Bilingual Acculturation Assessment: An Overview of Current Developments

Assessments are often used for decision-making in education, mental health practices, and industry. Consequently, decisions based on these assessments affect multiple aspects of a person’s life. Given the increase of ethnic minorities in the U.S., factors concerning the appropriateness and interpretation of tests based on norms must be reconsidered. The multifaceted effects of culture are just one factor to consider so as to not overlook important cultural components that may negatively impact the decision-making process. Additionally, language, with close ties to culture, must also be considered. Thus, the complexity of culture and language in tandem to assessment-based decision-making necessitates fundamental understanding of the effects of bilingual acculturation assessment development. A brief history of bilingual acculturation is considered. Careful consideration is given to bilingual acculturation assessment within the context of measurement development, empirical application, and validity issues. Implications and limitations of the current studies are discussed

Diagnosis Measurement Error and Corrected Instrumental Variables

Health diagnosis indicators used as explanatory variables in econometric models often suffer from substantial measurement error. This measurement error can lead to seriously biased inferences about the effects of health conditions on the outcome measure of interest, and the bias generally spills over into inferences about the effects of policy/treatment variables. We generalize an existing instrumental variables (IV) method to make it compatible with the types of instruments typically available in large datasets containing health diagnoses. In particular, we relax the classical IV assumption that the instruments must have uncorrelated measurement errors. We identify and estimate the covariance matrix of the measurement errors and then use this information to derive a correction term to mitigate or eliminate the bias associated with classical IV. Our Monte Carlo simulations suggest that this corrected IV method can produce estimates far superior to those produced by OLS or classical IV.

Comorbilidades en el lupus eritematoso cutáneo: estudio de una serie de casos

El lupus eritematoso cutáneo (LEC) es una patología crónica y autoinmune que se caracteriza por presentar lesiones a nivel de la piel y mucosas. Existen muy pocos estudios que relacionen esta dermatosis con el desarrollo de cáncer, enfermedades autoinmunes y sistémicas. Hemos realizado un estudio epidemiológico, de cohorte retrospectivo entre un grupo de 30 pacientes atendidos en una consulta de dermatología del área oeste de Valladolid. Encontramos una asociación con enfermedad autoinmune en un 26% de los pacientes. En un 53,3% encontramos algún factor de riesgo para desarrollar síndrome metabólico. Detectamos antecedentes de trombosis venosa profunda en un 10% y neoplasias en un 26,7%. Además el incide de tabaquismo fue de un 76,7%.Grado en Medicin

PUMA amplifies necroptosis signaling by activating cytosolic DNA sensors.

Necroptosis, a form of regulated necrotic cell death, is governed by RIP1/RIP3-mediated activation of MLKL. However, the signaling process leading to necroptotic death remains to be elucidated. In this study, we found that PUMA, a proapoptotic BH3-only Bcl-2 family member, is transcriptionally activated in an RIP3/MLKL-dependent manner following induction of necroptosis. The induction of PUMA, which is mediated by autocrine TNF-α and enhanced NF-κB activity, contributes to necroptotic death in RIP3-expressing cells with caspases inhibited. On induction, PUMA promotes the cytosolic release of mitochondrial DNA and activation of the DNA sensors DAI/Zbp1 and STING, leading to enhanced RIP3 and MLKL phosphorylation in a positive feedback loop. Furthermore, deletion of PUMA partially rescues necroptosis-mediated developmental defects in FADD-deficient embryos. Collectively, our results reveal a signal amplification mechanism mediated by PUMA and cytosolic DNA sensors that is involved in TNF-driven necroptotic death in vitro and in vivo

Curb ramp and accessibility element upgrade prioritization: A literature review and analysis of multi-state survey data

Curb ramps are a universally beneficial element of the built environment, providing improved access for all users. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires compliant ramps to be installed with new construction or when a facility is altered. The large quantity of ramps and other facilities that must be upgraded to achieve full compliance, coupled with limited budgets, often requires states to prioritize ramps for retrofit over time. Users with varying disabilities might prioritize curb ramp improvements differently. This study assessed the state of the practice for prioritizing curb ramp upgrades and retrofits. A background review of national standards and guidance related to curb ramps was conducted. Prioritization processes for similar accessibility elements, including sidewalks and accessible pedestrian signals, were gathered through a literature review. State representatives were contacted through an email survey to identify existing prioritization processes for curb ramps. Americans with Disabilities Act Accessibility Guidelines and Proposed Accessibility Guidelines for Pedestrian Facilities in the Public Right-of-Way provide similar standards and guidelines for accessibility. Three studies found that pedestrians with vision disabilities found domed surfaces most detectable, although users with mobility disabilities experienced negative safety and negotiability impacts with detectable warning surfaces. Compliance with accessibility standards and citizen requests were most commonly used for prioritization at the state level; localities were more likely to consider proximity to pedestrian generators and transit. These findings provide a foundational resource for agencies developing or revising prioritization processes for curb ramp retrofits.Peer Reviewe

What Matters Most in Transportation Demand Model Specifications: A Comparison of Outputs in a Mid-size Network

This paper examines the impact of travel demand modeling (TDM) disaggregation techniques in the context of medium-sized communities. Specific TDM improvement strategies are evaluated for predictive power and flexibility with case studies based on the Tyler, Texas, network. Results suggest that adding time-of-day disaggregation, particularly in conjunction with multi-class assignment, to a basic TDM framework has the most significant impacts on outputs. Other strategies shown to impact outputs include adding a logit mode choice model and incorporating a congestion feedback loop. For resource-constrained communities, these results show how model output and flexibility vary for different settings and scenarios.BACKGROUND Transportation directly provides for the mobility of people and goods, while influencing land use patterns and economic activity, which in turn affect air quality, social equity, and investment decisions. Driven by the need to forecast future transportation demand and system performance, Manheim (1979) and Florian et al. (1988) introduced a transportation analysis framework for traffic forecasting using aggregated data that provide the basis for what is known as the four-step model: a process involving trip generation, then trip distribution and mode choice, followed by route choice. Aggregating demographic data at the zone level, the four-step model generates trip productions based on socioeconomic data (e.g., household counts by income and size) and trip attractions primarily based on jobs counts. The model then proportionally distributes trips between each origin and destination (OD) zone pair based on competing travel attractions and impedances, under the assumption that OD pairings with higher travel costs draw fewer trips. Trips between each OD pair are split among a variety of transportation modes, allocating trips to private vehicle, transit, or othe

Effects of Clinical Skills Training: Technology and Pedagogy for the Quality Virtual Classroom

There is a dearth of research on the effects of online delivery of clinical skills training. This pilot study examined the effects and experiences of 27 master’s students receiving 8-week remote basic counseling skills courses. Results suggested that by the end of online training, all participants met the course criteria of skills development. There is a statistically significant increase in students’ beliefs about their own capabilities to effectively facilitate counseling techniques and counseling-related activities. Four themes emerged in participants’ perception of online skills training, including concerns, challenges, technology tools, and overall learning experience. Limitations and recommendations for implications and future research are discussed