Geospatial Variation in Caesarean Delivery

Aim: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the variation in caesarean delivery rates across counties in Georgia and to determine whether county-level characteristics were associated with clusters. Design: This was a retrospective, observational study. Methods: Rates of primary and repeat caesarean by maternal county of residence were calculated for 2008 through 2012. Global Moran\u27s I (Spatial Autocorrelation) was used to identify geographic clustering. Characteristics of high and low-rate counties were compared using student\u27s t test and chi squared test. Results: Spatial analysis of both primary and repeat caesarean rate identified the presence of clusters (Moran\u27s I = 0.375; p \u3c .001). Counties in high-rate clusters had significantly lower access to midwives, more deliveries paid by Medicaid, higher proportion of births for women belonging to racial/ethnic minority groups and were more likely to be rural

Tahican, LLC v. Eighth Jud. Dist. Ct., 139 Nev. Adv. Op. 2 (Feb. 2, 2023)

Under NRS 14.010(1), a party may record a lis pendens “[i]n an action . . . affecting the title or possession of real property.” A claim of fraudulent transfer of real property seeking avoidance of the transfer supports a lis pendens because the relief sought affects the title or possession of the real property. The recording party does not need to be entitled to title or possession of the property to support a lis pendens

Logical Limitations: Loss of Spousal, Parental and Filial Consortium Claims

Article published in the Michigan State University School of Law Student Scholarship Collection

How do teachers teach students with working memory impairments in the regular classroom? A grounded theory approach

This study uses a qualitative, post-positive grounded theory approach to investigate the process of teaching primary students with working memory impairments. Semi-structured, in-depth interviews were used to collect data specific to students with WMI from nine primary teachers. After transcript coding and data analysis, themes were extracted from the data. The themes reflect how having a working memory impairment may alter the students’ education. The interacting themes included: learning with a working memory impairment and the characteristics of the student, adaptations made by the teacher including effective teaching strategies , and adaptations made by the students as a result of their self-awareness of their weaknesses. The students were found to be struggling with the academic curriculum in language, reading, and math. Some students also struggled with their behaviour and social abilities. The strategies teachers used to assist their students with learning included: reducing cognitive load by simplifying material, reducing cognitive load by activating prior knowledge, and focusing attention. Additionally, some students used self-strategies to support their own learning. The findings of this study may inform future research particular to this group, including intervention studies. Additionally, the findings offer important information for educators teaching students with similar learning profiles

Artmor Invs., LLC v. Nye Cnty., 138 Nev. Adv. Op. 53 (July 7, 2022)

NRS 361.610(4) requires claimants for excess proceeds from tax sales to file a claim within one year of the deed’s recording. One timely filed claim under the statute does not toll or terminate the one-year deadline for other claimants entitled to a portion of the excess proceeds. Further, counties are not required to distribute excess proceeds to all former owners when only a portion has been timely claimed

Direct Assessment of Juvenile Atlantic Bluefin Tuna: Integrating Sonar and Aerial Results in Support of Fishery-Incident Surveys

There is a clear need for direct assessment approaches for Atlantic bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus, ABFT), including formulation of experimental designs and pilot surveys for abundance estimation. In the western Atlantic, aerial surveys are highly feasible for juvenile ABFT because of their surface availability in summer and autumn on the mid-Atlantic shelf. Our goals are to design, implement, and analyze a fisheries-independent survey of juvenile ABFT and to assess the feasibility of biomass estimation in the Gulf of Maine (USA). From initial field trials using sonar and aerial mapping we demonstrated feasibility of determining size, area, and total biomass of schools as well as sizes of individuals within schools. We used aerial imagery to determine the school’s surface shape and to enumerate bluefin tuna visible in the upper few meters of the water column. The sonar data provided information on school height and number of individuals not captured in aerial photographs. By integrating sonar and aerial data we can estimate school biomass, number and sizes of individuals in schools, and aggregation behavior. In 2015 we plan to use a marine hexacopter to obtain more highly resolved aerial images of schools, with improved geo-rectification required for automated target recognition and objective counts of individuals. Current bluefin surveys rely primarily on observer and spotter pilot estimates of school metrics. Although not without challenges, the analytical techniques we’re developing will provide more objective, multi-dimensional information on ABFT schools and less biased estimates of biomass. Direct assessment also offers a means of tracking shifts in coastal distribution of highly mobile ABFT, especially as traditional indices of abundance may no longer be appropriate

Methodology for Sampling Women at High Maternal Risk in Administrative Data

Background: In population level studies, the conventional practice of categorizing women into low and high maternal risk samples relies upon ascertaining the presence of various comorbid conditions in administrative data. Two problems with the conventional method include variability in the recommended comorbidities to consider and inability to distinguish between maternal and fetal risks. High maternal risk sample selection may be improved by using the Obstetric Comorbidity Index (OCI), a system of risk scoring based on weighting comorbidities associated with maternal end organ damage. The purpose of this study was to compare the net benefit of using OCI risk scoring vs the conventional risk identification method to identify a sample of women at high maternal risk in administrative data. Methods: This was a net benefit analysis using linked delivery hospitalization discharge and vital records data for women experiencing singleton births in Georgia from 2008 to 2012. We compared the value identifying a sample of women at high maternal risk using the OCI score to the conventional method of dichotomous identification of any comorbidities. Value was measured by the ability to select a sample of women designated as high maternal risk who experienced severe maternal morbidity or mortality. Results: The high maternal risk sample created with the OCI had a small but positive net benefit (+ 0.6), while the conventionally derived sample had a negative net benefit indicating the sample selection performed worse than identifying no woman as high maternal risk. Conclusions: The OCI can be used to select women at high maternal risk in administrative data. The OCI provides a consistent method of identification for women at risk of maternal morbidity and mortality and avoids confounding all obstetric risk factors with specific maternal risk factors. Using the OCI may help reduce misclassification as high maternal risk and improve the consistency in identifying women at high maternal risk in administrative data

Differential roles for hedgehog signaling in motor neuron development

The entire dissertation/thesis text is included in the research.pdf file; the official abstract appears in the short.pdf file (which also appears in the research.pdf); a non-technical general description, or public abstract, appears in the public.pdf file.Title from title screen of research.pdf file (viewed on April 29, 2009)Vita.Thesis (Ph.D.) University of Missouri-Columbia 2006.Induction of neurons in the correct number and location is essential for the proper development and function of a nervous system. Signaling mediated by the Hedgehog (Hh) family of secreted proteins plays a vital role in the induction of the vertebrate branchiomotor neurons, which are located in the brainstem and regulate chewing, swallowing, and sound production. The Gli family of zinc-finger transcription factors mediates Hh signaling in all vertebrates. For instance, zebrafish gli1 is required for motor neuron specification in the brainstem but not in the spinal cord, whereas mouse gli genes function redundantly for motor neuron development. We examined motor neuron induction in you-too (yot) mutants, which encode dominant repressor forms of Gli2 (Gli2DR), and following morpholino-mediated knockdown of gli3 function. Motor neuron induction at all axial levels was reduced in yot (gli2DR) mutant embryos, and gli1 or gli3 knockdown in yot (gli2DR) mutants resulted in severe or complete loss of motor neurons. These observations demonstrate that Gli activator function (encoded by gli1, gli2, and gli3) is essential for motor neuron induction and Hh-regulated gene expression in zebrafish.Includes bibliographical reference