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States Of America (states + of_america)
Kinds of States Of America Selected AbstractsEarly History and Evolution of Nutrition Science in the United States of AmericaFAMILY & CONSUMER SCIENCES RESEARCH JOURNAL, Issue 2 2009Deanna L. Pucciarelli Nutrition Science in the 21st century dates back to at least before the 5th century BCE. Whereas early theories on the relationship between food and health outcomes were founded on philosophical thought or divine intervention, today's nutritionists source their advice from empirical evidence. This essay delineates and reconstructs nutrition science as the discipline evolves and progresses through scientific stages of change in early North America. [source] Springtime ichthyoplankton of the slope region off the north-eastern United States of America: larval assemblages, relation to hydrography and implications for larval transportFISHERIES OCEANOGRAPHY, Issue 2 2001Jonathan A. Hare Larval transport in the slope region off north-eastern North America influences recruitment to juvenile habitats for a variety of fishes that inhabit the continental shelf. In this study, collections of larval fishes were made during springtime over the continental slope to provide insights into larval distributions and transport. Ichthyoplankton composition and distribution mirrored the physical complexity of the region. Three larval fish assemblages were defined, each with different water mass distributions. A Gulf Stream assemblage was found predominantly in the Gulf Stream and associated with filaments of discharged Gulf Stream water in the Slope Sea. Larvae of this assemblage originated from oceanic and shelf regions south of Cape Hatteras. Several members of this assemblage utilize habitats in the Middle Atlantic Bight (MAB) as juveniles (Pomatomus saltatrix, Peprilus triacanthus) and other members of the assemblage may share this life cycle (Mugil curema, Sphyraena borealis, Urophycis regia). A Slope Sea assemblage was found in all water masses, and was composed of epi- and mesopelagic fish larvae, as well as larvae of benthic shelf/slope residents. Larvae of one member of this assemblage (U. tenuis) are spawned in the Slope Sea but cross the shelf-slope front and use nearshore habitats for juvenile nurseries. A MAB shelf assemblage was found in MAB shelf water and was composed of larvae that were spawned on the shelf. Some of these species may cross into the Slope Sea before returning to MAB shelf habitats (e.g. Enchelyopus cimbrius, Glyptocephalus cynoglossus). Previous studies have examined the effect of warm-core rings on larval distributions, but this study identifies the importance of smaller-scale features of the MAB shelf/slope front and of filaments associated with Gulf Stream meanders. In combination with these advective processes, the dynamic nature of larval distributions in the Slope Sea appears to be influenced, to varying degrees, by both vertical and horizontal behaviour of larvae and pelagic juveniles themselves. [source] Stream food web response to a salmon carcass analogue addition in two central Idaho, U.S.A. streamsFRESHWATER BIOLOGY, Issue 3 2008ANDRE E. KOHLER Summary 1. Pacific salmon and steelhead once contributed large amounts of marine-derived carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus to freshwater ecosystems in the Pacific Northwest of the United States of America (California, Oregon, Washington and Idaho). Declines in historically abundant anadromous salmonid populations represent a significant loss of returning nutrients across a large spatial scale. Recently, a manufactured salmon carcass analogue was developed and tested as a safe and effective method of delivering nutrients to freshwater and linked riparian ecosystems where marine-derived nutrients have been reduced or eliminated. 2. We compared four streams: two reference and two treatment streams using salmon carcass analogue(s) (SCA) as a treatment. Response variables measured included: surface streamwater chemistry; nutrient limitation status; carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes; periphyton chlorophyll a and ash-free dry mass (AFDM); macroinvertebrate density and biomass; and leaf litter decomposition rates. Within each stream, upstream reference and downstream treatment reaches were sampled 1 year before, during, and 1 year after the addition of SCA. 3. Periphyton chlorophyll a and AFDM and macroinvertebrate biomass were significantly higher in stream reaches treated with SCA. Enriched stable isotope (,15N) signatures were observed in periphyton and macroinvertebrate samples collected from treatment reaches in both treatment streams, indicating trophic transfer from SCA to consumers. Densities of Ephemerellidae, Elmidae and Brachycentridae were significantly higher in treatment reaches. Macroinvertebrate community composition and structure, as measured by taxonomic richness and diversity, did not appear to respond significantly to SCA treatment. Leaf breakdown rates were variable among treatment streams: significantly higher in one stream treatment reach but not the other. Salmon carcass analogue treatments had no detectable effect on measured water chemistry variables. 4. Our results suggest that SCA addition successfully increased periphyton and macroinvertebrate biomass with no detectable response in streamwater nutrient concentrations. Correspondingly, no change in nutrient limitation status was detected based on dissolved inorganic nitrogen to soluble reactive phosphorus ratios (DIN/SRP) and nutrient-diffusing substrata experiments. Salmon carcass analogues appear to increase freshwater productivity. 5. Salmon carcass analogues represent a pathogen-free nutrient enhancement tool that mimics natural trophic transfer pathways, can be manufactured using recycled fish products, and is easily transported; however, salmon carcass analogues should not be viewed as a replacement for naturally spawning salmon and the important ecological processes they provide. [source] The Tung Oil Boom in Australasia: a Network PerspectiveGEOGRAPHICAL RESEARCH, Issue 3 2009MICHAEL ROCHE Abstract Ideas about networks are explored in the context of the interest within the British Empire and the United States of America in planting Tung Oil trees (Aleurites fordii) during the 1920s and 1930s. Closer attention is paid to the Australian and New Zealand experience and short-lived enthusiasm for the search for seeds, the collation of information on growth rates, and the planting of Tung trees. The paper briefly distinguishes various types of network research in human geography and concludes by raising some questions about space and time in network approaches in the social sciences more generally. [source] September 11, Anti-Terror Laws and Civil Liberties: Britain, France and Germany Compared1GOVERNMENT AND OPPOSITION, Issue 1 2003Dirk Haubrich The attacks on the United States of America in September 2001 have spurred a rapid implementation of new Anti-Terrorism legislation around the world. In an effort to, ostensibly, safeguard against the repetition of similar events on their own territories, many democracies have taken far-reaching legislative steps that might threaten the ideal of liberty on which their societies have traditionally been built. This article examines the laws introduced in Britain, France and Germany to establish the extent to which civil liberties in eight different categories have been curtailed. It concludes that, despite the otherwise similar characteristics of the countries studied, the legal provisions differ significantly in scope and depth, a fact that might be explained by: the different levels of threat perception; Britain's history of anti-terror legislation; and the respective power balances between judiciaries and legislatures. [source] Proteasome inhibition with bortezomib suppresses growth and induces apoptosis in osteosarcomaINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CANCER, Issue 1 2010Yuriy Shapovalov Abstract Osteosarcomas are primary bone tumors of osteoblastic origin that mostly affect adolescent patients. These tumors are highly aggressive and metastatic. Previous reports indicate that gain of function of a key osteoblastic differentiation factor, Runx2, leads to growth inhibition in osteosarcoma. We have previously established that Runx2 transcriptionally regulates expression of a major proapoptotic factor, Bax. Runx2 is regulated via proteasomal degradation, and proteasome inhibition has a stimulatory effect on Runx2. In this study, we hypothesized that proteasome inhibition will induce Runx2 and Runx2-dependent Bax expression sensitizing osteosarcoma cells to apoptosis. Our data showed that a proteasome inhibitor, bortezomib, increased Runx2 and Bax in osteosarcoma cells. In vitro, bortezomib suppressed growth and induced apoptosis in osteosarcoma cells but not in nonmalignant osteoblasts. Experiments involving intratibial tumor xenografts in nude mice demonstrated significant tumor regression in bortezomib-treated animals. Immunohistochemical studies revealed that bortezomib inhibited cell proliferation and induced apoptosis in osteosarcoma xenografts. These effects correlated with increased immunoreactivity for Runx2 and Bax. In summary, our results indicate that bortezomib suppresses growth and induces apoptosis in osteosarcoma in vitro and in vivo suggesting that proteasome inhibition may be effective as an adjuvant to current treatment regimens for these tumors. Published 2009 UICC. This article is a US Government work and, as such, is in the public domain in the United States of America. [source] Overview of the DVB-SH specificationsINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SATELLITE COMMUNICATIONS AND NETWORKING, Issue 4-5 2009Philip Kelley Abstract This article provides an overview of the DVB-SH specifications, and the context within which they have been developed. The main DVB-SH configurations are introduced, with explanations of both the technical and frequency planning considerations that drive choices. Regulatory aspects in the European Union and United States of America are summarized. Then specific DVB-SH issues are being addressed, involving reception conditions and channel characteristics, combining techniques for satellite and terrestrial signals, and synchronization and local content insertion. Some attention is paid to the reuse of DVB link and application layer features. Finally, a couple of likely service introduction scenarios are suggested. It is claimed that DVB-SH fulfills the initial requirements of extending the present UHF-based service offer to other frequencies below 3,GHz with a large area coverage, a reduced total network infrastructure cost and an expansion of the offer in terms of number of TV channels or multimedia services. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Clinical outcome of diabetic foot ulcers treated with negative pressure wound therapy and the transition from acute care to home careINTERNATIONAL WOUND JOURNAL, Issue 2008Stephanie C Wu Abstract Diabetic foot ulcers affect millions of people in the United States of America and impose tremendous medical, psychosocial and financial loss or burden. Negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) is generally well tolerated and appears to stimulate a robust granulation tissue response compared with other wound healing modalities. This device may be a cost-effective adjunctive wound healing therapy. This literature review will focus on the clinical outcome of diabetic foot ulcers treated with NPWT, its implication in the transition from acute care to home care, factors that might influence clinical outcomes in home care as well as quality-of-life aspects in these patients. Patient care for diabetic foot ulceration is complex and necessitates multiprofessional collaboration to provide comprehensive wound care. It is clear that when we strive for limb preservation in this most high-risk population, it is important to have an available versatile, efficacious wound healing modality. There is a need for an easy transition from acute care to home care. Resources need to be combined in a collaborative and synergistic fashion to allow patient to perform many daily living activities while receiving the potential benefits of an advanced wound healing modality. [source] The role of zoos in biosurveillanceINTERNATIONAL ZOO YEARBOOK, Issue 1 2007T. McNAMARA Zoos are ideally placed to act as epidemiological monitoring stations because for decades, many have been building up detailed collections of serum banks, tissue banks and medical record-keeping systems that could be mined for information that would be beneficial to public health. For example, in 1999 wild Crows Corvus brachyrhynchos in the United States of America started to die of unknown causes but it was not until some died in the grounds of a zoological institution that West Nile virus, which is a threat to both human and animal health, was identified. There is a serious disparity in the type and amount of biosurveillance provided for humans, agricultural livestock and wildlife agencies, often driven by economic factors. There is an argument for public-health entities to contribute funds to the cost of managing serum-banks and testing stations within zoos to enhance biosurveillance in urban settings, in a cost-effective and mutually beneficial manner. The key to sustainable and integrated biosurveillance lies in public-health professionals working with zoo professionals, who care for wild animals on a day-to-day basis, to create electronic surveillance networks. This could be of utmost benefit to everyone. [source] Inpatient falls in adult acute care settings: influence of patients' mental statusJOURNAL OF ADVANCED NURSING, Issue 8 2010Huey-Ming Tzeng tzeng h.-m. (2010) Inpatient falls in adult acute care settings: influence of patients' mental status. Journal of Advanced Nursing,66(8), 1741,1746. Abstract Title.,Inpatient falls in adult acute care settings: influence of patients' mental status. Aim., This paper is a report of a study of fallers' mental status as one of the patient-related intrinsic risk factors for falls. Background., Whether confusion is one of the most important risk factors associated with risk of falling in hospital settings is unclear. Literature reviews have not identified consistent evidence for effective preventive interventions for patients with mental status deficits. Methods., This retrospective research was conducted in six adult acute care units in a community hospital in the United States of America. The data source was the 1017 fall incidents occurring between 1 July 2005 and 30 April 2009. Descriptive statistics and Pearson chi-square tests were used to analyse the data. Results., The presence of mental status deficits was identified as the dominant issue in 346 (34%) falls. The group of fallers with mental status deficits (32·1%, n = 111) seemed to have fewer toileting-related falls than those without mental status deficits (46·7%, n = 314). Fallers with mental status deficits tended to have more severe fall injuries than those without mental status deficits (,2 = 10·08, d.f. = 3, P = 0·018). Conclusion., Risk assessment and targeted surveillance should be used as part of falls prevention policy. Involving nursing staff and family members in assessing a patient's mental status may help to prevent falls caused by mental status deficits. [source] The Pregnant Women with HIV Attitude Scale: development and initial psychometric evaluationJOURNAL OF ADVANCED NURSING, Issue 8 2010Lynda A. Tyer-Viola tyer-viola l.a. & duffy m.e. (2010) The Pregnant Women with HIV Attitude Scale: development and initial psychometric evaluation. Journal of Advanced Nursing,66(8), 1852,1863. Abstract Title.,The Pregnant Women with HIV Attitude Scale: development and initial psychometric evaluation. Aim., This paper is a report of the development and initial psychometric evaluation of the Pregnant Women with HIV Attitude Scale. Background., Previous research has identified that attitudes toward persons with HIV/AIDS have been judgmental and could affect clinical care and outcomes. Stigma towards persons with HIV has persisted as a barrier to nursing care globally. Women are more vulnerable during pregnancy. An instrument to specifically measure obstetric care provider's attitudes toward this population is needed to target identified gaps in providing respectful care. Methods., Existing literature and instruments were analysed and two existing measures, the Attitudes about People with HIV Scale and the Attitudes toward Women with HIV Scale, were combined to create an initial item pool to address attitudes toward HIV-positive pregnant women. The data were collected in 2003 with obstetric nurses attending a national conference in the United States of America (N = 210). Content validity was used for item pool development and principal component analysis and analysis of variance were used to determine construct validity. Reliability was analysed using Cronbach's Alpha. Results., The new measure demonstrated high internal consistency (alpha estimates = 0·89). Principal component analysis yielded a two-component structure that accounted for 45% of the total variance: Mothering-Choice (alpha estimates = 0·89) and Sympathy-Rights (alpha estimates = 0·72). Conclusion., These data provided initial evidence of the psychometric properties of the Pregnant Women with HIV Attitude Scale. Further analysis is required of the validity of the constructs of this scale and its reliability with various obstetric care providers. [source] Ethnic differences in exercise and leisure time physical activity among midlife womenJOURNAL OF ADVANCED NURSING, Issue 4 2010Seung Hee Lee Lee s.h. & im e.-o. (2010) Ethnic differences in exercise and leisure time physical activity among midlife women. Journal of Advanced Nursing66(4), 814,827. Abstract Title.,Ethnic differences in exercise and leisure time physical activity among midlife women. Aim., This paper is a report of a study of factors associated with ethnic differences in exercise and leisure time physical activity levels among midlife women. Background., Most studies on physical activity have focused mostly on identifying correlates of physical activity. However, ,ethnicity/race' as a factor affecting exercise and leisure time physical activity has rarely been considered. Method., This study was a secondary analysis of data from a larger Internet study on menopausal symptoms of midlife women from four ethnic groups in the United States of America. A total of 441 women aged 40,60 years were recruited through the Internet from 31 January 2005 to 31 December 2007. The data were analysed using descriptive statistics, chi-square analysis, analysis of variance and multiple regressions. Findings., Non-Hispanic White people had a statistically significantly higher level of leisure time physical activity than Asian Americans and Hispanics. African Americans reported the lowest level of exercise. Body mass index was inversely associated with exercise among African Americans. Menopausal symptoms were positively associated with exercise among non-Hispanic White people and African Americans. Employment and number of children had a statistically significantly inverse association with exercise among Asian Americans. Conclusion., Correlates of exercise are ethnic-specific. The dual role situation of working outside and inside their homes is an important factor in explaining the lower participation of exercise among Asian Americans. Health factors influence exercise participation in non-Hispanic White people, African Americans and Hispanics. Nurses should take into account ethnic diversities when designing physical activity interventions for women. [source] Decision-making for acutely ill nursing home residents: nurses in the middleJOURNAL OF ADVANCED NURSING, Issue 5 2009Ruth Palan Lopez Abstract Title.,Decision-making for acutely ill nursing home residents: nurses in the middle. Aim., This paper is a report of a study to generate a model of nursing behaviours and social processes inherent in decision-making for acutely ill nursing home residents. Background., Most research concerning clinical decision-making in nursing homes focuses on the perspectives of doctors. Much less is known about the perspectives and actions of nurses with regard to decision-making, despite the centrality of their roles in nursing homes. Method., Grounded theory was used. Data were collected in 2004 in four nursing homes in the United States of America using in-depth, semi-structured interviews, 74 hours of non-participant observation and informal conversational interviews with key nursing staff involved in decision-making. Findings., Nurses strive to create a plan of care acceptable to family members and doctors, consistent with wishes of residents and most comfortable for residents. A unifying theme of satisfying all sides emerged as representative of the negotiation strategies used by nurses to address these competing points of view. Four phases in this negotiation occurred: weighing the significance; notifying the family; feeling it out; and playing the middleman. The outcome was either a decision for life-prolongation or for palliative care. Conclusion., Decisions for nursing home residents are complex and involve weighing and balancing the interests and preferences of many concerned participants, including residents, families and doctors. This process requires skill in clinical judgment, communication and collaboration. [source] Menstrual Attitude Questionnaire: confirmatory and exploratory factor analysis with Turkish samplesJOURNAL OF ADVANCED NURSING, Issue 3 2009Mehmet Z. Firat Abstract Title.,Menstrual Attitude Questionnaire: confirmatory and exploratory factor analysis with Turkish samples. Aim., This study is a report of an investigation of the psychometric properties of the Turkish version of the Menstrual Attitude Questionnaire. Background., Cultural, social and family environments influence women's beliefs about and attitudes towards menstruation. Awareness of these beliefs and/or attitudes and their cultural origins is necessary to understand women and their reactions to menstruation when offering health care. Although the Menstrual Attitude Questionnaire has been used in several studies, the psychometric properties of the Turkish version have not been investigated. Methods., Confirmatory factor analyses were carried out with two different samples , high school (n = 650) and undergraduate university students (n = 569) , in Turkey in the spring semester of 2006. Exploratory factor analyses were then used to modify the factor structure. Results., Confirmatory factor analysis did not confirm the factor model reported in the United States of America. However, compared with British and Indian samples, Turkish attitudes showed better fit than both British and Indian samples with comparative fit index values of 0·776 and 0·797 for the high school and university samples respectively. Finally, exploratory factor analysis yielded a 28-item measure for the high school sample and 31-item measure for the university sample, with a 5-factor solution. Reliability estimates of both scales were satisfactory, being 0·73 for the high school and 0·79 for the university sample. Conclusion., The modified 5-factor Menstrual Attitude Questionnaire could be a useful tool for assessing menstrual attitudes among Turkish high school and university students. The overall score permits comparison with results from earlier studies using the original instrument. [source] Application of a model of social information processing to nursing theory: how nurses respond to patientsJOURNAL OF ADVANCED NURSING, Issue 4 2008Lisa Kennedy Sheldon Abstract Title.,Application of a model of social information processing to nursing theory: how nurses respond to patients. Aim., This paper is a report of a study to assess the applicability of a theoretical model of social information processing in expanding a nursing theory addressing how nurses respond to patients. Background., Nursing communication affects patient outcomes such as anxiety, adherence to treatments and satisfaction with care. Orlando's theory of nursing process describes nurses' reactions to patients' behaviour as generating a perception, thought and feeling in the nurse and then action by the nurse. A model of social information processing describes the sequential steps in the cognitive processes used to respond to social cues and may be useful in describing the nursing process. Methods., Cognitive interviews were conducted in 2006 with a convenience sample of 5 nurses in the United States of America. The data were interpreted using the Crick and Dodge model of social information processing. Findings., Themes arising from cognitive interviews validated concepts of the nursing theory and the constructs of the model of social information processing. The interviews revealed that the support of peers was an additional construct involved in the development of communication skills, creation of a database and enhancement of self-efficacy. Conclusion., Models of social information processing enhance understanding of the process of how nurses respond to patients and further develop nursing theories further. In combination, the theories are useful in developing research into nurse,patient communication. Future research based on the expansion of nursing theory may identify effective and culturally appropriate nurse response patterns to specific patient interactions with implications for nursing care and patient outcomes. [source] Celluloid angels: a research study of nurses in feature films 1900,2007JOURNAL OF ADVANCED NURSING, Issue 1 2008David J. Stanley Abstract Title.,Celluloid angels: a research study of nurses in feature films 1900,2007. Aim., This paper is a report of a study examining the influence on how nursing and nurses are portrayed in feature films made between 1900 and 2007, with a nurse as their main or a principle character and a story-line related specifically to nursing. Background., Nurses and the nursing profession are frequently portrayed negatively or stereotypically in the media, with nurses often being portrayed as feminine and caring but not as leaders or professionals capable of autonomous practice. Methods., A mixed method approach was used to examine feature films made in the Western world. Over 36,000 feature film synopses were reviewed (via CINAHL, ProQuest and relevant movie-specific literature) for the keywords ,nurse'/,nursing'. Identified films were analysed quantitatively to determine their country of production, genre, plot(s) and other relevant data, and qualitatively to identify the emergence of themes related to the image of nurses/nursing in films. Findings., For the period from 1900 to 2007, 280 relevant feature films were identified. Most films were made in the United States of America or United Kingdom, although in recent years films have been increasingly produced in other countries. Early films portrayed nurses as self-sacrificial heroines, sex objects and romantics. More recent films increasingly portray them as strong and self-confident, professionals. Conclusion., Nurse-related films offer a unique insight into the image of nurses and how they have been portrayed. Nurses need to be aware of the impact the film industry has on how nurses and nursing are perceived and represented in feature films. [source] Determinants of perceived barriers to condom use among HIV-infected middle-aged and older African-American menJOURNAL OF ADVANCED NURSING, Issue 4 2007Christopher Lance Coleman Abstract Title.,Determinants of perceived barriers to condom use among HIV-infected middle-aged and older African-American men Aim., This paper is a report of a study to describe which determinants best predict perceived barriers to condom use during sexual encounters among human immunodeficiency virus human immunodeficiency virus-infected African-American men, middle-aged and older, living in the United States of America. Background., While the global epidemic of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome infection is a well-documented phenomenon with national and international implications, prevalence statistics indicate that middle-aged and older African-American (non-Hispanic) men have not benefited from the prevention efforts implemented during the past two decades. Method., A cross-sectional design using a survey and convenience sampling was adopted between September 2003 and July 2004 to recruit n = 130 middle-aged human immunodeficiency virus-infected African-American men from infectious disease clinics from the Mid-Atlantic region in the United States of America. The survey covered demographics, perceived health beliefs, spiritual well-being and symptoms related to human immunodeficiency virus. Findings., Stepwise multiple regression showed having fewer human immunodeficiency virus-related symptoms associated with the human immunodeficiency virus (P = 0·004) and being single (P = 0·05) were perceived as barriers to condom use during sexual encounters (R2 = 0·029, P = 0·046). Conclusion., Tailored interventions are needed for African-American men, middle-aged and older, infected with human immunodeficiency virus nationally and worldwide that are designed to decrease perceived barriers in order to increase condom use. [source] Patients' perceptions of nursing care in the hospital settingJOURNAL OF ADVANCED NURSING, Issue 4 2003Lee A. Schmidt PhD RN Background., Patient satisfaction and patient satisfaction with nursing care data are routinely collected as an indicator of the quality of services delivered. Despite the widespread collection and reporting of these data, the theoretical basis of patient satisfaction and patient satisfaction with nursing care remains unclear. Without a clear theoretical base, interpretation of patient satisfaction findings is hampered and the entire line of patient satisfaction research is of questionable validity. It has been suggested that, to understand patient satisfaction, patient perceptions of their care must first be understood. Aim., The aim of this study was to discover patients' perceptions of the nursing care they receive in the hospital setting. Method., Grounded theory method was used in this study of eight medical,surgical patients recently discharged from an academic medical centre in the south-eastern United States of America (USA). Participants were interviewed and the verbatim transcripts analysed using the constant comparative method. Findings., Four categories of patient perceptions of their nursing care emerged from the data. ,Seeing the individual patient' captures the unique nature of the nursing care experience for each patient. ,Explaining' represents the informal explanations given by nursing staff as they provide care. ,Responding' refers to both the character and timeliness of nursing staff's responses to patient requests or symptoms. ,Watching over' represents the surveillance activities of nursing staff. Conclusions., The categories identified in this study may be used in efforts to further develop a formal theory of patient satisfaction with nursing care. These categories should also be tested with patients possessing a wider range of characteristics, to assess the transferability of the findings. [source] Path analysis of efficacy expectations and exercise behaviour in older adultsJOURNAL OF ADVANCED NURSING, Issue 6 2000Barbara Resnick PhD CRNP Path analysis of efficacy expectations and exercise behaviour in older adults The benefits of regular exercise for older adults are well documented and include improvements in physical, functional, as well as psychological, health. The purpose of this descriptive study was to test a theoretically and empirically based model describing the factors that influence exercise behaviour of older adults in the United States of America. The hypothesized model suggested that age, gender, and mental and physical health have an effect on self-efficacy and outcome expectations, and that all these variables influence exercise behaviour. Exercise behaviour was hypothesized to have a reciprocal relationship with self-efficacy expectations and mental and physical health. The convenience sample was 187 older adults living in a continuing care retirement community (CCRC) in Baltimore, Maryland. A one-time health interview was conducted which included a measure of self-efficacy and outcome expectations related to exercise, a measure of health status (SF-12), and gathering of information from participants about their actual exercise behaviour. Of the 187, 71 (38%) reported participating in 20 minutes of continuous aerobic exercise at least three times per week over the previous 3 months. Six hypothesized paths were significant. The model fitted the data and accounted for 32% of the variance in exercise behaviour. Interventions that focus on strengthening self-efficacy and outcome expectations can improve exercise behaviour in older adults. [source] The evolutionary species pool hypothesis and patterns of freshwater diatom diversity along a pH gradientJOURNAL OF BIOGEOGRAPHY, Issue 3 2005Jason Pither Abstract Aim, To interpret the unimodal relationship between diatom species richness and lake pH within the context of the evolutionary species pool hypothesis (SPH). We test the following primary prediction arising from the SPH: the size of the potential species pool (PSP) will increase along a gradient representing the historical commonness of different pH environments (pH commonness). To do this we assume that the present-day spatial dominance of near-neutral pH conditions compared with acidic and alkaline conditions reliably mimics the relative spatial availabilities of historical pH conditions among freshwater lakes. We also determine whether local richness represents a constant proportion of PSP size along the pH commonness gradient. Location, Two hundred and thirty-four lakes distributed over a 405,000 km2 region of the north-eastern United States of America. Methods, Sediment diatom morphospecies lists and pH data were acquired from the US Environmental Protection Agency's Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program (EMAP) website. Using 248 morphospecies that occurred in at least 10 of the 234 lakes, four different measures of PSPs were calculated along the pH gradient. Local species richness was equated with the number of species occurring within the lake. Alpha diversity was equated with the average species richness of lakes with similar pH values. A combination of statistical methods were employed, including correlations, quadratic regression and piecewise regression. Results, PSP size increased significantly with pH commonness for all four measures of PSP size, thus supporting the primary prediction of the evolutionary SPH. Local richness comprised a larger proportion of the PSP within acidic lakes than within circumneutral lakes. Alpha diversity and lake species richness both increased significantly with pH commonness, but the former did so in a two-step fashion. We test and reject several alternative contemporary time-scale explanations for our findings. Main Conclusions, Our findings are consistent with the hypothesis that diatom taxonomic richness is presently lower within acidic and highly alkaline lakes than in circumneutral lakes owing to the limited opportunity in space and/or time for the evolution of suitably adapted species. Whereas ecological processes can explain why certain species are excluded from particular habitats, e.g. acidic lakes, they cannot account for why so few species are adapted to those habitats in the first place. [source] Geographic patterns of diversity in streams are predicted by a multivariate model of disturbance and productivityJOURNAL OF ECOLOGY, Issue 3 2006BRADLEY J. CARDINALE Summary 1Univariate explanations of biodiversity have often failed to account for broad-scale patterns in species richness. As a result, increased attention has been paid to the development and testing of more synthetic multivariate hypotheses. One class of multivariate hypotheses, founded in successional diversity theory, predict that species richness is jointly influenced by periodic disturbances that create new niche opportunities in space or time, and the production of community biomass that speeds displacement of inferior by superior competitors. 2While the joint response of diversity to disturbance and productivity has gained support from theoretical and small-scale experimental studies, evidence that corresponding patterns of biodiversity occur broadly across natural systems is scarce. 3Using a data set that employed standardized methods to sample 85 streams throughout the mid-Atlantic United States of America, we show that biogeographical patterns of primary producer diversity in stream ecosystems are consistent with the predictions of a multivariate model that incorporates disturbance frequency and community biomass production as independent variables. Periphyton species richness is a concave-down function of disturbance frequency (mean no. floods year,1) and of biomass production (µg of biomass accrual cm,2 day,1), and an increasing function of their interaction. 4Changes in richness across the disturbance × productivity response surface can be related to several predicted life-history traits of the dominant species. 5Our findings complement prior studies by showing that multivariate models which consider interactive effects of community production and ecosystem disturbance are, in fact, candidate explanations of much broader patterns of richness in natural systems. Because multivariate models predict synergistic effects of ecological variables on species diversity, human activities , which are simultaneously altering both the disturbance regime and productivity of streams , could be influencing biodiversity more than previously anticipated. [source] Public disclosure of comparative clinical performance data: lessons from the Scottish experienceJOURNAL OF EVALUATION IN CLINICAL PRACTICE, Issue 2 2003Russell Mannion PhD Abstract There is growing international interest in making information available on the clinical quality and performance of health care providers. In the United States of America, where public reporting is most advanced, comparative performance information in the form of ,report cards', ,provider profiles' and ,consumer reports' has been published for over a decade. In Europe, Scotland has been at the forefront of releasing clinical performance data and has disseminated such information since 1994. This paper reviews the Scottish experience of public disclosure and distils the key lessons for other countries seeking to implement similar programmes. It is based on the findings of the first empirical evaluation of a national clinical reporting initiative outside the United States. The study examined the impact of publication of Scottish (CRAG) clinical outcome indicators on four key stakeholder groups: health care providers, regional government health care purchasers, general practitioners and consumer advocacy agencies. We conclude that those responsible for developing clinical reporting systems should not only pay close attention to developing technically valid and professionally credible data which are tailored to the information needs of different end users, but should also focus on developing a suitable incentive structure and organizational environment that fosters the constructive use of such information. [source] SELECTED ALTERNATIVES TO METHYL BROMIDE IN THE POSTHARVEST AND QUARANTINE TREATMENT OF ALMONDS AND WALNUTS: AN ECONOMIC PERSPECTIVEJOURNAL OF FOOD PROCESSING AND PRESERVATION, Issue 6 2001ANTHONI F. AEGERTER Methyl bromide is a highly effective fumigant used in the postharvest and quarantine treatment of tree nuts. There will be a complete phase out in the United States of America (U.S.) of methyl bromide by 2005 according to The Montreal Protocol of 1991 with the exception of preshipment and quarantine uses as stated in the 1998 Clean Air Act. This study analyzed alternative treatment scenarios. The alternatives considered were phosphine, irradiation, and controlled atmosphere storage. Costs for each scenario were developed. Cost increases with irradiation ranged from two to fourteen times the benchmark costs for methyl bromide. Controlled atmosphere storage for both commodities had cost increases ranging from 174% to 256% over methyl bromide costs. Phosphine was used only to treat almonds. Phosphine application costs were 108% and 117% above the benchmark costs for methyl bromide. [source] Leadership behaviours: effects on job satisfaction, productivity and organizational commitmentJOURNAL OF NURSING MANAGEMENT, Issue 4 2001J. CHIOK FOONG LOKE RN MBA BN CCNC Background, Research in the west has shown that job satisfaction, productivity and organizational commitment are affected by leadership behaviours. The purpose of this study is to determine the effect of leadership behaviours on employee outcomes in Singapore. Very little research related to this subject has been done in health care settings in this country. The comparison of the results of the different types of settings and samples will allow a better understanding of the relationshiop between leadership behaviours and employee outcomes and thus help to determine if leadership is worth the extra effort. Method, The study explored the relationships between five leadership behaviours identified by Kouzes and Posner and the employee outcomes of registered nurses practising in the general wards, intensive care units and the coronary care unit in an acute hospital. Survey questionnaires were used to elicit responses from 100 registered nurses and 20 managers belonging to the organization. Data collected included demographic characteristics and the degree to which the five types of leadership behaviours were used as perceived by the nurse managers and the registered nurses. In addition, the level of nurse job satisfaction, the degree of productivity and the extent of organizational commitment are described. Findings, The findings show a similar trend to the original studies in the United States of America. Use of leadership behaviours and employee outcomes were significantly correlated. The regression results indicate that 29% of job satisfaction, 22% of organizational commitment and 9% of productivity were explained by the use of leadership behaviours. Recommendations are made in the light of these findings. [source] Public affairs: an American perspectiveJOURNAL OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS, Issue 1 2001Barbara J. DeSanto Abstract This paper explores the development and broadening scope of public affairs practice within the United States of America and charts the factors that have influenced its current development. To understand the scope of how public affairs has developed in the United States, it is necessary to examine the historical evolution of the function in the USA and the early 20th century influence of the US government on defining and regulating its definition of public relations and public affairs, which resulted in the still-in-effect Gillett Amendment. Since then, public affairs has expanded into the private as well as the public sectors as corporations and organisations recognise the need to gain public trust for their ventures. In the US today, public affairs practitioners perform duties that range from issues management to environmental scanning to legislative affairs. Copyright © 2001 Henry Stewart Publications [source] Drinking and Alcohol-Related Harm Among New Zealand University Students: Findings From a National Web-Based SurveyALCOHOLISM, Issue 2 2009Kypros Kypri Background:, Alcohol-related harm is pervasive among college students in the United States of America and Canada, where a third to half of undergraduates binge drink at least fortnightly. There have been no national studies outside North America. We estimated the prevalence of binge drinking, related harms, and individual risk factors among undergraduates in New Zealand. Methods:, A web survey was completed by 2,548 undergraduates (63% response) at 5 of New Zealand's 8 universities. Drinking patterns and alcohol-related problems in the preceding 4 weeks were measured. Drinking diaries for the preceding 7 days were completed. Multivariate analyses were used to identify individual risk factors. Results:, A total of 81% of both women and men drank in the previous 4 weeks, 37% reported 1 or more binge episodes in the last week, 14% of women and 15% of men reported 2+ binge episodes in the last week, and 68% scored in the hazardous range (4+) on the AUDIT consumption subscale. A mean of 1.8 (95% confidence interval 1.4, 2.3) distinct alcohol-related risk behaviors or harmful consequences were reported, e.g., 33% had a blackout, 6% had unprotected sex, and 5% said they were physically aggressive toward someone, in the preceding 4 weeks. Drink-driving or being the passenger of a drink-driver in the last 4 weeks was reported by 9% of women and 11% of men. Risk factors for frequent binge drinking included: lower age, earlier age of drinking onset, monthly or more frequent binge drinking in high school, and living in a residential hall or a shared house (relative to living with parents). These correlates were similar to those identified in U.S. and Canadian studies. Conclusions:, Strategies are needed to reduce the availability and promotion of alcohol on and around university campuses in New Zealand. Given the high prevalence of binge drinking in high school and its strong association with later binge drinking, strategies aimed at youth drinking are also a priority. In universities, high-risk drinkers should be identified and offered intervention early in their undergraduate careers. [source] The management lessons learned from sediment remediation in the Detroit River , western Lake Erie watershedLAKES & RESERVOIRS: RESEARCH AND MANAGEMENT, Issue 3-4 2004John H. Hartig Abstract During the 1970s,1990s, considerable emphasis was placed on minimizing the inputs of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) from active sources. In addition, between 1993 and 2001, , $US130 × 106 was spent for sediment remediation within the western Lake Erie , Detroit River basin. In general, although PCB contamination of the Detroit River and Lake Erie declined significantly between the 1970s and mid-1990s, it has remained fairly stable over the past 10 years. Control of PCBs and other contaminants at their source remains a primary imperative for action. Remediation of contaminated sediments is growing in importance, however, as greater levels of source control are achieved. From a sediment management perspective, it is estimated that between 1993 and 2001 a substantially higher mass of PCBs (over two orders of magnitude higher) was removed as a result of contaminated sediment remediation, as compared to navigational dredging of shipping channels. In addition, there is a strong and compelling rationale for moving expeditiously to remediate severely contaminated sediment while it is still relatively contained in a small geographical area. The cost of not acting in a timely manner might be to exacerbate environmental problems including increased deformities and reproductive problems in wildlife, delayed ecosystem recovery and increased costs, or even preclusion of future sediment remediation. Based on discussions at a United States of America,Canada workshop held in 2002, key management advice includes continued emphasis to be placed on remediating contaminated sediment hot spots (including evaluating the effectiveness of projects), integrated monitoring efforts to be focused on beneficial use restoration and a high priority to be placed on sustaining and building upon modelling efforts, in order to be able to accurately predict and evaluate ecosystem responses to remedial and preventive actions. [source] The Barringer Medal Address Presented 2000 August 28, Chicago, United States of America.METEORITICS & PLANETARY SCIENCE, Issue S5 2000Pulling back the curtain [source] Who was the man who discovered the "Lewy bodies"?,MOVEMENT DISORDERS, Issue 12 2010Antonio M. Rodrigues e Silva MD Abstract In 1912, Fritz Heinrich Lewy described neuronal inclusions in the brain of patients who had suffered from Paralysis agitans (i.e., Parkinson's disease). Later, these findings became the so-called "Lewy bodies." However, little is known about the man who made this discovery. Our aim was to investigate Lewy's private and professional life and to gather information for a detailed biography. We contacted over 100 archives, libraries, and museums in Germany, Poland, Switzerland, United Kingdom, and United States. Over 300 documents, publications, and photos were collected. Lewy was born in Berlin, Germany in 1885 and lived there until 1933. After his dismissal on racial grounds by the Nazis, Lewy emigrated to England in 1933 and to the United States of America in 1934, where he lived and worked until his death in 1950. This article gives a summary of Lewy's life and briefly presents his contribution to German and American neurology. © 2010 Movement Disorder Society [source] Preface: phys. stat. sol. (c) 1/S2PHYSICA STATUS SOLIDI (C) - CURRENT TOPICS IN SOLID STATE PHYSICS, Issue S2 2004E. F. da Silva Jr. The papers in this special issue of physica status solidi (c) are selected manuscripts including diverse research lines presently in development in the ambit of the NanoSemiMat network in Brazil. The 3rd Workshop on Semiconductor Nanodevices and Nanostructured Materials (NanoSemiMat-3) took place in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil, at the Catussaba Resort Hotel, during the period of 24,27 March 2004. The NanoSemiMat network is part of the Brazilian Initiative on Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (N&N), with strategic cooperative research support in this area. The initiative started in 2001, through the formation of four research networks nationwide in different scientific fields associated to NanoScience and Nanotechnology (N&N). The 3rd Workshop on Nanodevices and Nanostructured Materials (NanoSemiMat-3) is an evolution of the two previous meetings which were held in Recife, PE, Brazil and Natal, RN, Brazil in 2002 and 2003, respectively. The meeting comprised 16 invited plenary talks, each 30 minutes long, given by eminent researchers from Brazil, Canada, France, Germany and the United States of America. These invited talks extend through different topics of N&N associated to Nanodevices and Nanostructured Materials: Photodetectors, Lasers and LEDs, Porous Materials, New Materials, and New Technologies, among others. There were short talks presented by representatives of the other N&N networks in Brazil dealing with Molecular Technology and Interfaces, Nanostructured Materials and Nanobiotechnology. Also a poster session, with about 60 presentations, highlighted the main research activities presently being developed by the network members at the different sites which constitute the NanoSemiMat network. The presentations reflected theoretical and experimental research lines which lead to the development of basic and applied research in nanostructured semiconductor materials such as III,V and II,VI, Si and SiC based nanodevices, wide gap materials, ceramics, polymers, porous materials, optical and transport properties of low dimensional structures, magnetic nanostructures and structures under the influence of high fields, spintronics and sensor applications. The participants of the workshop came from 20 research institutions within Brazil and from 7 research laboratories and universities in Europe and North America. In total about 120 researchers, members of the network, invited researchers, representatives of supporting and funding agencies in Brazil, undergraduate and graduate students, technical staff and supporting personal as well as researchers from complementary fields were present. The realization of the NanoSemiMat-3 was possible due to the financial support of the Brazilian Ministry of Science and Technology (MCT) and the Brazilian National Research Council (CNPq) and the logistic support of Federal University of Bahia. All activities during the NanoSemiMat-3 were open to the general public with interest in nanoscience and nanotechnology. In this third workshop of the series, we highlight the expansion of its format, with plenary and invited talks, poster sessions, as well as the presence of seven invited speakers from abroad. We expect that the continuation of the NanoSemiMat series will be a forum for discussions of state-of-the-art research developed in Brazil on N&N and the multidisciplinary field of semiconductor nanodevices and nanostructured materials as well as its superposition to other branches of science. (© 2004 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim) [source] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||