Promoting Young Children's Health and Development: Taking Stock of State Policies

Young children's health is essential to their overall development, well-being, and school readiness. Untreated health problems and a lack of preventive care contribute to higher rates of serious illness, absenteeism in preschool, physical and emotional distress, and even long-term disability. At a historic moment when the passage of federal health care reform promises significant improvements in health care access for many Americans, it is important to take stock of how well states are currently meeting the health needs of young children in low-income families. This brief presents information from NCCP's Improving the Odds for Young Children project about state policy choices in the following areas that affect the health and well-being of children, ages birth to 5: access to health care and continuity of care; maternal health care; and preventive screening and assessment. Relevant components of health care reform legislation are considered in a set of recommendations for meeting the short and long-term health care needs of young, low-income children

Improved models of upper-level wind for several astronomical observatories

An understanding of wind speed and direction as a function of height are critical to the proper modeling of atmospheric turbulence. We have used radiosonde data from launch sites near significant astronomical observatories and created mean profiles of wind speed and direction and have also computed Richardson number profiles. Using data from the last 30 years, we extend the 1977 Greenwood wind profile to include parameters that show seasonal variations and differences in location. The added information from our models is useful for the design of adaptive optics systems and other imaging systems. Our analysis of the Richardson number suggests that persistent turbulent layers may be inferred when low values are present in our long term averaged data. Knowledge of the presence of these layers may help with planning for adaptive optics and laser communications.Comment: 21 pages, 15 Figures, 8 table

Host and Distribution Lists of Chiggers (Trombiculidae and Leeuwenhoekiidae), of North American Wild Vertebrates North of Mexico

Information concerning chiggers found on wild vertebrates of North America north of Mexico is summarized. Included are lists a) of the chiggers organized taxonomically, b) hosts from which each species has been reported, and c) states and provinces with references for each separate recor

Interruption to antiplatelet therapy early after acute ischaemic stroke: a nested case-control study

Aims: Antiplatelet drugs are often discontinued early after ischaemic stroke, either because of poor compliance, complications or withdrawal of care. It is unclear whether this places patients at increased risk of recurrence. We explored the association between cardiovascular event rate and persistence with prescribed antiplatelet drugs. Methods: We used a matched case–control design using the Virtual International Stroke Trials Archive (VISTA). Cases were patients who had an acute coronary syndrome, recurrent stroke or transient ischaemic attack within 90 days post-stroke and were matched for age ± 10 years and sex with up to four controls. Antiplatelet use was categorized as persistent (used for >3 days and continued up to day 90), early cessation (used antiplatelet 3 days but stopped prior to day 90). These categories were compared in cases and controls using a conditional logistic regression model that adjusted for potential confounders. Results: A total of 970 patients were included, of whom 194 were cases and 776 were matched controls. At 90 days, 10 cases (5.2%) and 58 controls (7.5%) stopped/interrupted their antiplatelet. The risk of cardiovascular event was not different in stopped/interrupted users (adjusted odds ratio 0.70, 95% confidence interval 0.33, 1.48; P = 0.352) and early cessations (adjusted odds ratio 1.04, 95% confidence interval 0.62, 1.74; P = 0.876) when compared to persistent users. Conclusion: We found no increased risk in patients who stopped and interrupted antiplatelets early after stroke but the study was limited by a small sample size and further research is needed

Interruption to antiplatelet therapy early after acute ischaemic stroke: a nested case-control study

Aims: Antiplatelet drugs are often discontinued early after ischaemic stroke, either because of poor compliance, complications or withdrawal of care. It is unclear whether this places patients at increased risk of recurrence. We explored the association between cardiovascular event rate and persistence with prescribed antiplatelet drugs. Methods: We used a matched case–control design using the Virtual International Stroke Trials Archive (VISTA). Cases were patients who had an acute coronary syndrome, recurrent stroke or transient ischaemic attack within 90 days post-stroke and were matched for age ± 10 years and sex with up to four controls. Antiplatelet use was categorized as persistent (used for >3 days and continued up to day 90), early cessation (used antiplatelet 3 days but stopped prior to day 90). These categories were compared in cases and controls using a conditional logistic regression model that adjusted for potential confounders. Results: A total of 970 patients were included, of whom 194 were cases and 776 were matched controls. At 90 days, 10 cases (5.2%) and 58 controls (7.5%) stopped/interrupted their antiplatelet. The risk of cardiovascular event was not different in stopped/interrupted users (adjusted odds ratio 0.70, 95% confidence interval 0.33, 1.48; P = 0.352) and early cessations (adjusted odds ratio 1.04, 95% confidence interval 0.62, 1.74; P = 0.876) when compared to persistent users. Conclusion: We found no increased risk in patients who stopped and interrupted antiplatelets early after stroke but the study was limited by a small sample size and further research is needed

Evaluation of air oxidation and internal stresses induced by quenching of partially Cr-coated and uncoated optimized ZIRLO part I:Materials characterization

It is critical to develop technologies that minimize risk of nuclear reactor failure. Coated claddings present an opportunity to preserve fuel rod integrity in the case of a loss of coolant accident. In this work, the material evolution of quenched Optimized ZIRLO (OPZ) rings and Cr-coated OPZ rings is studied at temperatures up to 1000 °C, until full oxidation in air is uncovered through a variety of microstructural characterization techniques, including optical analysis and X-ray diffraction. A number of microstructural reorienting and complex, multi-stage oxidation mechanisms are found to play a role in the structural and material changes. At 1000 °C, the primary failure mode of uncoated ZIRLO is breakaway oxidation; however, the introduction of a single-sided Cr coating protects ZIRLO from oxygen penetration through the exterior surface. The material is seen to undergo several microstructural reorientations from 315° to 900°C while remaining in the α-Zr phase. At 900 °C, Cr-coated OPZ begins the α to β phase transition, and the chromium diffuses into the substrate layer. When both events are present, the Cr phase change can lead to the formation of a Cr-β-Zr eutectoid, and subsequent eutectic temperature at 1332 °C. For uncoated samples, a new phenomenon of iron-rich oxide (rust) development along the ring center in air at 1000 °C is unveiled and explained as an extension of spinodal decomposition. This study is Part I of a two-part series regarding the behavior of Cr-coated and uncoated OPZ at high temperatures. Part II investigates the internal stresses and other mechanical behaviors induced by metallic restructuring and oxide development

PrimerProspector: de novo design and taxonomic analysis of barcoded polymerase chain reaction primers

Motivation: PCR amplification of DNA is a key preliminary step in many applications of high-throughput sequencing technologies, yet design of novel barcoded primers and taxonomic analysis of novel or existing primers remains a challenging task