Perceived parental drinking patterns among adult alcoholics in residential treatment

Thesis (M.A.) University of Alaska Fairbanks, 2000Drinking in Alaska has almost reached epidemic proportions in some subcultures. Alaska Natives have the highest number of FAS cases as compared to non-Natives. Nationally, youth drinking has been correlated to parental drinking. This study addressed the issue of whether there is a difference between the perceived drinking of people in treatment by gender, age, and ethnicity. The parental drinking of one hundred and thirty-four people diagnosed as alcohol dependent or alcohol abusers and in treatment was examined. Significant differences were found between the perceived parental drinking by age, gender, and ethnicity. In addition, many of the subjects did not have a parental drinking model, which could indicate that parental problematic drinking is not a significant causation factor in adult alcohol dependence or alcohol abuse

Pre-Retirement Attitudes and Financial Preparedness: A Cross-Cultural and Gender Analysis

The purpose of this research was to examine the differences between males and females across three different cultures in terms of financial resources for retirement years and pre-retirement attitudes and intentions

Music Practices as Social Relations: Chicago Music Communities and the Everyday Significance of Playing Jazz.

Scholars often consider jazz in terms of its most innovative performers, exemplary recordings, and groundbreaking performances. Yet most jazz is played by little-known musicians who rarely record or perform at major venues. This study, written against the monolithic history of jazz, argues that musical meanings are deeply connected to specific, local, face-to-face social relations, that these face-to-face musical practices contribute to the intersubjective construction of individual and community identity, and that face-to-face communities use general musical practices, broad social identities, and urban space to achieve local social goals. This dissertation depicts the social and musical practices of several distinct communities and is based on ethnographic fieldwork conducted between 2004 and 2006 at jam sessions and performances held at The Negro League Café, The Chambers, and other Chicago venues. Detailed narratives show how musical practices and social relations are connected at fundamental levels. For example, different approaches to harmonizing jazz standards determine not only which notes are played, but also which players are welcomed to the bandstand. Ethnographic accounts portray musicians as they construct racial, gender, artistic, and professional identities that draw on grand narratives, while firmly rooted in local social relations. Considering jazz as a variety of face-to-face musical and social practices complicates understandings of individual and communal identity, and challenges the notion that jazz has a single authentic history or that it unproblematically represents “America’s music,” “African American music,” or other broad social formations that are, in Benedict Anderson’s terminology, “imagined communities.” Deep connections between jazz practices and local social relations suggest that such connections also exist in other musical communities and among amateurs and professionals engaged in other artistic activities as well. Music need not be ‘great’ in order to do the kinds of social work so important to musical practice. People play jazz in many ways to many different ends, none truer than the others, each true to the particulars of their time and place of performance. Musicians create deeply felt identities, social bonds, and aesthetic values through virtuosic and amateur performances alike, and they need not change musical history to change their own.Ph.D.Music: MusicologyUniversity of Michigan, Horace H. Rackham School of Graduate Studieshttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/75992/1/jbehling_1.pd

Updated site compilation of the Latin American Pollen Database

Flantua, Suzette G A et al.The updated inventory of the Latin American Pollen Database (LAPD) offers a wide range of new insights. This paper presents a systematic compilation of palynological research in Latin America. A comprehensive inventory of publications in peer-reviewed and grey literature shows a major expansion of studies over the last decades. The inventory includes 1379 cores and sections with paleoecological data and more than 4800 modern samples from throughout the continent. Through the years, pollen datasets extend over increasing spans of time and show improved taxonomic and temporal resolution. Currently, these datasets are from 12 modern biomes and 30 countries, covering an altitudinal range of 0 to 6300. m asl. The most densely sampled regions are the Colombian Andes, the southeast coast of Brazil, and Patagonia. Underrepresented biomes are the warm temperate mixed forest (3%), dry forests (3%), and warm temperate rainforest (1%); whereas steppe, tropical rainforest, and cool grass shrublands, such as the páramos, are generally well represented (all >. 17%). There are 126 records that span the late Pleistocene to the Last Glacial Maximum transition (21,000. cal. yr BP), and >. 20% of the records cover the Younger Dryas interval and the Pleistocene/Holocene transition. Reanalysis of numerous sites using multiproxy tools emphasize the informative value of this approach in paleoenvironmental reconstruction. We make suggestions for several pollen sites and regions to be visited again; similarly we identify some key research questions that have yet to be answered. The updated LAPD now provides the platform to support an exciting new phase of global palynological research in which multi-site data are being integrated to address current cutting-edge research questions. The LAPD compilation of sites and the literature database will be available through the Neotoma Paleoecology Database website and a new LAPD website by the end of 2015We thank the Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research (NWO, grant 2012/13248/ALW) for financial support of this project.Peer reviewe

Modelagem GAMLSS no afilamento de árvores de Tectona grandis L.f

In this study we propose GAMLSS to fit  taper functions. We measured 52 Tectona grandis trees for fiting of the 5th degree polynomial by multiple linear regression and by the theory of generalized additive model for location, scale and shape (GAMLSS). The goodness of fit was determined by the statistics: squared coefficient of correlation (R2), standard error of the estimate (Syx and Syx(%)), Akaike information criterion (AIC), worm plot, quantile-quantile plots, residual dispersion and statistics Deviation (Bias), Root Sum Squared Residues (RMSE) and Percentage Residues (RP). Pre-established assortment sections were assessed by numeric integrals in both adjustment methods, as well as volume and height for a given diameter of each assortment section. The classic linear model was more efficient according to R2, Syx and Syx(%). However, the GAMLSS model was more efficient according to AIC, auxiliary statistics and graphical analysis of residuals. Assessing the practical effect of the different methods, we verified no differences in the classification of the products, morever, the volume obtained from the classic linear model was 5.47% greater in relation to the GAMLSS for the first product and the heights occurrence of diameters reached up to 37 cm. The  GAMLSS model, in general, presented diameter estimates with greater efficiency in estimating the actual values.Propõe-se neste estudo, verificar a utilização do modelo GAMLSS no ajuste de funções afilamento. Foram cubadas 52 árvores de Tectona grandis para o ajuste do polinômio do 5º grau por regressão linear múltipla e pela teoria dos modelos generalizados aditivos de parâmetros de locação, escala e forma (GAMLSS). A qualidade dos ajustes deu-se pelas estatísticas: coeficiente de correlação ao quadrado (R2), erro padrão da estimativa (Syx e Syx(%)), critério de informação Akaike (AIC), gráfico de minhoca, quantil quantil, dispersão residual e estatísticas auxiliares (Desvio (Bias), Raiz quadrada da soma do quadrado dos resíduos (RMSE) e os resíduos percentuais (RP)). Foi verificado por meio da simulação de uma árvore e a aplicação dos diferentes métodos de ajuste, a classificação dos sortimentos estabelecidos, volume das seções classificadas e a estimativa da altura de ocorrência de diâmetros pré especificados.  O modelo linear clássico ajustado foi mais eficiente segundo R2, Syx e Syx(%), porém, o modelo GAMLSS ajustado demonstrou maior eficiência pelo AIC, estatísticas auxiliares e pela análise gráfica dos resíduos. Na avaliação do efeito prático dos diferentes métodos utilizados, verificou que não houve diferença na classificação dos produtos, porém, o volume obtido dos mesmos pelo modelo linear clássico foi 5,47% maior em relação ao GAMLSS para o primeiro produto e as alturas de ocorrência dos diâmetros estabelecidos chegou até 37 cm. O modelo GAMLSS ajustado, em geral, apresentou estimativas de diâmetro com maior eficiência em estimar os valores reais

Incidence of Type 2 Diabetes in Children With Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

Background & aimsType 2 diabetes (T2D) is a growing problem in children. Children with NAFLD are at potentially high risk for developing T2D; however, the incidence of T2D in this population is unknown. This study aimed to determine the incidence of T2D in children with NAFLD and identify associated risk factors.MethodsChildren with NAFLD enrolled in the Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis Clinical Research Network were followed longitudinally. Incidence of T2D was determined by using clinical history and fasting laboratory values. Cumulative incidence curves were developed for time to T2D. A Cox regression multivariable model was constructed using best subsets Akaike's Information Criteria selection.ResultsThis study included 892 children with NAFLD and with a mean age of 12.8 years (2.7) followed for 3.8 years (2.3) with a total 3234 person-years at risk. The incidence rate of T2D was 3000 new cases per 100,000 person-years at risk. At baseline, 63 children had T2D, and during follow-up, an additional 97 children developed incident T2D, resulting in a period prevalence of 16.8%. Incident T2D was significantly higher in females versus males (hazard ratio [HR], 1.8 [1.0-2.8]), associated with BMI z-score (HR, 1.8 [1.0-3.0]), and more severe liver histology including steatosis grade (HR, 1.3 [1.0-1.7]), and fibrosis stage (HR, 1.3 [1.0-1.5]).ConclusionsChildren with NAFLD are at high risk for existing and incident T2D. In addition to known risk factors for T2D (female and BMI z-score), severity of liver histology at the time of NAFLD diagnosis was independently associated with T2D development. Targeted strategies to prevent T2D in children with NAFLD are needed

Rural Landscape Practices and Authority: Iron Age Cyprus and Assyria

Changes in rural landscape practices across time are increasingly attracting attention in archaeology. Though excavation of rural sites is becoming more common, the vast majority of rural sites in the ancient Mediterranean are still understood primarily through survey. This thesis asks how the organization of hinterland sites in Cyprus changed from the Late Bronze Age to the Iron Age and how these rural patterns fit within Cyprus’s regional and political context. I consider the results from several survey projects in Cyprus and northern Mesopotamia. I pay special attention to the Maroni valley in Cyprus, where I apply an underutilized statistical measure, Moran’s I. I argue that a cohesive pattern for Cyprus in the Iron Age can be identified, despite previous difficulties. I also argue that the changes observed in both the Cypriot and northern Mesopotamian rural landscape practices may be understood through the ideological and political lens of the Assyrian Empire

Problem based learning and medical malpractice: does how you've been trained make a difference?

Testing the hypothesis that physicians trained in problem based learning formats versus traditional lecture based formats develop equally strong physician-patient relationships, the rates of malpractice filings against graduates trained in each format at the John A. Burns' School of Medicine were compared. With the graduation of 10 more PBL classes, statistically significant differences between the two groups could be obtained

Improving the Availability and Delivery of Critical Information for Tight Gas Resource Development in the Appalachian Basin

To encourage, facilitate and accelerate the development of tight gas reservoirs in the Appalachian basin, the geological surveys in Pennsylvania and West Virginia collected widely dispersed data on five gas plays and formatted these data into a large database that can be accessed by individual well or by play. The database and delivery system that were developed can be applied to any of the 30 gas plays that have been defined in the basin, but for this project, data compilation was restricted to the following: the Mississippian-Devonian Berea/Murrysville sandstone play and the Upper Devonian Venango, Bradford and Elk sandstone plays in Pennsylvania and West Virginia; and the 'Clinton'/Medina sandstone play in northwestern Pennsylvania. In addition, some data were collected on the Tuscarora Sandstone play in West Virginia, which is the lateral equivalent of the Medina Sandstone in Pennsylvania. Modern geophysical logs are the most common and cost-effective tools for evaluating reservoirs. Therefore, all of the well logs in the libraries of the two surveys from wells that had penetrated the key plays were scanned, generating nearly 75,000 scanned e-log files from more than 40,000 wells. A standard file-naming convention for scanned logs was developed, which includes the well API number, log curve type(s) scanned, and the availability of log analyses or half-scale logs. In addition to well logs, other types of documents were scanned, including core data (descriptions, analyses, porosity-permeability cross-plots), figures from relevant chapters of the Atlas of Major Appalachian Gas Plays, selected figures from survey publications, and information from unpublished reports and student theses and dissertations. Monthly and annual production data from 1979 to 2007 for West Virginia wells in these plays are available as well. The final database also includes digitized logs from more than 800 wells, sample descriptions from more than 550 wells, more than 600 digital photos in 1-foot intervals from 11 cores, and approximately 260 references for these plays. A primary objective of the research was to make data and information available free to producers through an on-line data delivery model designed for public access on the Internet. The web-based application that was developed utilizes ESRI's ArcIMS GIS software to deliver both well-based and play-based data that are searchable through user-originated queries, and allows interactive regional geographic and geologic mapping that is play-based. System tools help users develop their customized spatial queries. A link also has been provided to the West Virginia Geological Survey's 'pipeline' system for accessing all available well-specific data for more than 140,000 wells in West Virginia. However, only well-specific queries by API number are permitted at this time. The comprehensive project web site (http://www.wvgs.wvnet.edu/atg) resides on West Virginia Geological Survey's servers and links are provided from the Pennsylvania Geological Survey and Appalachian Oil and Natural Gas Research Consortium web sites