We use individual-level health facility choice data from urban Senegal to estimate consumer preferences for facility characteristics related to maternal health services. selleck compound We find that consumers consider a large number of quality related facility characteristics, as well as travel costs, when making their health facility choice. In contrast to the typical assumption in the literature, our findings indicate that individuals frequently bypass the facility nearest their home. In light of this, we show that the mismeasured data used commonly in the literature produces biased preference estimates; most notably, the literature likely overestimates consumer distaste for travel.Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) exhibit unique size-dependent physiochemical properties that make them attractive for a wide range of applications. However, the large-scale availability of precision AuNPs has been minimal. Not only must the required nanoparticles be of precise size and morphology, but they must also be of exceedingly narrow size distribution to yield accurate and reliable performance. The present study aims to synthesize precision AuNPs and to assess the advantages and limitations of the Turkevich method-one of the common chemical synthesis technique. Colloidal AuNPs from 15 nm to 50 nm in diameter were synthesized using the Turkevich method. The effect of the molar ratio of the reagent mixture (trisodium citrate to gold chloride), the scaled-up batch size, the initial gold chloride concentration, and the reaction temperature was studied. The morphology, optical property, surface chemistry, and chemical composition of AuNPs were thoroughly characterized. It was determined that the as-synthesized AuNPs between 15 nm and 30 nm exhibit well-defined size and shape, and narrow size distribution (PDI less then 0.20). However, the AuNPs became more polydispersed and less spherical in shape as the particle size increased.Approximately 3.5 million children in the United States were reported to Child Protective Services in 2016. Effective, developmentally-informed programs are critically necessary to support under-resourced families at risk of child abuse. This study implemented a module of mindfulness-based stress reduction strategies in partnership with a community organization whose goal is to keep families together while reducing the risk of child abuse by providing short-term (3-day) overnight crisis care for birth through 6-year-olds. Group-level assessment of child behaviors was used to assess child functioning at the program level. Children's Services staff were trained in brief stress reduction strategies, with the intention that they be used with the children regularly throughout the day to help the children be emotionally calm and behaviorally regulated. Ordinal logistic regressions suggested that, over the six months preceding implementation (April - September 2017) compared to six months following completion of implementation (February - July 2018), the introduction of stress-reduction strategies was associated with significantly increased self-regulatory behavior and coping skills, but not decreased aggressive behavior. Additionally, staff frequently (approximately 65% of the time) endorsed the strategies as being effective. Though the evidence is preliminary, the unique context of the crisis nursery coupled with the measurement of program-level outcomes furthers our understanding of the scalable impact mindfulness-based stress reduction strategies can have with children experiencing chronic stress and/or trauma in a very hard-to-reach population. Implementation challenges are discussed, as are the implications of stress reduction strategies as a useful, efficient method to improve self-regulation in children experiencing adversity.Black mothers and their children continue to interface with the child welfare (CW) system at unacceptably high rates. With research into traditionally understood contributing factors such as poverty, substance use, mental health and intimate partner violence abounding, this study sought to identify underexamined factors that potentially sustain very high rates of CW involvement for Black mothers. A sample of 415 Black mothers who accessed financial assistance through the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program was analyzed for the factors associated with active CW involvement. Analytic procedures included, first, independent t-test and chi-square tests to determine significant group differences. Second, logistic regression was used to test a range of psychosocial risk factors for active CW involvement. Results from our final model indicated three factors beyond those typically associated with CW involvement, number of births, age at first use of cocaine and legal involvement. The standout impact of having a history of CW involvement is also discussed. Implications for policy and practice are explored.Field studies in ecology often make use of data collected in a hierarchical fashion, and may combine studies that vary in sampling design. For example, studies of tree recruitment after disturbance may use counts of individual seedlings from plots that vary in spatial arrangement and sampling density. To account for the multi-level design and the fact that more than a few plots usually yield no individuals, a mixed effects zero inflated Poisson model is often adopted. Although it is a convenient modeling strategy, various aspects of the model could be misspecified. A comprehensive test procedure, based on the cumulative sum of the residuals, is proposed. The test is proven to be consistent, and its convergence properties are established as well. The application of the proposed test is illustrated by a real data example and simulation studies.Analytical assays performed within clinical laboratories influence roughly 70% of all medical decisions by facilitating disease detection, diagnosis, and management. Both in clinical and academic research laboratories, single-cell assays permit measurement of cell diversity and identification of rare cells, both of which are important in the understanding of disease pathogenesis. For clinically utility, the single-cell assays must be compatible with the clinical workflow steps of sample collection, sample transportation, pre-analysis processing, and single-cell assay; therefore, it is paramount to preserve cells in a state that resembles that in vivo rather than measuring signaling behaviors initiated in response to stressors such as sample collection and processing. To address these challenges, novel cell fixation (and more broadly, cell preservation) techniques incorporate programmable fixation times, reversible bond formation and cleavage, chemoselective reactions, and improved analyte recovery. These technologies will further the development of individualized, precision therapies for patients to yield improved clinical outcomes.