A community perspective on the role of fathers during pregnancy: a qualitative study

BACKGROUND: Defining male involvement during pregnancy is essential for the development of future research and appropriate interventions to optimize services aiming to improve birth outcomes. Study Aim: To define male involvement during pregnancy and obtain community-based recommendations for interventions to improve male involvement during pregnancy. METHODS: We conducted focus groups with mothers and fathers from the National Healthy Start Association program in order to obtain detailed descriptions of male involvement activities, benefits, barriers, and proposed solutions for increasing male involvement during pregnancy. The majority of participants were African American parents. RESULTS: The involved “male” was identified as either the biological father, or, the current male partner of the pregnant woman. Both men and women described the ideal, involved father or male partner as present, accessible, available, understanding, willing to learn about the pregnancy process and eager to provide emotional, physical and financial support to the woman carrying the child. Women emphasized a sense of “togetherness” during the pregnancy. Suggestions included creating male-targeted prenatal programs, enhancing current interventions targeting females, and increasing healthcare providers’ awareness of the importance of men’s involvement during pregnancy. CONCLUSIONS: Individual, family, community, societal and policy factors play a role in barring or diminishing the involvement of fathers during pregnancy. Future research and interventions should target these factors and their interaction in order to increase fathers’ involvement and thereby improve pregnancy outcomes

Rating the Financial Health of U.S. Production Agriculture using Synthetic Credit Rating

Agribusiness, Agricultural and Food Policy, Production Economics,

Polymorphic phase transformations of 3-chloro-trans-cinnamic acid and its solid solution with 3-bromo-trans-cinnamic acid

We have investigated the polymorphic phase transformations above ambient temperature for 3-chloro-trans-cinnamic acid (3-ClCA, C9H7ClO2) and a solid solution of 3-ClCA and 3-bromo-trans-cinnamic acid (3-BrCA, C9H7BrO2). At 413 K, the γ polymorph of 3-ClCA transforms to the β polymorph. Inter­estingly, the structure of the β polymorph of 3-ClCA obtained in this transformation is different from the structure of the β polymorph of 3-BrCA obtained in the corresponding polymorphic transformation from the γ polymorph of 3-BrCA, even though the γ polymorphs of 3-ClCA and 3-BrCA are isostructural. We also report a high-temperature phase transformation from a γ-type structure to a β-type structure for a solid solution of 3-ClCA and 3-BrCA (with a molar ratio close to 1:1). The γ polymorph of the solid solution is isostructural with the γ polymorphs of pure 3-ClCA and pure 3-BrCA, while the β-type structure produced in the phase transformation is structurally similar to the β polymorph of pure 3-BrCA

Genetic diversity and evidence for acquired antimicrobial resistance in Mycobacterium tuberculosis at a large hospital in South India

AbstractObjectives: To assess genetic diversity and drug resistance of Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates collected at Christian Medical College Hospital (CMCH), Vellore, India, between July 1995 and May 1996.Materials and Methods: Isolates were subjected to IS6110-based restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis and tested for resistance to isoniazid, rifampin, ethambutol, streptomycin, and pyrazinamide, and DNA from selected strains was sequenced in regions associated with drug resistance.Results: One hundred and one M. tuberculosis isolates were collected from 87 patients with pulmonary tuberculosis. Charts of 69 patients were reviewed for history of tuberculosis illness and treatment. DNA from 29 strains was sequenced in katG, rpoB, and gyrA, and sometimes pncA regions. Analysis by RFLP revealed a high degree of genetic diversity, with no identifiable clusters of infection. Of the strains tested, 51 % were resistant to at least one antibiotic, and 43% were resistant to more than one drug. There was a high rate of resistance observed in patients whose charts indicated a history of improperly administered tuberculosis treatment, whereas little drug resistance was observed in patients never previously treated for tuberculosis. Sequencing of genes associated with drug resistance revealed several previously unreported mutations in resistant strains.Conclusions: This analysis suggests that the cases of tuberculosis in the sample are largely reactivation of long-standing infections and that the drug resistance among patients in CMCH is largely acquired or secondary rather than attributable to the spread of drug-resistant strains

The Full-sky Astrometric Mapping Explorer -- Astrometry for the New Millennium

FAME is designed to perform an all-sky, astrometric survey with unprecedented accuracy. It will create a rigid astrometric catalog of 4x10^7 stars with 5 < m_V < 15. For bright stars, 5 < m_V < 9, FAME will determine positions and parallaxes accurate to < 50 microarcseconds, with proper motion errors < 50 microarcseconds/year. For fainter stars, 9 < m_V < 15, FAME will determine positions and parallaxes accurate to < 500 microarcseconds, with proper motion errors < 500 microarcseconds/year. It will also collect photometric data on these 4 x 10^7 stars in four Sloan DSS colors.Comment: 6 pages, 4 figures, to appear in "Working on the Fringe

The Effectiveness of Using Diversity to Select Multiple Classifier Systems with Varying Classification Thresholds

In classification applications, the goal of fusion techniques is to exploit complementary approaches and merge the information provided by these methods to provide a solution superior than any single method. Associated with choosing a methodology to fuse pattern recognition algorithms is the choice of algorithm or algorithms to fuse. Historically, classifier ensemble accuracy has been used to select which pattern recognition algorithms are included in a multiple classifier system. More recently, research has focused on creating and evaluating diversity metrics to more effectively select ensemble members. Using a wide range of classification data sets, methodologies, and fusion techniques, current diversity research is extended by expanding classifier domains before employing fusion methodologies. The expansion is made possible with a unique classification score algorithm developed for this purpose. Correlation and linear regression techniques reveal that the relationship between diversity metrics and accuracy is tenuous and optimal ensemble selection should be based on ensemble accuracy. The strengths and weaknesses of popular diversity metrics are examined in the context of the information they provide with respect to changing classification thresholds and accuracies

Learning curve analysis of thoracic endovascular aortic repair in relation to credentialing guidelines

ObjectiveRecently, practice guideline documents have recommended the completion of different levels of interventional experience and 5 or 10 thoracic endovascular aortic cases prior to surgeon credentialing. This study’s purpose was to determine whether these requirements are valid by reviewing three surgeons’ learning curves with thoracic aortic endovascular repairs.MethodsBetween 1998 and 2006, 67 patients underwent emergent or elective endovascular repair of thoracic aortic pathologies by one of three vascular surgeons with extensive experience with catheter manipulation and abdominal aortic endografts. Following standard retrospective review, each surgeon’s learning curve was analyzed using the cumulative sum failure method with a target success rate of 95% derived from the literature. The main outcome variable was primary technical success.ResultsThese 67 patients presented with several pathologies including elective (n = 31) and ruptured (n = 11) thoracic aortic aneurysms, acute dissections or aortic ulcers (n = 10), and acute blunt thoracic aortic trauma (n = 15). The mean age was 65 (range: 20 to 90) and the early (30 day) mortality rate was 19.4% in urgent cases (n = 36) and 0% in elective cases (n = 31). Paraplegia occurred in two patients (3%). Primary technical success was achieved in 62 cases (92.5%) and did not differ between surgeons (92.6%, 91.3%, 94.1%, respectively; P = .9). Each surgeon’s cases were plotted sequentially and the resulting learning curves were similar. Although acceptable outcomes were obtained throughout the study period, improved results, compared with the target success rate, were not achieved until each surgeon treated 5 to 10 patients.ConclusionThis study supports the case volume requirements of the Society for Vascular Surgery credentialing guidelines, which also requires extensive catheter and guidewire experience. With this background in catheter manipulation and endovascular abdominal aortic repair, surgeons can achieve optimal outcomes with thoracic aortic lesions following 5 to 10 cases

The Effect of a Western Diet on Hepatic Autophagy in Age Accelerated SAMP8 Mice

Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is characterized as a dysregulation of hepatic lipid metabolism and a chronic inflammatory state. It is hypothesized the link between lipid dysregulation and inflammation may be due in part to defective hepatic autophagy and reduced mitochondrial capacity to oxidize fatty acids. It remains to be determined; however, the effects of a Western diet on hepatic autophagy and mitochondrial function during aging. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of a high-fat high fructose diet (HFF) on markers of hepatic autophagy and mitochondrial function in an age accelerated mouse model. METHODS: Twenty week old, male and female, SAMP8 mice (n=49) were randomly assigned, matching for gender, to either a standard chow (SC) or HFF (45% fat, 24% fructose) diet for 32 weeks. Liver tissue was analyzed for mRNA expression of autophagic (BNIP3, Beclin 1, p62, and Atg7) and mitochondrial (PGC1α and COXIV) genes. Differences between gender and dietary groups were identified by a 2 x 2 ANOVA and statistical significance was set at p\u3c0.05. RESULTS: Following 32 weeks of feeding, male mice fed the HFF diet were significantly heavier than male mice in the SC group (31.6 g vs 26.5 g; p=0.001); however, no difference was observed between diet groups for female mice. The HFF diet resulted in higher autophagic activity as observed by Beclin 1 (+36%; p=0.001) and BNIP3 (+40%; P=0.003) expression. Despite the higher autophagic activity, p62 was higher (+31%; p\u3c0.001) in the HFF compared to the SC group, suggesting impaired autophagic flux. In addition, mitochondrial COXIV expression was elevated (+43%; P\u3c0.001) in the HFF group compared to the SC group suggesting increased β-oxidation. Overall, the expression of all autophagic and mitochondrial markers was higher in male compared to female mice; however, both sexes responded similarly to the HFF diet. CONCLUSION: Despite the higher expression of autophagic and mitochondrial genes, elevated expression of p62 suggests an impaired autophagic flux in age accelerated mice following a Western diet