bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
THE IMPACT OF CHECKLIST‐BASED TRAINING ON TEACHERS' USE OF THE ZONE DEFENSE SCHEDULE
Authors: Casey Amy M. , McWilliam R. A.
Published: December 2011

We assessed the impact of checklist‐based training on teaching teams' use of the zone defense schedule. Three teaching teams (lead teacher plus 2 assistant teachers) in an inclusive early childhood program participated. A multiple baseline design across teams was used to determine whether accurate implementation of the zone defense schedule increased when checklist‐based training was provided. All teaching teams reached the preestablished criterion, implementing a minimum of 80% of checklist items accurately for 3 consecutive observations.
ASSESSING THE SOCIAL ACCEPTABILITY OF THE FUNCTIONAL ANALYSIS OF PROBLEM BEHAVIOR
Authors: Langthorne Paul , McGill Peter
Published: December 2011

Although the clinical utility of the functional analysis is well established, its social acceptability has received minimal attention. The current study assessed the social acceptability of functional analysis procedures among 10 parents and 3 teachers of children who had recently received functional analyses. Participants completed a 9‐item questionnaire, and results suggested that functional analysis procedures were socially acceptable.
TEACH YOUR CHILDREN WELL: A REVIEW OF CHANCE'S THE TEACHER'S CRAFT: THE TEN ESSENTIAL SKILLS OF EFFECTIVE TEACHING
Authors: Normand Matthew P. , Kohn Carolynn S.
Published: December 2011

Paul Chance's most recent book is The Teacher's Craft: The Ten Essential Skills of Effective Teaching (2008b). Written primarily for teachers of Grades K through 12, the book is organized into 10 lessons that are designed to focus on separable aspects of an effective teaching repertoire. Overall, Chance's book is well written and should appeal to teachers of all levels. Although it could be strengthened by the inclusion of more research and exclusion of weak research or suggestions not currently supported by research, it is certainly a welcome addition to the how‐to‐teach books that currently flood the market.
Role of local health departments in the delivery of ambulatory care.
Authors: Miller C A , Moos M K , Kotch J B , Brown M L , Brainard M P
Published: December 2011

Many people (40 per cent) receive each year some personal health service provided by local health departments. A substantial number of poor children (50 per cent) look to public agencies including health departments for all or part of their medical care. A number of departments including those represented in this study come close to serving as the guarantor of basic medical care for entire constituent populations, reaching those people who are not reached by other provider systems. Health departments over the past decade have increased their involvement as providers of medical care, in part assisted by such federal initiatives as WIC, and Medicaid. Health departments have institutionalized many of the innovations generated by federal demonstration projects of the 1960s, and continue a tradition as centers of important innovation in styles and continuity of health care. The health departments studied are notable in many respects, not the least of which is their constructive relationship with private providers. Some health departments appear to function at high levels of effectiveness in a dual fashion alongside private provider systems. Other departments interact or accommodate with private providers in ways that appear beneficial to the populations they serve. It would appear that both public and private provider systems are essential, and that they need not compete; they can provide mutual reinforcement for achieving universal and equitable health services in the public interest.
Psychiatric diagnoses of medical service users: evidence from the Epidemiologic Catchment Area Program.
Authors: Kessler L G , Burns B J , Shapiro S , Tischler G L , George L K , Hough R L , Bodison D , Miller R H
Published: December 2011

Based on data from the five sites of the National Institute of Mental Health-sponsored Epidemiologic Catchment Area (ECA) Program, this paper examines the prevalence of psychiatric disorder among recent medical service users versus nonusers, with a particular focus on affective disorders, substance abuse/dependence, and phobias. The rate of current Diagnostic Interview Schedule (DIS) disorders among medical users in all five ECA sites is 21.7 per cent (slightly higher than general population rates) versus 16.7 per cent among nonusers; there is generally no difference between users and nonusers with past DIS diagnoses. Affective disorders were among the most common mental disorders of medical service users, especially among females, with little variation between sites: females: users: 6.9 per cent to 9.3 per cent, nonusers: 3.4 per cent to 6.4 per cent, and males: users: 3.3 per cent to 6.5 per cent, nonusers: 1.2 per cent to 4.1 per cent. Rates of phobias among persons using medical services are also higher than among nonusers. Substance abuse disorders are at least as common among persons who use medical services (8 per cent to 14 per cent of male users) as among those who do not (9 per cent to 11 per cent of male nonusers). The high rates of affective disorders among women and of substance abuse among male medical service users underscore the need to increase the ability of general medical practitioners to recognize and manage or refer these conditions.
Childbearing among young Latino women in the United States.
Authors: Darabi K F , Ortiz V
Published: December 2011

We analyzed 1979 and 1982 data from the Youth Cohort of the National Longitudinal Surveys (NLS) of Labor Market Experience to compare rates of early childbearing among White, Black, Mexican-origin and Puerto Rican women up to age 21. Latino young women fall in between the extremely low rate of the Whites and the extremely high rate of the Blacks. Mexican and Puerto Rican young women have similar proportions of premarital first births, but the marital first birth rate for young Mexicans is twice that of the Puerto Ricans. The bulk of Mexican first births, like births to Whites, occur within marriage, while Puerto Rican first births are similar to those of Blacks, the majority being out-of-wedlock. These racial/ethnic differences in premarital first birth rates do not change greatly when socioeconomic status, and birthplace of respondents and respondents' parents are controlled.
Tuberculosis risk among migrant farm workers on the Delmarva peninsula.
Authors: Jacobson M L , Mercer M A , Miller L K , Simpson T W
Published: December 2011

A survey was conducted to ascertain the risk of tuberculosis (TB) among migrant farm workers on the Delmarva peninsula. Relevant histories were obtained from 842 migrants; a total of 709 skin tests were completed, and 239 sputum specimens were examined for acid-fast bacilli (AFB) and culture. No cases of infectious tuberculosis were ascertained by history or AFB examination. One sputum culture was positive for M. tuberculosis and 13 were positive for various species of nontuberculous mycobacteria. Thirty-seven per cent of migrants tested had significant skin test reactions of 10 mm or more. Reaction rates for men were 41 per cent and for women 25 per cent. Age specific rates ranged from 14 per cent in children aged 5-14 to 54 per cent for ages 45-54. Rates for the principal national/ethnic groups were Haitians 55 per cent, Mexicans 36 per cent, US Blacks 29 per cent and US-born Latinos 20 per cent. Based on these results and other information currently available, it is recommended that current Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommendations for TB prophylaxis continue to be applied for migrant workers, but that mass screening by skin testing in camp populations not be emphasized. Other recommendations focus on: case finding of active disease, improving continuity and follow-up, increasing coordination among involved agencies, and actively supporting improved economic and living conditions for migrant farm workers.
Latino terminology: conceptual bases for standardized terminology.
Authors: Hayes-Bautista D E , Chapa J
Published: December 2011

Conceptually, the only element that all Latin American countries share is not language, race, or culture, but political: the presence of United States foreign policy as pronounced in the Monroe Doctrine in 1823. The political relation between the US and Latin America has colored US domestic policy toward its populations of Latin American origin. From the beginning of US-Latin American relations, there has been a constant confusion of race for national origin, compounded by the adoption of euphemistic terms such as "Spanish surname." The term "Latino", derived from "Latin American," is offered as the term that best reflects both the diverse national origins and the nearly unitary treatment of Latinos in the US. The term Latino is operationalized to include all persons of Latin American origin or descent, irrespective of language, race, or culture. Specifically excluded are individuals of Spanish national origin outside the Western Hemisphere. When a synthetic sample has been derived, the term should be modified to reflect the basis upon which the sample was derived, e.g., "Latino (Spanish surname)." When working with Latinos from a specific national origin, that should be noted, e.g., "Mexican origin Latinos."
First nursing home admissions: time spent at home and in institutions after discharge.
Authors: Lewis M A , Leake B , Leal-Sotelo M , Clark V
Published: December 2011

We tracked 96 percent of a sample of 1,942 nursing home patients admitted to a nursing home for the first time in 1982-83. Patients discharged alive from the nursing home were followed for two years or until death. The relative time spent at home, in hospitals, and in skilled nursing facilities is reported. Of the 705 patients discharged from their initial nursing home admission to homes in the community, about 50 percent made only one transfer and only 15 percent made four or more transfers. Of the 509 discharged to a hospital, 26 percent died there and 37 percent of the 374 survivors made four or more moves in the next two years. In all, 1,332 patients were discharged alive and they spent almost two-thirds of the subsequent two years, or their remaining lifetimes, in the community. Of those who transferred only once, over two-thirds of their follow-up time was spent in their own homes. Policies concerned with long-term care should use some type of actuarial data base to successfully plan and implement long-term care insurance.
Cigarette smoking as a risk factor for sudden infant death syndrome: a population-based study.
Authors: Haglund B , Cnattingius S
Published: December 2011

Risk factors for sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) were examined in a prospective study based on Swedish births between 1983 and 1985. All infants surviving the first week of life were included (279,938). The overall rate of SIDS was 0.7 per 1,000 first week survivors. Elevated relative risks were associated with low maternal age, multiparity, maternal smoking, and male infants. Smoking doubled the risk and a clear dose-response relation by amount smoked was observed. Maternal smoking also seemed to influence the time of death, as infants of smokers died at an earlier age. In countries like Sweden, smoking may be the single most important preventable risk factor for sudden infant death syndrome.
Past pregnancy outcomes among women living in the vicinity of a lead smelter in Kosovo, Yugoslavia.
Authors: Murphy M J , Graziano J H , Popovac D , Kline J K , Mehmeti A , Factor-Litvak P , Ahmedi G , Shrout P , Rajovic B , Nenezic D U
Published: December 2011

This analysis compares the rates of spontaneous abortion among women living in the vicinity of a lead smelter with those of women living in a town where blood lead levels were low. Data derive from the obstetric histories of both groups of women obtained while seeking prenatal care for a later pregnancy. A total of 639 women (304 exposed, 335 unexposed) had at least one previous pregnancy and lived at the same address since their first pregnancy. The geometric mean blood lead concentrations in the sample at the time of the interviews were 0.77 mumol/L in the exposed town and 0.25 mumol/L in the unexposed town. The rates of spontaneous abortions in first pregnancies were similar, with 16.4 percent of women in the exposed town and 14.0 percent in the unexposed town reporting loss. The adjusted odds ratio relating town of residence to spontaneous abortion was 1.1 (95% CI = 0.9, 1.4). This analysis represents the first systematic attempt to seek an association between environmental lead exposure and spontaneous abortion. As such, the failure to find a positive association strongly suggests that at the levels of exposure represented in our sample, such an association does not exist.
Epidemiologic features of treated end-stage renal disease in a large prepaid health plan.
Authors: Ordonez J D , Hiatt R A , Quesenberry C P
Published: December 2011

We examined the incidence of treated end-stage renal disease (ESRD) among the two million members of the Kaiser Permanente Medical Care Program of Northern California from 1973 through 1985. The age-adjusted incidence rates rose from 33.9 to 81.7 per million person-years and showed no signs of stabilization. Rates were higher in men than in women and rose with age. Marked upward trends (p less than .001) in the rates of treated ESRD associated with diabetic nephropathy and hypertension were noted.
AIDS and state developmental disability agencies: a national survey.
Authors: Marchetti A G , Nathanson R S , Kastner T A , Owens R
Published: December 2011

A survey of state developmental disability agencies was undertaken in October 1987 regarding AIDS policy development, education, and training and service provision. Of 44 states responding to the 27-item questionnaire, only 21 had formal AIDS policies. Policies varied considerably from state to state. Twenty-five of the responding states include information on AIDS in their staff training curriculum, with such training more likely to be provided to institutional staff than to community-based staff. Only 10 states reported AIDS prevention to be part of their client training programs, with training more likely to be found in institutional settings. Eleven states reported HIV positive cases, with such cases found more often in institutions than in community settings. Several states reported some type of segregation of HIV positive individuals. Policies, educational programming, and services to meet the special needs of persons with developmental disabilities are called for.
Dependency on soup kitchens in urban areas of New York State.
Authors: Rauschenbach B S , Frongillo E A , Thompson F E , Andersen E J , Spicer D A
Published: December 2011

We studied the dependency of persons on soup kitchens in Albany, Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, and Westchester County, New York. Seventeen percent of the meal recipients were homeless, 62 percent lived in apartments or houses, 20 percent were working, 40 percent were women, and 17 percent had a child in their household. Fifty-nine percent started eating at the soup kitchen more than a year ago, and 51 percent ate five or more meals at soup kitchens in the last week. Most reported they came to the soup kitchen because of economic problems or lack of food; 93 percent had incomes below the poverty threshold. Most used some government food program; 48 percent received food stamps. Utilization of soup kitchens and other programs differed between men and women and between households with and without children.
Infant feeding in Queensland, Australia: long-term trends.
Authors: Siskind V , Del Mar C , Schofield F
Published: December 2011

Infant feeding practices were retrospectively ascertained in a random cohort of parous women (mean age 54.8 years) from Brisbane, Australia. Reported proportions of infants who were ever breast-fed fell from around 90% before 1960 to around 70% in the early 1970s, with some subsequent increase. Similar but stronger trends were reported in proportions of infants breast- but not bottle-fed. Few maternal characteristics were associated with feeding practices, but women with more education appear to have led both the early retreat from and the later return to breast-feeding.
Decisions near the end of life: professional views on life-sustaining treatments.
Authors: Solomon M Z , O'Donnell L , Jennings B , Guilfoy V , Wolf S M , Nolan K , Jackson R , Koch-Weser D , Donnelley S
Published: December 2011

OBJECTIVES. How do health care professionals assess the care of hospital patients near the end of life? Are physicians and nurses aware of and in agreement with national recommendations regarding patients' rights to forgo life-sustaining medical treatments and to receive adequate pain control? METHODS. We surveyed 687 physicians and 759 nurses in 5 hospitals. RESULTS. Almost half (47%) of all respondents and fully 70% of the house officers reported that they had acted against their conscience in providing care to the terminally ill. Four times as many respondents were concerned about the provision of overly burdensome treatment than about undertreatment. CONCLUSIONS. In summary, many physicians and nurses were disturbed by the degree to which technological solutions influence care during the final days of a terminal illness and by the undertreatment of pain. However, changes in the care of dying patients may not have kept pace with national recommendations, in part because many physicians and nurses disagreed with and may have been unaware of some key guidelines, such as the permissibility of withdrawing treatments.
Social differences in Swedish infant mortality by cause of death, 1983 to 1986.
Authors: Nordström M L , Cnattingius S , Haglund B
Published: December 2011

OBJECTIVE. We sought to investigate social differences in Swedish infant mortality by cause of death. METHODS. All live single births in Sweden between 1983 and 1986 to mothers 15 to 44 years old with Nordic citizenship were studied. The causes of death were classified into six major groups. Mother's education was used as a social indicator. Logistic regression analysis was used with identical models for all groups of causes of death. RESULTS. There were 355,601 births and 2012 infant deaths. Only for sudden infant death syndrome were significant social differences found, with crude odds ratios of 2.6 for mothers with less than 10 years of education and of 1.9 for mothers with 10 to 11 years, compared with 1.0 for mothers with 15 years or more. After adjusting for age, parity, and smoking habits, these ratios were no longer significant. CONCLUSIONS. The social differences obtained could be explained by the fact that mothers with less education smoke more, are younger, and have higher parity than those with more education.
Residential releases of number 2 fuel oil: a contributor to indoor air pollution.
Authors: Kaplan M B , Brandt-Rauf P , Axley J W , Shen T T , Sewell G H
Published: December 2011

OBJECTIVES. Analysis of data from the New York City Fire Department showed that residential fuel oil releases frequently occur in quantities ranging from 5 to 1000 gal, primarily from storage tank leaks and overfill. A risk assessment was conducted to determine whether Number 2 fuel oil basement spills pose a significant risk to human health. METHODS. Exposure was derived from a simulated field study spill of Number 2 fuel oil in a townhouse basement to develop emission rates for the indicator constituent xylene. Distribution of xylene throughout the townhouse was determined using a multizone contaminant dispersal model. RESULTS. Spills of 85 and 21 gal resulted in xylene exposure estimates as high as 20 and 5 mg/kg/day, respectively. CONCLUSIONS. A spill of about 21 gal or more of Number 2 fuel oil would present a human health risk for central nervous and reproductive systems for 8 days or longer. Tank inspection and supervised delivery would provide effective prevention at minimal expense.
Building-related asthma in Denver office workers.
Authors: Hoffman R E , Wood R C , Kreiss K
Published: December 2011

OBJECTIVES. Reported cases of building-related asthma and hypersensitivity pneumonitis among workers in a Denver office building prompted an epidemiologic investigation. METHODS. A cross-sectional, self-administered survey of employees in the office building of the reported cases was compared with that of employees in a comparison building. RESULTS. A significant excess of respiratory disease existed among 512 Denver workers (case building) compared with 281 office workers in a suburban agency (control building). Denver employees had a higher prevalence of respiratory symptoms, and the prevalence of physician-diagnosed asthma with onset or exacerbation since building occupancy was 4.9 times greater for Denver employees than for suburban employees. Asthma was not associated with any particular ventilation system in the building. Water incursion from a below-grade wall may have contributed to the problem, but the etiology is unknown. CONCLUSIONS. This investigation provided evidence of office building-related asthma. Individual cases may be sentinel events for other cases of work-related asthma or hypersensitivity pneumonitis and may indicate a need for public health investigation of remediable causes.
Accidents and acts of God: a history of the terms.
Authors: Loimer H , Guarnieri M
Published: December 2011

Despite criticism from safety professionals, scientists continue to use the word accident, meaning an unexpected, unintended injury, or event. Some argue for its use based on tradition, but "traditional" arguments appear to be invalid given our examination of the history of the word and its companion phrase act of God in statistics, law, and religion. People who were interested in public health recognized in the 1600s that unintended injuries were neither random nor unexpected. Legal scholars in the 1800s saw the word was useless for technical purposes. The word does not appear in the Bible until the mid 1900s and then only in a para-phrased edition. Others have maintained that the meaning of accident is well understood, even though it has not been perfectly defined. We maintain that without a clear definition, people substitute an image, which may be distorted or damaging.
Patterns in US medical expenditures and utilization for injury, 1987.
Authors: Miller T R , Lestina D C
Published: December 2011

This article is based on data released in 1991/93 from the 1987. National Medical Expenditure Survey. Medical spending and utilization patterns are analyzed for 13 major categories of injury. Medical spending on injury in 1987 was $64.7 billion in 1993 dollars. Nonhospitalized medically treated injuries averaged $571 in medical spending per case, $181 per visit, and 3.2 visits per injury. The prevalence-based survey estimate of medical spending on injuries during 1987 is 10% lower than the incidence-based estimates of lifetime medical spending resulting from injuries in 1985.
Why are most drowning victims men? Sex differences in aquatic skills and behaviors.
Authors: Howland J , Hingson R , Mangione T W , Bell N , Bak S
Published: December 2011

Men have higher drowning rates than women for most age groups. Data from a 1991 national household survey (n = 3042) on aquatic activities were used to examine hypotheses about differential drowning rates by sex. Men and women were compared by (1) exposure to aquatic environments; (2) frequency of aquatic activities involving or potentially involving, submersion; (3) swimming training and ability; (4) aquatic risk-taking behaviors; and (5) alcohol use on or near the water. Men had elevated risks for exposure, risk taking, and alcohol use. It was concluded that several factors contribute to their relatively high drowning rates, including a possible interaction between overestimation of abilities and heavy alcohol use.
Prevalence of hepatitis B virus infection in the United States: the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys, 1976 through 1994.
Authors: McQuillan G M , Coleman P J , Kruszon-Moran D , Moyer L A , Lambert S B , Margolis H S
Published: December 2011

OBJECTIVE: Data from 2 National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES), NHANES II (1976-1980) and NHANES III (1988-1994), were analyzed to examine trends in the prevalence of hepatitis B infection in the United States. METHODS: Serum specimens were tested for markers of hepatitis B virus infection, and risk factors were determined from questionnaires. RESULTS: The overall age-adjusted prevalence of hepatitis B virus infection was 5.5% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 4.8, 6.2) in NHANES II, as compared with 4.9% (95% CI = 4.3, 5.6) in NHANES III. In both surveys, Black participants had the highest prevalence of infection (NHANES II, 15.8%; NHANES III, 11.9%). No differences in infection were found in the major racial groups between surveys, except for a decrease among those older than 50 years. Black race, increasing number of lifetime sexual partners, and foreign birth had the strongest independent associations with hepatitis B virus infection. CONCLUSIONS: Testing of participants in 2 national surveys demonstrates no significant decrease in hepatitis B virus infection, despite the availability of hepatitis B vaccine.
Occupational class and ischemic heart disease mortality in the United States and 11 European countries.
Authors: Kunst A E , Groenhof F , Andersen O , Borgan J K , Costa G , Desplanques G , Filakti H , Giraldes M do R , Faggiano F , Harding S , Junker C , Martikainen P , Minder C , Nolan B , Pagnanelli F , Regidor E , Vågerö D , Valkonen T , Mackenbach J P
Published: December 2011

OBJECTIVES: Twelve countries were compared with respect to occupational class differences in ischemic heart disease mortality in order to identify factors that are associated with smaller or larger mortality differences. METHODS: Data on mortality by occupational class among men aged 30 to 64 years were obtained from national longitudinal or cross-sectional studies for the 1980s. A common occupational class scheme was applied to most countries. Potential effects of the main data problems were evaluated quantitatively. RESULTS: A north-south contrast existed within Europe. In England and Wales, Ireland, and Nordic countries, manual classes had higher mortality rates than nonmanual classes. In France, Switzerland, and Mediterranean countries, manual classes had mortality rates as low as, or lower than, those among nonmanual classes. Compared with Northern Europe, mortality differences in the United States were smaller (among men aged 30-44 years) or about as large (among men aged 45-64 years). CONCLUSIONS: The results underline the highly variable nature of socioeconomic inequalities in ischemic heart disease mortality. These inequalities appear to be highly sensitive to social gradients in behavioral risk factors. These risk factor gradients are determined by cultural as well as socioeconomic developments.
Trends in Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services at the Nation’s Community Health Centers: 1998–2003
Authors: Druss Benjamin G. , Bornemann Thomas , Fry-Johnson Yvonne W. , McCombs Harriet G. , Politzer Robert M. , Rust George
Published: December 2011

Objective. We examined trends in delivery of mental health and substance abuse services at the nation’s community health centers.

Methods. Analyses used data from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Bureau of Primary Care’s (BPHC) 1998 and 2003 Uniform Data System, merged with county-level data.

Results. Between 1998 and 2003, the number of patients diagnosed with a mental health/substance abuse disorder in community health centers increased from 210 000 to 800 000. There was an increase in the number of patients per specialty mental health/substance abuse treatment provider and a decline in the mean number of patient visits, from 7.3 visits per patient to 3.5 by 2003. Although most community health centers had some on-site mental health/substance abuse services, centers without on-site services were more likely to be located in counties with fewer mental health/substance abuse clinicians, psychiatric emergency rooms, and inpatient hospitals.

Conclusions. Community health centers are playing an increasingly central role in providing mental health/substance abuse treatment services in the United States. It is critical both to ensure that these centers have adequate resources for providing mental health/substance abuse care and that they develop effective linkages with mental health/substance abuse clinicians in the communities they serve.
Does Racism Harm Health? Did Child Abuse Exist Before 1962? On Explicit Questions, Critical Science, and Current Controversies: An Ecosocial Perspective
Authors: Krieger Nancy
Published: December 2011

Research on racism as a harmful determinant of population health is in its infancy. Explicitly naming a long-standing problem long recognized by those affected, this work has the potential to galvanize inquiry and action, much as the 1962 publication of the Kempe et al. scientific article on the “battered child syndrome” dramatically increased attention to—and prompted new research on—the myriad consequences of child abuse, a known yet neglected social phenomenon. To further work on connections between racism and health, the author addresses 3 interrelated issues: (1) links between racism, biology, and health; (2) methodological controversies over how to study the impact of racism on health; and (3) debates over whether racism or class underlies racial/ethnic disparities in health.
The Health Impact of Resolving Racial Disparities: An Analysis of US Mortality Data
Authors: Woolf Steven H. , Johnson Robert E. , Fryer George E. , Rust George , Satcher David
Published: December 2011

The US health system spends far more on the “technology” of care (e.g., drugs, devices) than on achieving equity in its delivery. For 1991 to 2000, we contrasted the number of lives saved by medical advances with the number of deaths attributable to excess mortality among African Americans. Medical advances averted 176 633 deaths, but equalizing the mortality rates of Whites and African Americans would have averted 886202 deaths. Achieving equity may do more for health than perfecting the technology of care.
Racial/Ethnic Variations in Women’s Health: The Social Embeddedness of Health
Authors: Williams David R.
Published: December 2011

This article provides an overview of the magnitude of and trends in racial/ethnic disparities in health for women in the United States. It emphasizes the importance of attending to diversity in the health profiles and populations of minority women. Socioeconomic status is a central determinant of racial/ethnic disparities in health, but several other factors, including medical care, geographic location, migration and acculturation, racism, and exposure to stress and resources also play a role. There is a need for renewed attention to monitoring, understanding, and actively seeking to eliminate racial/ethnic disparities in health.
Health Care Reform and Social Movements in the United States
Authors: Hoffman Beatrix
Published: December 2011

Because of the importance of grassroots social movements, or “change from below,” in the history of US reform, the relationship between social movements and demands for universal health care is a critical one.

National health reform campaigns in the 20th century were initiated and run by elites more concerned with defending against attacks from interest groups than with popular mobilization, and grassroots reformers in the labor, civil rights, feminist, and AIDS activist movements have concentrated more on immediate and incremental changes than on transforming the health care system itself.

However, grassroots health care demands have also contained the seeds of a wider critique of the American health care system, leading some movements to adopt calls for universal coverage.
Social Factors and Periodontitis in an Older Population
Authors: Borrell Luisa N. , Burt Brian A. , Neighbors Harold W. , Taylor George W.
Published: December 2011

Objectives. We assessed the prevalences of periodontitis by education and income levels among US adults with data from the third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

Methods. The study was limited to non-Hispanic Blacks, Mexican Americans, and non-Hispanic Whites 50 years of age or older with a complete periodontal assessment during the dental examination.

Results. Blacks with higher education and income levels had a significantly higher prevalence of periodontitis than their White and Mexican-American counterparts. The relationship between income level and periodontitis was modified by race/ethnicity. High-income Blacks exhibited a higher prevalence of periodontitis than did low-income Blacks and high-income Whites.

Conclusions. Our findings call attention to the importance of recognizing socioeconomic status–related health differences across racial/ethnic groups within the social, political, and historical context.
Kinetics Study of Esterification Reaction of 2-Methyl-4-Chlorophenoxyacetic Acid (MCPA Acid)
Authors: Kong Pei San , Aroua Mohamed Kheireddine , Raman Aziz Abdul
Published: December 2011

MCPA ester is a postemergence and selective herbicide widely used in controlling weed growth. This is due to the low solubility of MCPA ester in water which differs from majority of the other herbicides. With low solubility, the chance of water pollution is lesser comparatively. MCPA ester can degrade in soil by biological and biotic mechanism which reduces the soil pollution. Despite the wide application of this ester, the kinetic data on synthesis of MCPA ester is still considered as a proprietary data and it is not available in the open literature. Therefore kinetic studies are conducted in this work. MCPA ester was synthesized by reacting MCPA acid and 2-ethylhexanol in the presence of sulfuric acid as a catalyst. The parameters studied were reaction temperature, catalyst concentration and alcohol to acid molar ratio. The reaction was conducted in a jacketed batch reactor and samples were taken at an appropriate time intervals. The concentration MCPA ester was determined by gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MSD) analysis. The experimental data were fitted with proposed homogeneous integrated second order kinetic model and the fitting accuracy at 373K, 383K and 393K were 0.99, 0.95 and 0.99 respectively. The activation energy and frequency factor were estimated to be 71.559 kJmol-1 and 1.221 x 107 Lmol-1 min-1 respectively. Kinetic constant values were 0.844 x 103 to 6.331 x 103 Lmol-1 min-1 within the range of the temperature and concentration studied. As predicted, the activation energy decreases with increases in catalyst concentration and the values at 0.01M, 0.1M and 0.5M catalyst concentration were 73.6, 71.7 and 69.4 kJmol-1 respectively.
Make-or-Buy Decisions and the Manipulability of Performance Measures
Authors: Andersson Fredrik
Published: December 2011

The make-or-buy decision is analyzed in a simple framework combining contractual incompleteness with the existence of an imperfect but contractible performance measure. Contractual incompleteness gives rise to two regimes, identified with make and buy. The performance measure on which comprehensive contracts can be written is imperfect in the sense of being subject to manipulation. The performance incentives faced by the agent are stronger in the "buy" regime. A positive (negative) impact -- or "externality" -- of manipulation on true performance favors make (buy).
Learning New Technologies: The Effect of Ease of Learning
Authors: Loraas Tina M. , Diaz Michelle Chandler
Published: December 2011

Service professionals are often confronted with situations where they have the choice about whether to learn a new technology that could create efficiencies on both current and future engagements. We investigate how the perception of ease of learning affects this decision to voluntarily learn a new technology in the post-adoptive context. Using the elaboration likelihood model as a framework, we predict and find evidence that ease of learning perceptions drive the level of processing undergone by the potential user. When technology is easy to use, potential users rely on their situational learning dispositions. However, when the technology is difficult, suggesting a greater risk of failure, situational goal orientations are less influential, and potential users rely more on dispositional goal orientations. Our findings have implications for future research on technology acceptance and use, as well as ramifications for encouraging technology use “on the job.”

Data Availability: Full instrument provided in Appendix A.
A Meta-Analysis of the Effects of IT Investment on Firm Financial Performance
Authors: Lim Jee-Hae , Dehning Bruce , Richardson Vernon J. , Smith Rodney E.
Published: December 2011

We use meta-analysis techniques to examine research choices that affect findings with respect to the return on IT investment. Recent research has established that IT investment is substantially related to firm financial performance. We find, however, that the relationship between IT investment and performance varies, depending on how both financial performance and IT investment are measured. Despite criticism of accounting measures as indicators of IT payoff, we find that the relationship is often stronger in studies that employ accounting measures rather than market measures of firm performance. This difference is driven by research that focuses on the process-level impacts of IT investment. Furthermore, the relationship is also stronger when IT investment is measured as IT strategy or spending, rather than IT capability. We discuss the practical implications of the results of our meta-analysis and suggest new directions for future theory development and research.
Data Mining of Electronic Mail and Auditing: A Research Agenda
Authors: Debreceny Roger S. , Gray Glen L.
Published: December 2011

A potentially important form of audit evidence is corporate email, which includes the background, intent, and outcome of managerial actions. Emails are semi-structured data, with known fields for sender, recipient, subject, and date, as well as the email body and attachments. Data mining of emails (DME) combines understanding of social networks, textual analysis using natural language processing and other techniques, and domain knowledge. Email data mining research received a considerable boost by the availability of a large archive of emails from the now-defunct Enron Corporation. The paper provides an overview of DME techniques, and the potential expanded applications of DME by auditors. The paper also discusses a set of research areas and research opportunities.
Outbreaks of severe enteric disease associated with Eimeria furonis infection in ferrets (Mustela putorius furo) of 3 densely populated groups
Authors: Sledge Dodd G. , Bolin Steven R. , Lim Ailam , Kaloustian Lisa L. , Heller Ruth L. , Carmona Franklin M. , Kiupel Matti
Published: December 2011

Case Description—3 unrelated, densely populated, dynamic ferret populations with severe outbreaks of enteric coccidiosis were evaluated.

Clinical Findings—In each outbreak, morbidity rate was high, there were an appreciable number of deaths, and ferrets of all ages were affected. Affected individuals had acute onset of diarrhea, and feces often contained frank or digested blood. Other clinical signs included dehydration, weakness, lethargy, and weight loss. Fecal examinations of affected ferrets revealed sporadic and inconsistent shedding of coccidial oocysts. Necropsy findings included moderate to marked atrophic enteritis associated with numerous intraepithelial and fewer extracellular coccidial life stages. Sporulated oocysts isolated from feces were consistent with Eimeria furonis. A PCR assay was performed on formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded sections of intestine for the gene encoding the small subunit of rRNA yielded products with sequences identical to those described for E furonis.

Treatment and Outcome—Supportive care and treatment with sulfadimethoxine over the course of these outbreaks was palliative, but long-term treatment was required and failed to completely eradicate infection as identified by the subsequent finding of oocysts in fecal samples.

Clinical Relevance—Enteric coccidiosis due to infection with E furonis has typically been reported to be subclinical rather than to cause severe gastrointestinal disease in ferrets. This report indicated that infection with E furonis may have contributed to severe enteric disease with high morbidity and mortality rates in 3 densely populated, dynamic groups of ferrets. Furthermore, long-term treatment with anti-coccidials may be required in outbreak situations, but may be ineffectual in completely eradicating infection.
Are There Important Differences in Success and in Organizational Culture between Family Companies in Production and Service Sector in Slovenia?
Authors: Zajec Maja , Roblek Matjaž
Published: December 2011

Are There Important Differences in Success and in Organizational Culture between Family Companies in Production and Service Sector in Slovenia?

In this article we will introduce the development of those organizational culture elements, which influence importantly on company successfulness in family companies. The research was performed in 24 Slovenian companies with 524 responded survey questionnaires from field of services, consultancy and computer equipment, trade counter, production, road freight traffic and civil engineering.

With this analysis we found out the answer to the question in family loyalty to the company, management style, loyalty and mutual trust system, strategic emphasis, criteria for successful business operations, stimulation (rewarding), process of continuous improvement, business ethics of the company, organization, values of the employees, and satisfaction of the employees in those companies. The collected data are important from the aspect of the organizational culture influence on the future growth or eventually their stagnation.
Geopolitics of Natural Gas Supply in Europe – Poland between the EU and Russia
Authors: Szul Roman
Published: December 2011

The article analyses possible interests, attitudes and activities of the major actors in the ‘natural gas supply game’ in Europe after 1990: Russia/Gazprom, alternative suppliers like countries in the Caspian Sea area, the main consumers of gas and transit countries. It stresses that behaviour of the actors depends on the changing international political and economic situation and conditions in individual countries. Special attention is paid to pipeline projects: Nord Stream, South Stream and Nabucco, and reactions to them, such as building a LGN terminal at Świnoujście (Poland), North-South (Baltic-Adriatic) energy corridor and the Polish-Russian gas contract of 2010.
On Nations and International Boundaries – The European Case
Authors: Biger Gideon
Published: December 2011

It seems that our world is made of mainly nation states – independent states based on one particular nation, sometimes with some minorities in that state. Thus the model seams to be ‘a nation is establishing its boundaries’. On the other hand, our world also has the ‘boundaries that made a nation’ model, in which a nation was created after boundaries were drawn. Most independent European countries belong to the first model but Spain, Belgium, and five tiny states belong to the second model.
The later life and the heritage of the second South Bohemian bishop, Arnošt Konstantin Růžička (1763-1845)
Authors: Svoboda Rudolf
Published: December 2011

The later life and the heritage of the second South Bohemian bishop, Arnošt Konstantin Růžička (1763-1845)
Progression of cerebrospinal fluid cell count and differential over a treatment course of shunt infection
Authors: Fulkerson Daniel H. , Sivaganesan Ahilan , Hill Jason D. , Edwards John R. , Shoja Mohammadali M. , Boaz Joel C. , Jea Andrew
Published: December 2011

Object

The physiological reaction of CSF white blood cells (WBCs) over the course of treating a shunt infection is undefined. The authors speculated that the CSF WBC count varies with different infecting organisms in peak level and differential percentage of polymorphonuclear (PMN) leukocytes, lymphocytes, monocytes, and eosinophils. The authors hope to identify clinically useful trends in the progression of CSF WBCs by analyzing a large group of patients with successfully treated shunt infections.

Methods

The authors reviewed 105 successfully treated cases of shunt infections at Riley Hospital for Children. The study dates ranged from 2000 to 2004; this represented a period prior to the routine use of antibiotic-impregnated shunt catheters. They analyzed the following organisms: coagulase-negative staphylococci, Staphylococcus aureus, Propionibacterium acnes, Streptococcal species, and gram-negative organisms. The initial CSF sample at diagnosis was analyzed, as were levels over 14 days of treatment. Model fitting was performed to generate curves for the expected progression of the WBC counts and the differential PMN leukocytes, lymphocyte, monocyte, and eosinophil percentages.

Results

Gram-negative organisms resulted in a higher initial (p = 0.03) and peak WBC count with a greater differential of PMN leukocytes compared with other organisms. Propionibacterium acnes infections were associated with a significantly lower WBC count and PMN leukocytes percentage (p = 0.02) and higher eosinophil percentage (p = 0.002) than other organisms. The pattern progression of the CSF WBC count and differential percentages was consistent for all infections. There was an initial predominance of PMN leukocytes, followed by a delayed peak of lymphocytes, monocytes, and eosinophils over a 14-day course. All values trended toward zero over the treatment course.

Conclusions

The initial and peak levels of CSF WBCs vary with the infecting organisms. The CSF cell counts showed a predictable pattern during the treatment of shunt infection. These trends may be useful to the physician in clinical decision making, although there is a wide range of variability.