Decal laws have been implemented internationally to facilitate police enforcement of graduated driver licensing (GDL) restrictions (e.g., passenger limit, nighttime curfew) but have not been evaluated. New Jersey implemented the first decal law in the United States on May 1, 2010. This study investigates the impact of that decal law on citation rates, crash rates and prevented crashes.
Zoning laws that mix residential units with commercial and public/civic destinations have the potential to increase walkability. This study finds that significant relationships exist between the range and precision with which the zoning ordinances have been written and the mixture of walking destinations that result within the areas.
This study finds that children in counties with unified family courts experienced shorter foster care spells and higher rates of reunification with parents or primary caregivers. Shorter foster care spells translated into improved school performance measured by end-of-grade reading and math test scores. Adult drug treatment courts were associated with lower probability of reunification with parents/primary caregivers.
Two galvanic pipe-loop couples (lead-copper and lead-bronze) were exposed to controlled changes in water quality (disinfectant, pH, alkalinity, and phosphate) and monitored for changes in lead and copper release. In addition, open circuit potential profiles were measured along the junction of dissimilar metals to determine the extent of the zone affected by galvanic coupling.
Public reporting of healthcare-associated infections is pervasive, with 33 states and the District of Columbia mandating public disclosure. The authors surveyed hospital epidemiologists on the perceived value of state public reports. Respondents believed consumers are unaware and do not consider the information important, but they indicated that epidemiologists have a role in consumer education.
This study considers mandates requiring the partial replacement of lead pipes and the potential impact on rates of lead in the water.
The cumulative mass of lead release indicated that a typical partial replacement configuration did not provide a net reduction in lead when compared to 100 percent lead pipe. The partially replaced service line configuration also had a much greater likelihood of producing water with "spikes" of lead particulates at higher flow rates, while tending to produce lower levels of lead at very low flow rates.
This new report finds more than 70 Oregon school districts changed their anti-bullying policies last year to better protect students who are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender, but nearly one in three school districts still does not comply with state law.
It has recently been proposed that lead contamination of drinking water arising from galvanic corrosion of lead and copper pipe will be minimized if the lead and copper pipes are brought into direct contact when compared to pipe separations of 1 cm to 15 cm and external electrical contact via a grounding strap. A direct, four month test of this hypothesis was conducted with measurement of galvanic current and lead release to water.
Antibiotic effectiveness is a common pool resource that can be prematurely depleted through resistance. Some experts warn that we may face a global ecological collapse in antibiotic effectiveness.
In a Viewpoint article for the Journal of the American Medical Association, Dr. Swanson discusses gun violence, the role mental illness plays in mass tragedies, and warns against crisis-driven policy.
