Logistic Regression

The Internet has become an integral aspect of our daily lives, playing a role in work, leisure and personal relationships. Over the past fifteen years, researchers and clinicians have noted the intricate ways that the Internet impacts our clients’ lives, creating both positive and negative outcomes. Recently, social networking sites, such as Facebook and Twitter, have become increasingly popular, bringing with their popularity new issues. At this time there is a limited empirical understanding of the role social networking sites play in our clients’ lives and the impact these sites have on offline relationships. These gaps in the literature call attention to the need for research surrounding social networking sites.
The purpose of this dissertation is threefold. First, to review existing literature on Internet infidelity, providing a discussion of where Facebook infidelity fits into the continuum of infidelity behaviors. Second, to answer four questions related to social networking site infidelity: (1) How do people interpret Facebook activities in regard to their offline intimate relationship? (2) What impact does Facebook have on offline relationships? (3) How might differences in gender impact perceptions of Facebook behaviors? (4) What similarities and differences exist between the proposed study’s findings and previous story completion studies on offline and online infidelity? The third aim was to explore how couples in committed relationships communicate about rules and boundaries for Internet behaviors. The research questions for this study are: (1) What rules and boundaries about social networking site use do couples have? (2) How are these
rules and boundaries communicated in the relationship? (3) How are these rules and boundaries monitored? (4) How does age and familiarity with the Internet and social networking sites impact couples’ communication about rules and boundaries?
The format of the dissertation will be three articles corresponding to the three purposes mentioned above. Chapter 1 will introduce the articles and will provide support for the purpose of the studies. Chapter 2 is a conceptual paper that highlights where Facebook infidelity fits on the continuum of offline and online infidelity behaviors. Chapters 3 and 4 are empirical studies, Chapter 3 explored how people interpret Facebook behaviors in the context of their offline relationship, while Chapter 4 examined what rules and boundaries couples have for online behaviors and how these rules are communicated and monitored. Finally, Chapter 5 offers a concluding chapter highlighting how these three articles combined offer a collective understanding of how Facebook infidelity compares to other forms of infidelity, how people view the impact of Facebook infidelity behaviors in the context of intimate relationships, and how couples communicate rules and boundaries about social networking sites for their intimate partner relationships.
Key words: Facebook infidelity, Internet infidelity, Social networking sites

In line with the aims of the "National Bilharzia Control Programme" and the "School Health and Nutrition Programme" in Zambia, a study on urinary schistosomiasis was conducted in 20 primary schools of Lusaka province to further our understanding of the epidemiology of the infection, and to enhance spatial targeting of control. We investigated risk factors associated with urinary schistosomiasis, and examined small-scale spatial heterogeneity in prevalence, using data collected from 1,912 schoolchildren, 6 to 15-year-old, recruited from 20 schools in Kafue and Luangwa districts. The risk factors identified included geographical location, altitude, normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), maximum temperature, age, sex of the child and intermediate host snail abundance. Three logistic regression models were fitted assuming different random effects to allow for spatial structuring. The mean prevalence rate was 9.6%, with significance difference between young and older children (odds ratio (OR) = 0.71; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.51-0.96). The risk of infection was related to intermediate host snail abundance (OR = 1.03; 95% CI = 1.00-1.05) and vegetation cover (OR = 1.04; 95% CI = 1.00-1.07). Schools located either on the plateau and the valley also differed in prevalence and intensity of infection for moderate infection to none (OR = 1.64; 95% CI = 1.36-1.96). The overall predictive performance of the spatial random effects model was higher than the ordinary logistic regression. In addition, evidence of heterogeneity of the infection risk was found at the micro-geographical level. A sound understanding of small-scale heterogeneity, caused by spatial aggregation of schoolchildren, is important to inform health planners for implementing control schistosomiasis interventions.

This paper introduces a novel knowledge based neural network models that incorporate and adapt both existing logistic regression formulas and kernel functions in there structures to improve the learning and adaptation ability of a connectionist model when there is an existing knowledge on the problem in the form of a logistic regression. Different from standard feed-forward neural networks, the proposed

Logistic regression was used to investigate potential feed-mill risk factors for the isolation of Salmonella. Feed mill intake pits were demonstrated to have an increased risk of culture-positive dust samples (OR = 6.4; 95% CI: 2.7–15.1). The feed material used in the production of ...

Objective: To study the etiology and clinical profile of non-traumatic coma in children and to determine the clinical signs predictive of outcome. Methods: 100 consecutive cases of non-traumatic coma between 2 months to 12 years. Clinical signs studied were temperature, pulse, heart rate, blood pressure, coma severity by Glasgow coma scale (GCS), respiratory pattern, pupillary and corneal reflex, extra ocular movements, motor patterns, seizure types and fundus picture. These were recoded at admission and after 48 hours of hospital stay. Etiology of coma was determined on basis of clinical history, examination and relevant laboratory investigations by the treating physician. The outcome was recorded as survived or died, and among those who survived as normal, mild, moderate, or severe disability. Chi-square test and logistic regression analysis were done to determine predictors of outcome. Results: Etiology of coma in 60% cases was CNS infection (tubercular meningitis-19, encephalitis-18, bacterial meningitis-16, others-7); other causes were toxic-metabolic conditions (19%), status epilepticus (10%), intracranial bleed (7%), and miscellaneous (4%). 65 children survived, 11 were normal, 14 had mild disability, 21 had moderate disability and 14 were severely disabled and dependent. Survival was significantly better in patients with CNS infection (63%) as compared to those with toxic-metabolic causes (27%) and intracranial bleed (43%, P < 0.05). On bivariate analysis age ≤3 years, poor pulse volume, abnormal respiratory pattern and apnoea, abnormal pupillary size and reaction, abnormal extra ocular movements, absent corneal reflex, abnormal motor muscle tone at admission or 48 hours correlated significantly with mortality. Survival was better with increasing GCS (Spearman rho = .32, P < 0.001). On logistic regression age < 3 years, poor pulse volume, absent extraocular movements and papilloedema at admission and 48 hours after admission were independent significant predictors of death. Conclusion: CNS infections were the most common cause of non-traumatic coma in childhood. Simple clinical signs were good predictors of outcome. [Indian J Pediatr 2005; 72 (6) : 467-473]

Objective-This research project characterizes occupational injuries, illnesses, and assaults (OIIAs) as a negative outcome associated with worker exposure to generalized workplace abuse/ harassment, sexual harassment, and job threat and pressure. Methods-Data were collected in a nationwide random-digit-dial telephone survey conducted during 2003-2004. There were 2,151 study interviews conducted in English and Spanish. Analyses included cross tabulation with Pearson's Chi-Square, and logistic regression analyses. Results-Three hundred fifty-one (351) study participants reported having an OIIA during the 12 months preceding the study. Occurrences of generalized workplace harassment (O.R.= 1.53; CI = 1.33-1.75, p≤ 0.05), sexual harassment (O.R.= 1. 18; CI = 1.04-1.34, p≤ 0.05), and job pressure and threat (O.R.=1.26; CI = 1.10-1.45, p≤ 0.05), were significantly associated with reporting an OIIA. Conclusions-The psychosocial environment is significantly associated with an increased risk of OIIA. Further research is needed to understand causal pathways and to explore potential interventions.

Aim We tested the usefulness of satellite based remote sensing data and geographical information system (GIS) techniques (1) in explaining the observed distribution of the threatened clouded apollo butterfly (Parnassius mnemosyne) and (2) in predicting the occurrence of the butterfly in two independent test areas with different landscape structure. Location The three study areas are located along the rivers Rekijoki and Halikonjoki in a boreal agricultural landscape in southwestern Finland (60°40¢ N; 23°20¢ E). Methods Landsat satellite images were used to generate habitat maps of the three study areas. Topographical variables were calculated from a digital elevation model. These data were used to construct a multiple logistic regression model fitted with the observed occurrence of clouded apollo in 126 grid squares of 0.25 km 2 within an area of 31.5 km 2 (model building area). The parameterized model was used to predict the occurrence of the butterfly in an adjacent test area with a similar landscape structure as in the model building area, as well as in a more distant test area with a more fragmented pattern of semi-natural grassland. Results In the model building area probability of clouded apollo occurrence increased with connectivity of semi-natural grassland, cover of deciduous forest, cover of seminatural slope grassland and topographical heterogeneity. The model accuracy was high, the correct classification rate being 98.4% overall and 95.0% for the butterfly presence squares. In both test areas the overall correct classification of the model prediction was high (c. 92%). However, in predicting the actual butterfly presence squares the model succeeded substantially better in the adjacent than in the distant test area (correct classification rates 91.3% and 66.7%, respectively). Main conclusions The results showed that the distribution of a habitat specialized butterfly may be quite successfully explained and predicted based on pure satellite imagery and topographical data. Nevertheless, the decrease of accuracy of the model prediction when applied to a different landscape structure than the one in which the model was parameterized suggests that the useful application of such models is limited by the environmental variability of the original model building data.

A decrease in serum Mg +2 is associated with airway hyper-reactivity and impaired pulmonary function. The purpose of this study was to determine if decreased serum Mg +2 levels in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are associated with acute exacerbations. In a retrospective study, the charted serum Mg +2 levels in 100 COPD patients were examined. These included 50 patients who presented with an acute exacerbation of COPD and 50 stable patients. Chart review was sequential within both groups. Serum Mg 2+ levels in the stable COPD patients averaged 0.91 ± 0.10 mmol/L (mean ± SD) with a 95% CI of 0.88 -0.94 mmol/L. Patients undergoing an exacerbation had significantly lower serum Mg +2 levels (0.77 ± 0.10 mmol/L; CI, 0.74 -0.79; p <0.0001). Logistic regression of the dichotomous outcomes as a function of serum Mg +2 concentration demonstrated a highly significant association (c 2 = 41.26; p <10 -5 ). These data were subjected to receiver-operator characteristic (ROC) analysis for decision levels (DL) and the area under the ROC curve was determined to be 0.85 ± 0.04 (CI, 0.78 -0.93). The optimum DL was determined to lie between 0.80 mmol/L (OR = 14.33; sensitivity 70%; specificity 86%) and 0.84 mmol/L (OR = 11.16; sensitivity 84%; specificity 68%). These data suggest that at the lower range of the reference interval, serum Mg +2 levels are associated with an increased risk of exacerbation of symptoms in COPD patients. Furthermore, they suggest a DL that is useful for predicting clinical outcomes in these patients and serving as a target value for therapy.

BACKGROUND: Superior mesenteric artery (SMA) injuries are rare and often lethal injuries incurring very high morbidity and mortality. The purposes of this study are to review a multiinstitutional experience with these injuries; to analyze Fullen's classification based on anatomic zone and ischemia grade for its predictive value; to correlate the American Association for the Surgery of Trauma-Organ Injury Scale (AAST-OIS) for abdominal vascular injury with mortality; and to identify independent risk factors predictive of mortality, describing current trends for the management of this injury in America. STUDY DESIGN: We performed a retrospective multiinstitutional study of patients sustaining SMA injuries involving 34 trauma centers in the US over 10 years. Outcomes variables, both continuous and dichotomous, were analyzed initially with univariate methods. For the subsequent multivariate analysis, stepwise logistic regression was used to identify a set of risk factors significantly associated with mortality.

After completing the Multidimensional Work-Ethic Profile (MWEP), 98 college students were given a 20problem math computation assignment and instructed to stop working on the assignment after completing 10 problems. Next, they were allowed to choose to finish either the partially completed assignment that had 10 problems remaining or a new assignment that contained 9 matched problems and therefore required 10% less effort to complete. Significantly more students chose the new, lower-effort assignment. Logistic regression showed that MWEP scores were significantly related to choice, with Leisure being the most significant factor. These results supported earlier research on the partial-assignment completion effect, effort, and choice and extended this research by showing that the MWEP could account for a significant amount of assignment choice variance. The discussion focuses on the validity of the MWEP, theoretical implications related to work ethic, assignment completion, and future educational research.

In Namibia, the prevalence of hypertension among women and men aged 35–64 years is high, ranging from 44% to 57%. In this study, we aimed to determine adherence and predictors to antihypertensive therapy in Khomas region, Namibia. A cross-sectional study was performed to consecutively sample 400 patients from urban and peri-urban settings in Namibia. Results were validated using the Hill-Bone Compliance to High Blood Pressure Therapy Scale. Crude associations between predictors of adherence and compliance were tested using the Pearson chi-square test. A multivariable logistic regression analysis was then performed on adherence variables found to be significant to adjust for confounders, and the results are presented as adjusted odds ratios (aOR) with 95% confidence intervals. A total of 400 patients participated in this study. The participants’ mean age and standard deviation were Mean ± SD = 48.9 ± 12.5. In this study, 351 (87.7%) patients were estimated to have good adherence. Edu...

Introduction Our aim was to study the outcomes and predictors of in-hospital cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) among adult patients at a tertiary care centre in Pakistan. Methods We conducted a retrospective chart review of all adult patients (age ≥14 years), who underwent CPR following cardiac arrest, in a tertiary care hospital during a 5-year study period (June 1998 to June 2003). We excluded patients aged 14 years or less, those who were declared dead on arrival and patients with a "do not resuscitate" order. The 1-and 6-month follow-ups of discharged patients were also recorded. Results We found 383 cases of adult in-hospital cardiac arrest that underwent CPR. Pulseless electrical activity was the most common initial rhythm (50%), followed by asystole (30%) and ventricular tachycardia/fibrillation (19%). Return of spontaneous circulation was achieved in 72% of patients with 42% surviving more than 24 h, and 19% survived to discharge from hospital. On follow-up, 14% and 12% were found to be alive at 1 and 6 months, respectively. Multivariable logistic regression identified three independent predictors of better outcome (survival >24 h): non-intubated status [adjusted odds ratio (aOR):3.1, 95% confidence interval (CI):1.6-6.0], location of cardiac arrest in emergency department (aOR: 18.9, 95% CI:7.0-51.0) and shorter duration of CPR (aOR:3.3, 95% CI:1.9-5.5). Conclusion Outcome of CPR following in-hospital cardiac arrest in our setting is better than described in other series. Non-intubated status before arrest, cardiac arrest in the emergency department and shorter duration of CPR were independent predictors of good outcome.

There has been an increasing trend to utilize short cognitive batteries for the diagnosis of dementia. Most of these batteries have been designed in countries with high standards of education and are less suitable for populations with low levels of education. We developed a battery that has been previously shown to be highly accurate in the diagnosis of dementia in individuals with low levels of education. The accuracy of this battery for patients with higher levels of education is unknown. Objectives: To evaluate the accuracy of a brief cognitive battery in the diagnosis of Alzheimer&#39;s disease (AD) in subjects with medium and high levels of schooling, and to develop a mathematical model that includes the most discriminative tests. Methods: Seventy-three mildly demented patients with probable AD and 94 control subjects were evaluated. Sixty patients and 60 controls were randomly selected to generate a mathematical model including the most discriminative tests of the battery usin...

This study examined 2349 advanced mathematics students from the Third International Mathematics and Science Study. Students were separated into two groups: those that scored above the international average of 501 and those who scored below. Logistic regression was then utilized to model the student data. Results indicate that students whose parents had less than a high school education were one-fourth as likely to score above the international average and students who were enrolled in advanced mathematics and physics courses were three times as likely to score above the international. A probability model is also discussed. he intense concern over the mathematics achievement levels of U. S. elementary and high-school students can be seen through the number of articles published (Baker, 1993a, 1993b; Bracey, 1991, 1992, 1993; Freudenthal, 1975, Rotberg, 1990; Stedman, 1994a, 1994b). A great deal of debate has centered on the fact that the U.S. scored lower than many countries on most ...

We studied symptom burden and associated factors in a cohort of 1582 seriously ill patients admitted at five tertiary care academic centers in the U.S. between June 1989 and June 1991 in the SUPPORT Study. Logistic regression was used to test the independent association of symptoms with demographic, psychological, chronic, and acute illness measures. Pain, dyspnea, anxiety, and depression caused the greatest symptom burden. The following symptoms accounted for 67.3% of all symptoms that were at least moderately severe at least half of the time: dyspnea (19.2%), pain (17.6%), pain/dyspnea (7.6%), anxiety (5.9%), depression (5.0%), anxiety/depression (4.4%), anxiety/depression/pain/dyspnea (3.9%), and nausea (3.7%). Hospital, male gender, disease category, more comorbidities, more dependencies in activities of daily living prior to illness, and poorer quality of life were associated with greater symptom burden. Seriously ill patients have a high symptom burden. Better strategies will be needed to control symptoms in these patients.

Patterns of comorbidity between depressive symptoms and substance use were examined simultaneously in community and clinical-based samples of 5268 Costa Rican adolescents, ages 12-20, through a series of descriptive, ANCOVA and logistic regression analyses. Groups surveyed included high school students, street youth, and youth in treatment for substance abuse problems. Results revealed significant group differences in substance use and significant correlations between depressive symptoms and problems with alcohol and drugs. The association between depressive symptoms and overall substance use involvement was significant for all youth, but strongest for female street youth. Logistic regression analyses revealed that depressive symptoms were associated with increased odds of specific substance use for all three groups, though in the case of street youth and youth in treatment, these associations only were observed in males. Analyses of covariance indicated that problems with drugs and alcohol differed across group and sex. Youth in treatment had more problems with drugs and alcohol than other groups. Among street youth, males had more problems with drugs than females. This study provides a unique cross-cultural perspective on the comorbidity of depression and substance use among youth, and allows for comparative analyses between community and clinical-based participants.

Surgical strategy regarding nerve identification and resection in relation to chronic postoperative pain remains controversial. A central question is whether nerves in the operation field, when identified, should be preserved or resected. In the present study, the hypotheses that the identification and consequent resection of nerves &#39;at risk&#39; have no influence on postoperative pain has been tested. A single-centre study was conducted in 525 patients undergoing Lichtenstein hernioplasty. One surgeon (364 operations, Group A) consequently resected nerves &#39;at risk&#39; for being injured and nine surgeons (161 operations, Group B) adhered to the general routine of nerve preservation. All cases were ambulatory surgery on anaesthetised patients and the groups were similar with regard to age, body mass index (BMI) and preoperative pain. Self-reported pain at 3 months was recorded on a 10-box visual analogue scale (VAS). The identification and resection of nerves were continuous...

Unlike the value at risk, the expected shortfall is a coherent measure of risk. In this paper, we discuss estimation of the expected shortfall of a random variable Y t with special reference to the case when auxiliary information is available in the form of a set of predictors X t. We consider three classes of estimators of the conditional expected shortfall of Y t given X t : a class of fully non-parametric estimators and two classes of analog estimators based, respectively, on the empirical conditional quantile function and the empirical conditional distribution function. We study their sampling properties by means of a set of Monte Carlo experiments and analyze their performance in an empirical application to financial data.

Estudo transversal em 1.026 trabalhadores em distrito de perfuração de petróleo do Nordeste brasileiro mostrou prevalência global de doença do disco intervertebral lombar de 5%, variando de 1,8% (atividades sem manuseio de carga), 4,5% (manuseio ocasional) até 7,2% (manuseio habitual). Tal prevalência foi de 11,4% em operadores de sonda de perfuração de petróleo com mais de 40 anos de idade e de 10,5% naqueles com mais de 15 anos de empresa. A razão de prevalência (R.P.) à associação entre trabalho em operação de sonda e doença do disco foi 2,3 (I.C. 95%: 1,3, 4,0). Para minimizar o efeito sobrevivência do trabalhador sadio foram usadas informações retrospectivas acerca da exposição. A informação referente à ocupação atual em lugar do histórico ocupacional resultaria em RP subestimada de 1,1 (I.C. 95%: 0,6, 1,9). A regressão logística ratificou os achados da análise tabular. Não houve confundimento nem interação. O incremento da indústria de petróleo no país e as alterações na gestã...

The Hopkins Verbal Learning Test (HVLT) and the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) were administered to 323 non-demented elderly and 70 individuals who meet DSM-IV criteria for dementia in order to compare the validity of these two measures for detecting mild dementia and for the two most common dementia subtypes, Alzheimer's disease (AD) and vascular dementia (VaD). The study was conducted in an elderly, ethnically diverse community-dwelling population. Sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values were calculated over a range of clinically relevant cut scores for each test. We analyzed the influence of age, education, reading ability and sex on test performance using logistic regression models.

An inverse association between allergic conditions and glioma risk has been reported previously. In this large population-based case-control study, the authors identified cases diagnosed with glioma or meningioma in Denmark, Norway, Finland, Sweden, and southeast England between 2000 and. Detailed information on self-reported physician-diagnosed allergic conditions was collected from 1,527 glioma cases, 1,210 meningioma cases, and 3,309 randomly selected controls. Logistic regression showed an odds ratio of 0.70 (95% confidence interval: 0.61, 0.80) for glioma associated with a diagnosis of any of asthma, hay fever, eczema, or other type of allergy. The risk estimates for glioma were around 0.65 for each allergic condition (asthma, eczema, hay fever, and food allergy), and the 95% confidence intervals were equally consistent, at around 0.55, 0.80. The reduced risks of glioma related to eczema, hay fever, and allergy overall, but not asthma, were confined to current rather than past conditions. Meningioma risk was not associated with allergic conditions, except for eczema (odds ratio ¼ 0.74, 95% confidence interval: 0.60, 0.91). Our results show a reduced risk for glioma associated primarily with current allergic conditions. If this is etiologic, it has implications for the understanding of how allergic conditions might reduce the tumor risk.

Sleepiness is related to factors such as the time of day, the time since awakening and the duration of prior sleep. The present study investigated whether actual road crashes could be predicted from a mathematical model based on these three factors (the Sleep/Wake Predictor-SWP). Data were derived from a population-based case-control study of serious injury crashes. Data on accident time (or control sampling time) and start and end of prior sleep were entered into the model (blind). The predicted sleepiness values were used in logistic regressions. The results showed a highly significant odds ratio (OR) = 1.72 (confidence interval = 1.41-2.09) for each incremental step of sleepiness on the output sleepiness scale (nine steps). There was also a significant interaction with blood alcohol level, showing high OR values for high sleepiness levels and alcohol levels above 50 mg% (0.05 g/dl). It was concluded that the model is a good predictor of road crashes beyond that of alcohol level, and that interaction between the two carries a very high risk.

The purpose of this study was to determine whether water quality parameters commonly associated with primary productivity may be used to predict the susceptibility of a specific water body to exceed proposed fish consumption advisory limitation of 0.3 mg kg −1 . South Dakota currently has nine lakes and impoundments that exceed fish tissue mercury advisory limits of 1.0 mg kg −1 total mercury, far exceeding US Environmental Protection Agency and Food and Drug Administration 0.3 mg kg −1 consumption criteria. Previous studies suggest that increased aquatic productivity may mitigate the effects of biological production and subsequent uptake of methyl mercury through bio-dilution; however, it is uncertain whether these trends may exist within highly alkaline and highly productive aquatic conditions common to South Dakota lakes and impoundments. Water quality parameters and fish tissue mercury data for northern pike and walleye were collected and assessed using existing South Dakota Department of Environment and Natural Resources and Game Fish and Parks data. The data was initially screened using both parametric linear regression and non-parametric Mann-Whitney rank sum comparisons and further assessed using binary logistic regression and stepwise logistic regression methodology. Three separate phosphorus measurements (total, total dissolved, and Trophic State Index) and pH were determined to significantly correlate with increased mercury concentrations for the northern pike-in-impoundments model. However, phosphorus surprisingly was not a strong predictor for the remaining scenarios modeled. For the northern pike-in-natural lakes models, alkalinity was the most significant water quality parameter predicting increased mercury concentrations. Mercury concentrations for the walleye-in-natural lakes models were further influenced by pH and alkalinity. The water quality and fish tissue mercury interrelationships determined within this study suggest aquatic productivity, and consequential eutrophication processes appear to be reasonable indicators of fish tissue mercury susceptibility for aquatic conditions common to South Dakota and highlight the continuing need to minimize eutrophication through effective watershed management strategies.

Diarrhea and respiratory infections account for more than two-fifths of all deaths among children under five. Parental education and economic status are well-known risk factors for child morbidity, but little is known about whether education and economic status operate synergistically or independently to influence children's health. Confirming the presence and direction of such interactions is important to better target education and development policies. Our objective is to test for interactions between parental education and economic status in predicting the risk of diarrhea and respiratory illness among children under five, before and after adjusting for key proximate risk factors.

The Patient Treatment File of the Department of Veterans Affairs comprises the computerized records of all inpatients treated in all Veterans Affairs hospitals distributed throughout the United States. This database was used to study the association between liver disease and clinically manifest cholelithiasis. The computerized medical records of 38,459 patients with various forms of liver disease and 69,336 controls without the diagnosis were extracted from the annual files between 1990 and 1993. In a multiple logistic regression analysis, the occurrence of cholelithiasis served as the outcome variable, whereas different forms of liver disease and demographic characteristics, such as age, gender, and ethnicity, served as predictor variables. Among the control population, cholelithiasis was reported in 5.2% (3,571 of 69,336) of subjects. Cholelithiasis occurred in 7.5% (2,898 of 38,459) of patients with all liver disease, 9.5% (1,642 of 17,287) of patients with alcoholic liver cirrho...

MORE was a mobile outreach drug abuse prevention and HIV harm reduction program primarily for ex-offenders who are active drug users. Through case management, clients were provided substance abuse education, counseling and referral. A long-term goal of these services was to reduce their drug use and re-incarceration for drug related crimes. From

Background: Whether long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPs) play a role in the development of the young nervous sys- tem in term infants is debated. Objective: We investigated whether supplementation of formula with LCPs for 2 mo improves the quality of general movements (GMs) in healthy term infants at 3 mo of age. Design: A prospective, double-blind, randomized controlled study was

Many factors affect the number of birds detected on point count surveys of breeding songbirds. The magnitude and importance of these factors are not well understood. We used a bird song simulation system to quantify the effects of detection distance, singing rate, species differences, and observer differences on detection probabilities of birds detected by ear. We simulated 40 point counts consisting of 10 birds per count for five primary species (Black-and-white Warbler Mniotilta varia, Black-throated Blue Warbler Dendroica caerulescens, Black-throated Green Warbler Dendroica virens, Hooded Warbler Wilsonia citrina, and Ovenbird Seiurus aurocapillus) over a range of 15 distances (34-143 m). Songs were played at low (two songs per count) and high (13-21 songs per count) singing rates. Detection probabilities averaged across observers ranged from 0.60 (Black-and-white Warbler) to 0.83 (Hooded Warbler) at the high singing rate and 0.41 (Black-and-white Warbler) to 0.67 (Hooded Warbler) at the low singing rate. Logistic regression analyses indicated that species, singing rate, distance, and observer were all significant factors affecting detection probabilities. Singing rate 3 species and singing rate 3 distance interactions were also significant. Simulations of expected counts, based on the best logistic model, indicated that observers detected between 19% (for the worst observer, lowest singing rate, and least detectable species) and 65% (for the best observer, highest singing rate, and most detectable species) of the true population. Detection probabilities on actual point count surveys are likely to vary even more because many sources of variability were controlled in our experiments. These findings strongly support the importance of adjusting measures of avian diversity or abundance from auditory point counts with direct estimates of detection probability.

In order to examine the associations between sinonasal cancer and occupational exposures other than wood dust and leather dust, the data from 12 case-control studies conducted in seven countries were pooled and reanalyzed. The pooled data set included 195 adenocarcinoma cases (169 men and 26 women), 432 squamous cell carcinomas (330 men and 102 women), and 3136 controls (2349 men and 787 women). Occupational exposures to formaldehyde, silica dust, textile dust, coal dust, flour dust, asbestos, and man-made vitreous fibers were assessed with a job-exposure matrix. Odds ratios (ORs) were adjusted for age, study, wood dust, and leather dust, or other occupational exposures when relevant. 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated by unconditional logistic regression. A significantly increased risk of adenocarcinoma was associated with exposure to formaldehyde. The ORs for the highest level of exposure were 3.0 (Cl = 1.5-5.7) among men and 6.2 (CI=2.0-19.7) among women. An elevated r...

Background Literature on difficult doctor-patient relationships has focused on the "difficult patient." Our objective was to determine physician and practice characteristics associated with greater physician-reported frustration with patients. Methods We conducted a secondary analysis of the Physicians Worklife Survey, which surveyed a random national sample of physicians. Participants were 1391 family medicine, general internal medicine, and medicine subspecialty physicians. The survey assessed physician and practice characteristics, including stress, depression and anxiety symptoms, practice setting, work hours, case-mix, and control over administrative and clinical practice. Physicians estimated the percentage of their patients who were "generally frustrating to deal with." We categorized physicians by quartile of reported frustrating patients and compared characteristics of physicians in the top quartile to those in the other three quartiles. We used logistic regression to model physician characteristics associated with greater frustration. Results In unadjusted analyses, physicians who reported high frustration with patients were younger (p 55 per week, higher stress, practice in a medicine subspeciality, and greater number of patients with psychosocial problems or substance abuse. Conclusion Personal and practice characteristics of physicians who report high frustration with patients differ from those of other physicians. Understanding factors contributing to physician frustration with patients may allow us to improve the quality of patient-physician relationships.

This study investigated the differential and persistent effects of a state-funded pre-K program, the Virginia Preschool Initiative (VPI). We analyzed data from a cohort of over 60,000 students nested in approximately 1000 schools from the beginning of kindergarten to the end of first grade using two-level hierarchical logistic regression models. While controlling for student-and school-level variables, we found that attending a VPI-funded program was beneficially associated with a lower likelihood of repeating kindergarten and improved probabilities of meeting or exceeding minimum literacy competencies. The benefits of attending pre-K were greatest upon kindergarten entry and persisted until the end of the first grade for Hispanic and Black students, as well as for students with disabilities, despite VPI-funded program attendees going to schools with higher concentrations of poverty.

Background. Although the apolipoprotein (APOE)-4 allele has been shown to determine the outcome of several infections, its relationship with cytomegalovirus (CMV) has not been explored. We examine whether APOE determines CMV and herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) antibody levels and assess whether C-reactive protein (CRP) mediates any observed relationships. Methods. We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of a randomly selected subset (n ϭ 1561/1789) of participants aged 60-101 in the Sacramento Area Latino Study on Aging. Blood samples were tested for APOE genotype, CRP, and immunoglobulin G antibodies to CMV and HSV-1. Multivariate logistic regression was used to examine the association between 4 and CMV and HSV antibody levels. We also assessed whether CRP mediates the effects of any observed associations between 4 and viral antibody levels. Results. CMV antibody and CRP levels varied significantly by APOE genotype. The association between CRP and CMV antibody was strengthened in the presence of 4. In contrast, this effect was not observed in HSV-1. We found that APOE-4 carriers had significantly lower levels of CRP yet significantly higher levels of CMV antibodies, suggesting a mediating pathway. Conclusions. APOE-4 carriers may experience immunological aberrations that lead to lower levels of CRP and correspondingly higher CMV antibody levels.