Trivia
Authors: Kolers Paul A.
Published: July 2017

It is shown first that subjects remember with better than chance success surface features of sentences (form and appearance) that are irrelevant to comprehension and interpretation. Subsequent experiments analysed the basis of this aspect of recognition. They reveal that the basis is not a pictorial memory of the sentences, nor a phonemic or articulatory memory. Rather, the effect seems to require that the subject have detailed knowledge of the symbol system in which the sentences appear, a mere " read out " from a purely perceptual short-term memory is insufficient. The results also suggest that many features of text are encoded, stored, and subsequently recognized when the subject is " reading for meaning ".
The Use of Learning Rate, Recall and Listener Confidence Ratings To Assess Effects of Acoustically Distorted Speech Stimuli
Authors: Gilbert Harvey R. , Saxman John H.
Published: July 2017

The present investigation was concerned with the application of three listener performance tasks; learning rate, recall, and listener confidence ratings as criteria for evaluating speech communication systems. Lists of 24 words, equal in intelligibility and content but differing in acoustic quality were presented auditorily to five groups of listeners. Both learning rate and the listener confidence ratings varied systematically with the type and severity of signal distortion. The results indicated that learning rate and listener confidence ratings are sensitive to signal distortion and may prove useful as criteria for assessing speech communication systems.
On Some Language Parameters of Autistic Echolalia
Authors: Buium Nissan , Stuecher Heinrich U.
Published: July 2017

This study investigated whether the processes involved in autistic echolalia include anything beyond rote mechanical parroting. The results confirmed the position that this study's autistic child recognized certain grammatical relations in his sentence repetitions. This finding is in accord with Slobin (1971) and others who suggest that recognition of syntactical structures and meaning play important roles in memory for speech.
Effect of Language and Sex on Universal Phonetic Symbolism
Authors: Roper Carolann W. , Dixon Paul W. , Ahern Elsie H. , Gibson Verner L.
Published: July 2017

Data from 48 four-year-old nursery school pupils supported the hypothesis that subjects could discriminate between categorical word dimensions in different languages. The subjects were presented with words in four word dimensions (loud, soft, large, small) in Hawaiian, French, Spanish, and English. Response choices of (1) small-black, (2) large-black, (3) small-white, and (4) large-white tokens indicated cultural and/or genetic sex differences. Males preferred black in association with soft and large word category dimensions and vice versa for females. Although white tokens were associated with small and soft words, results were reversed for Hawaiian. It was suggested that the Malayo-Polynesian (Austronesian) language family origin of Hawaiian, as compared to the Indo-European origin of English, French, and Spanish, could account for this difference in phonological symbolism.
An Overview of Language
Authors: Cameron M.H. , Saunders Marie T.
Published: July 2017

This paper presents the idea that language is global in nature, and consists of three interrelated aspects; functions, determinants, and components, each of which can be examined by reference to certain characteristics. This global concept of language has significance for first and second language learning, deviant language, and demonstrates the need for a multi-disciplinary approach to the study of language.
The Effect of Topic and Repetition on Type-Token Ratios of Spoken Monologues
Authors: Silverman Gerald
Published: July 2017

A preliminary experiment was performed to discover what effect the topic of speech and repetition of recording session would have on the number of types in samples of spoken monologues. Ten normal subjects were recorded on three occasions, and on each occasion they spoke on three different topics for five minutes each, though two of the topics were constant across occasions. Despite the fact that the subjects felt they spoke more easily on one topic, that of their own choice, there was no evidence of a significant topic effect or an order effect upon measures closely related to the Type-Token Ratio. The conclusion was that sampling speech in this fashion is a suitable design to study changes in Type-Token Ratios where change over time due to specific causes (e.g. psychiatric illness, exhibition of drugs, etc.) is being investigated.
A Flexible Scheme for Assigning Timing and Pitch To Synthetic Speech
Authors: Witten Ian H.
Published: July 2017

A flexible scheme for assigning timing and pitch to synthetic speech is described. The scheme is designed to provide sufficiently adequate and natural control of the prosody of utterances for people to be able to use the speech which it generates as a simple but effective tool for man-machine interaction. The basic prosodic features of the utterance must be marked in the phonemic input string, while more global features are defined by parameters which can be changed as and when desired. This combines a simple input format with the capability of synthesizing many of the nuances encountered when connected passages are spoken in a rich and natural way.

Since the scheme has been implemented on a computer, many decisions about precise details of pitch and timing have had to be made, usually in the absence of proper experimental justification. Each point of detail is discussed in the paper, so that the procedure is described sufficiently fully to enable it to be replicated in other research laboratories.
Students' Reactions to Irish Regional Accents
Authors: Edwards J.R.
Published: July 2017

Starting with the knowledge that large numbers of Dublin teachers are not from Dublin themselves and speak, therefore, with a regional accent, the study used the matched-guise technique to investigate the reactions of Dublin secondary school students to five such regional accents. The subjects (N = 178), from different social strata, consistently rated the Donegal guise most favourably on traits reflecting competence. The Dublin speaker was perceived least favourably on these traits, and the Cork, Cavan and Galway guises were in the middle ranks. Evaluations were more varied on other dimensions, although the Dublin speaker was, with the Galway guise, rated most favourably in terms of social attractiveness. The implications of these findings are discussed with regard to future investigations of regional stereotypes in general, and the study of teacher-pupil dynamics in particular.
Stimulus Dominance in Dichotic Listening
Authors: Haitjema-Huisman B. , Van Den Broecke M.P.R.
Published: July 2017

If, in dichotic listening, vowel onsets of competing plosive-vowel sequences are separated by some 30-60 msec, the signal in the "lagging" ear is more intelligible than in simultaneous presentation (Berlin et al., 1973). The dominance of voiceless over voiced stops in voice-contrasting pairs as found in English (Sepaks and Niccum, 1977) may be due to this lag effect as VOTs of initial voice-contrasting pairs differ radically in English. Therefore, Dutch plosive-vowel sequences, which do not differ much in their VOT values, were presented dichotically. The competing stimuli were aligned with respect to their vocalic boundaries. No dominance of voiceless over voiced plosives could be found for Dutch; on the contrary, there was a slight advantage for voiced over voiceless plosives. When the competing plosives shared the feature voice, a right-ear advantage could be established. Thus, voiceless dominance in English probably results from the noise-burst alignment technique commonly used.
Some Effects of Context On Spoken Language Production
Authors: Pedlow Robert , Wales Roger
Published: July 2017

This study investigated the hypothesis by Lieberman (1963) that speakers adjust the intelligibility information in words in a sentence in inverse relation to the semantic and grammatical information content of the sentence. The experiments examined the relationship between context and intelligibility for single words produced in word lists, in ordinary sentences and in anomalous sentences. in the first experiment performance was found to be at the same level on words from sentences, anomalous sentences, and word lists. in the second and third experiments the effect of text format on a difference in intelligibility between sentence-produced and list-produced words was examined. It was shown that the intelligibility of words from list context was superior where the sentence and list context materials to be produced by the speaker were separated for the production task. However, where the sentence and list context material were interleaved in the production task, this effect was removed. These results demonstrate that the intelligibility information of a word in a sentence can be adjusted by the speaker on the basis of information about the structure of the text, as well as in response to the syntactic and grammatical information in the sentence.
Nonacoustic Contributions to the Perception of Fluent Speech
Authors: Austin N. J. , Carter Elizabeth
Published: July 2017

Phonetic ambiguities (e.g., a name/an aim) were excised from semantically neutral and disambiguating sentence contexts. The isolates were used to compare the effects of item familiarity, listener expectations, syntactic context, and semantic plausibility on segmentation and identification of the speech stream. In Experiment 1, 36 college students identified 81.6% nonambiguous controls, and 48.9% of the ambiguous isolates. In Experiment 2, 94 students (unaware vs. preinformed of the ambiguities) listened either to isolates or to sentences that were neutral, semantically compatible, or contradictory to the reinserted isolates. Semantic plausibility of sentences shifted perception most powerfully from the acoustic base. Item familiarity interacted with all other variables. Expectations and syntactic effects were intermediate. Results are related to conversational speech perception.
Proper Names as Controllers of Discourse Focus
Authors: Sanford A. J. , Moar K. , Garrod S. C.
Published: July 2017

An important aspect of the psychological focus of character-based discourse is the character that is the most prominent at any given point during reading, since prominent characters can control a number of processes leading to the cohesiveness of text. In this paper, three experiments are reported which investigate the proposition that the use of a proper name for a character (e.g., Louise) makes that character more prominent than does a role description (e.g., The hairdresser), even when the description denotes the same individual, playing the same narrative role. The studies show that named characters are more likely to be used in continuations of stories (referential availability), and that sentences containing pronominal anaphoric references to named characters are read more rapidly than those referring to corresponding role descriptions (referential accessibility). Naming thus appears to be a major factor in focus control. Some explanations and implications are discussed.
The Acquisition Of Word-Initial [v]
Authors: Ingram David
Published: July 2017

It is a well-documented fact that word-initial [v] (or [v-]) is not acquired in English until quite late, with group data indicating around age 4;0. Recently, Locke (1983) has proposed a biological explanation for this, claiming that [v] is one of a group of sounds that are acquired late due to their acoustic and/or articulatory properties. This is in contradiction to the position stated in Ingram (in press, a) where order of acquisition is determined by a sound's function in the phonological system. Here, phonological analyses are presented from three children acquiring Swedish, Estonian, and Bulgarian respectively, which show [v-] as one of the earliest sounds acquired. It is concluded that this is due to the more prominent role that [v-] plays in the lexicon of these languages.
Comprehension of Temporal Terms By Good and Poor Readers
Authors: Macaruso Paul , Bar-Shalom Eva , Crain Stephen , Shankweiler Donald
Published: July 2017

Poor beginning readers often have difficulty comprehending spoken sentences with complex syntactic structures. This study attempts to identify the reasons for this difficulty. Second-grade good and poor readers were tested for comprehension of spoken sentences containing the temporal terms before and after. Processing load was varied systematically while holding syntax constant in an effort to determine whether processing factors contribute to poor readers' comprehension problems, or whether poor readers are simply lacking the structural knowledge required to understand sentences containing temporal terms. The poor readers' high level of performance under conditions of reduced processing demands suggests that their misinterpretations in spoken language understanding may be due, in large part, to limitations in verbal working memory.
Organization Of Babbling: A Case Study
Authors: Davis Barbara L. , Macneilage Peter F.
Published: July 2017

Speech is probably the most complex serially ordered behavior in living forms. However, no systematic investigation of the organization of speech-related output when it is presumably simplest, namely during the babbling stage, has been attempted. Transcriptions of 423 babbled utterances (1145 syllables) were obtained from one subject 7–12 months of age. Most results could be interpreted in terms of a basic mouth opening-closing alternation, responsible not only for the typical vowel-consonant alternation of babbling, but also for many prominent details including within-utterance variation in vowel height (often stress-related) and in degree of closure for consonants. The results suggest that a “frame” for babbling is provided by mandibular oscillation, perhaps reflected, when operating alone, in the common alternation between labial consonants and central vowels. Variation in the amplitude of this oscillation may be responsible for the within-utterance vowel height and consonant manner variation and much of the perceived stress variation. Further variation is attributed to fronting movements of the tongue, the effects of which often spread beyond single vowels and consonants.
Acoustic Parameters in Speaker Height and Weight Identification: Sex-Specific Behaviour
Authors: van Dommelen Wim A. , Moxness Bente H.
Published: July 2017

This study examines the ability of listeners to judge speaker height and weight from speech samples. Although previous investigations indicate that listeners are consistent in estimating body characteristics, it is not known which speech signal parameters are being used by the listeners for such estimates. Therefore, a series of listening tests was carried out in which male and female listeners judged the height and weight from male and female speakers reading isolated words and two text paragraphs. Both speaker sex and listener sex turned out to be important factors: Significant correlations between estimated height/weight and actual height/weight were found only for male speakers. The majority of these estimates came from the male listeners. Neither male nor female listeners, however, were able to estimate female speaker height or weight. Regression analysis involving F0, formant frequencies, energy below 1 kHz, and speech rate showed no significant correlations between these parameters and actually measured speaker height and weight, the only exception being a significant correlation between male speaker weight and speech rate. Furthermore, regression data suggested that the listeners (correctly) used speech rate information in judging male speaker weight, whereas low F0 and formant frequency values (wrongly) were taken to indicate large speaker body dimensions.
Influence of Cigarette Smoking on the Overall Perception of Dental Health among Adults Aged 20–79 Years, United States, 1988–1994
Authors: Morin Nathalie M. , Dye Bruce A. , Hooper Tomoko I.
Published: July 2017

Objective.

Investigation into the relationship between lifestyle factors (particularly cigarette smoking) and perceived oral health has been limited. Data from the third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III), 1988–1994, were used to explore this relationship in a large sample of U.S. adults.

Methods.

This study used data on 13,357 dentate participants in NHANES III aged 20–79 years. In NHANES III, information on perceived dental health, sociodemographic attributes, smoking status, frequency of dental visits, dental insurance, and general health perception were collected during a home interview, and oral health status was assessed at a mobile examination center.

Results.

Overall, 34.4% of individuals in the study sample reported having an unfavorable perception of their dental health by qualifying it as “fair” or “poor.” Furthermore, 46.6% of smokers had an unfavorable dental health perception, compared to 28.3% of non-smokers. An interaction between smoking and race/ethnicity was found in logistic regression modeling. Stratified results show that cigarette smoking was not a significant predictor for an unfavorable dental health perception among individuals who self-identified as Mexican American, but smoking was a significant predictor for an unfavorable dental health perception among those who identified as non-Hispanic black or non-Hispanic white.

Conclusions.

This is the first study to describe the effects of smoking on dental health perception while controlling for examined oral health status. Because perceived dental health is a potential indicator for dental care utilization, a better knowledge of the factors that influence dental health perception is not only important for dental services planning, but also for understanding oral health–related quality of life issues. Additionally, given that smoking may negatively affect dental health perception, these findings have potential implications for smoking cessation activities conducted by dental care providers.
A Population-Based Analysis of Pneumococcal Disease Mortality in California, 1989–1998
Authors: Redelings Matthew D. , Sorvillo Frank , Simon Paul
Published: July 2017

Objectives.

Pneumococcal disease is an important cause of vaccine-preventable mortality. It is important to understand the burden and distribution of mortality so that prevention efforts can be targeted appropriately. This study evaluated pneumococcal disease mortality and its demographic correlates in California from 1989 to 1998.

Methods.

Deaths due to pneumococcal disease were identified from statewide vital records data using multiple cause-coded information. Denominator data were obtained from estimates from the California Department of Finance. Crude and age-adjusted mortality rates and 95% confidence intervals were calculated for each age, gender, and racial/ethnic group.

Results.

The age-adjusted pneumococcal disease mortality rate was 2.05 deaths per 100,000 population. Mortality was highest in elderly individuals (reaching 38.29 deaths per 100,000 population in individuals older than age 85). Age-adjusted mortality rates were elevated in the African American race/ethnicity group (2.96 deaths per 100,000 population) and males (2.67 deaths per 100,000 population). The majority of individuals who died of pneumococcal disease (78.9%) fell into at-risk groups indicated for vaccination. The majority of all pneumococcal deaths were caused by pneumococcal pneumonia. Mortality was seasonal, reaching a peak in the winter months. A decreasing trend in mortality was observed over the 10-year period examined.

Conclusions.

Pneumococcal disease remains a significant cause of vaccine-preventable mortality in the California population. Greater efforts must be made to vaccinate at-risk individuals, especially those in demographic groups at highest risk of death.
CDC Consultation on Methamphetamine Use and Sexual Risk Behavior for HIV/STD Infection: Summary and Suggestions
Authors: Mansergh Gordon , Purcell David W. , Stall Ron , McFarlane Mary , Semaan Salaam , Valentine Jo , Valdiserri Ronald
Published: July 2017

In January 2005, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention hosted a national consultation of scientists, public health officials, and community service providers to address growing concerns about the association of methamphetamine use and sexual risk behavior for HIV/STD infection, which is well documented among men who have sex with men. The purpose of the consultation was to review a representation of the current state of the science and practice on the topic in order to reduce the situational link of methamphetamine use and sexual risk. A set of suggestions for future research and programs were developed by the participants. This article provides a summary of content and recommendations from the consultation, and not an exhaustive review of the literature.
Integrating Routine HIV Testing into a Public Health STD Clinic
Authors: Campos-Outcalt Doug , Mickey Tom , Weisbuch Jonathan , Jones Robert
Published: July 2017

Objective.

To integrate routine HIV testing into the services offered at a public health department STD clinic and document the rate of acceptance and rate of test positivity during the first 18 months.

Methods.

Testing for HIV was added to the array of tests offered to all patients at the Maricopa County STD clinic. Patients were informed of this new option at registration and were provided with a consent form and instructions to read the form and sign it, unless they did not desire testing. STD clinicians were responsible for insuring that questions regarding testing were answered and that consent forms were signed. HIV prevention was integrated into the general STD preventive messages during the clinical encounter.

Results.

Sixty-eight percent of patients accepted testing (12,176 of 17,875). Of these, 68 were HIV-positive, for a rate of 5.6 per 1,000. The positive rate for men was 8.6/1000 and for women 1.2/1,000. The rate for men who reported having sex with men (MSM) was 63.8/1,000. Fourteen of the HIV-positive MSM were co-infected with syphilis. Of the 68 who were HIV-positive, 58 (85.3%) were successfully located, informed of their test results, and referred for HIV treatment and support services.

Conclusions.

HIV testing can be included in the routine battery of tests offered at an STD clinic with high patient acceptance. Routine testing can discover those who are unaware of their HIV-positive status, providing an opportunity for early referral for treatment, counseling to avoid disease transmission, and notification of sexual contacts.
Baseline Assessment of Public Health Informatics Competencies in Two Hudson Valley Health Departments
Authors: Cunningham Diana J. , Ascher Marie T. , Viola Deborah , Visintainer Paul F.
Published: July 2017

Information technology has the capability to improve the way public health is practiced. Realization of this potential is possible only with a workforce ready to utilize these technologies. This project team assessed informatics competencies of employees in two county departments of health. The goal was to determine the status quo in terms of informatics competencies by surveying current levels of proficiency and relevance, and identify areas of needed training. A survey was adapted from the recommendations of a Working Group document by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and administered to all employees in the two health departments. Respondents evaluated proficiency and relevance for each of 26 recommended competencies. A gap score was generated between these two measures; results were compared to the recommendations of the Working Group.

The following data for each job level are presented: mean gap scores by competency class; the percentage of respondents demonstrating a gap in the competencies reported to be most relevant; and the percentage of respondents meeting the target recommendations of the Working Group. The percentage of respondents who reached the targets was low in higher-level staff. And overall, employees reported low levels of relevance for most of the competencies. The average public health employee does not feel that prescribed informatics competencies are relevant to their work. Before the public health system can take advantage of information technology, relevant employee skills should be identified or developed. There needs to be a shift in thinking that will recognize the promise of information technology in everyday work.
Evaluating Accountability in the Vaccines for Children Program: Protecting a Federal Investment
Authors: Ching Pamela L.Y.H.
Published: July 2017

The Vaccines for Children (VFC) program supplies health-care providers with federally purchased vaccines at no cost for administration to eligible children. Evaluation of vaccine accountability activities ensures appropriate and timely vaccinations are delivered. Program grantees in 50 states, Washington, five large U.S. metropolitan cities, and five U.S. territories and possessions completed a Web-based survey between December 2002 and January 2003 focused on current vaccine accountability operational systems.

Most grantees required providers to complete profiles describing the vaccination needs and demographics of their practices. More than half requested providers use benchmarking data, doses-administered reports, and/or claims or encounter data to determine their VFC program-eligible population size; however, >65% did not have written procedures for investigating and reconciling discrepancies between estimated vaccine needs and actual vaccine-use data. Most grantees had written standard policies requiring providers to report vaccine loss and wastage routinely and to explain why they occurred. Ninety percent of grantees did not have procedures to check providers for fraud and abuse sanctions, and 52% did not have written procedures to address complaints of vaccine fraud and abuse.

These results suggested specific areas in which the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention should work with grantees to improve vaccine accountability practices. As a result, enhancements to the VFC program are being implemented to address these areas and their impact evaluated for their effectiveness in ensuring the continued success of the VFC program in protecting the nation's most vulnerable children and adolescents.
The Role of Formative Research in the National HIV Behavioral Surveillance System
Authors: Allen Denise Roth , Finlayson Teresa , Abdul-Quader Abu , Lansky Amy
Published: July 2017

The National Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) Behavioral Surveillance System (NHBS) is the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC's) newest system for measuring HIV risk behaviors among three adult populations at highest risk for HIV infection in the U.S.: men who have sex with men, injecting drug users, and heterosexuals at risk of HIV infection. The system is implemented by state and local health departments in designated metropolitan statistical areas with the highest HIV/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) prevalence in the U.S.

Prior to implementing the behavioral surveillance survey, project sites conduct a series of formative research activities. The data collected during this preparatory phase provide contextual information about HIV risk behaviors within the study population of interest and help project sites make decisions about field operations and other logistical issues. This article describes the activities undertaken in preparation for the first round of NHBS (2003–2007) and how those activities enhanced data collection for each behavioral surveillance cycle.
State and Metropolitan Variation in Lack of Health Insurance among Working-Age Adults, Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, 2006
Authors: Ahluwalia Indu B. , Bolen Julie , Pearson William S. , Link Michael , Garvin William , Mokdad Ali
Published: July 2017

Objective.

Lack of health insurance coverage for working-age adults is one of the most pressing issues facing the U.S. population, and it continues to be a concern for a large number of people. In the absence of a national solution, the states and municipalities are left to address this need. We examined the disparities in uninsurance prevalence by state and metropolitan areas in the U.S. and among racial/ethnic groups.

Method.

Data from the 2006 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) were analyzed for working-age adults 18 to 64 years of age.

Results.

In 2006, according to the BRFSS data, overall 18.6% (standard error 5 0.20) of working-age adults were without health insurance coverage; by state, this proportion ranged from 9.7% to 29.0%. Health insurance coverage varied by state and metropolitan area and racial/ethnic group, and a higher age-adjusted prevalence of uninsurance was observed for non-Hispanic black and Hispanic respondents.

Conclusions.

A substantial proportion of working-age Americans remain without health insurance coverage. Disparities in health insurance coverage were observed by population and geographic groups. Overall, black and Hispanic populations fared far worse in terms of lack of health-care coverage than working-age white Americans.
The Nontraditional Role of Pharmacists after Hurricane Katrina: Process Description and Lessons Learned
Authors: Hogue Michael D. , Hogue Heather B. , Lander Roger D. , Avent Kirk , Fleenor Michael
Published: July 2017

In the week before Hurricane Katrina's landfall in August 2005, emergency management officials in Jefferson County (Birmingham), Alabama, began to make plans for the potential influx of evacuees from the Gulf Coast. No pharmacy component to the plan was in place at that time. The Jefferson County Department of Health (JCDH) discovered that local pharmacies and hospital emergency departments were dealing with significant requests for medication refills. JCDH, in cooperation with a local school of pharmacy, developed a plan for addressing the unforeseen need for routine prescription refills by evacuees. This article discusses this novel pharmacy plan and lessons learned from the event, and may serve as a model for other municipalities and/or states interested in preparing a pharmacy response to future natural disasters.
Use of Rabies Postexposure Prophylaxis Supplied by the Alaska Section of Epidemiology, Alaska, 2002–2007
Authors: Castrodale Louisa
Published: July 2017

Objective.

The aim of this study was to summarize the Alaska experience in centralizing distribution of rabies postexposure prophylaxis (PEP).

Methods.

Data were collected from standard treatment sheets used to track doses and notes related to the exposure investigations.

Results.

From 2002 to 2007, the annual PEP usage rate was 2.2 per 100,000. Dogs were involved in 79% (68/86) of exposures. More than 50% (49/87) of people were exposed to a confirmed rabid animal; 31 (63%) of those people experienced nonbite exposures. Conversely, of the remaining 38 people exposed to an animal for which rabies status could not be confirmed, 35 (92%) sustained a bite or puncture. Direct and indirect costs averaged more than $3,000 per person.

Conclusions.

The Alaska PEP usage rate was lower and the proportion of people exposed to confirmed rabid animals was higher when compared with other states. Alaska public health personnel invested significant time to ensure that PEP was only given when indicated. Without this gatekeeper approach, PEP would likely be administered at a much higher rate because medical facility staff lacks the time or ability to investigate animal exposures to rule out rabies. In Alaska, centralizing rabies PEP not only serves the patient's best interest, but it also makes efficient use of a potentially scarce product and supports rabies surveillance efforts by guaranteeing animals for testing. Such a program might not be feasible for a more populous state or jurisdiction, or areas with different rabies epizootiology; however, that may change if the supply of rabies biologics changes in the future.