Are people who participate in cultural activities more satisfied with life?

The influence of various aspects of life on wellbeing has been extensively researched. However, despite little empirical evidence, participation in leisure activities has been assumed to increase subjective wellbeing. Leisure is important because it is more under personal control than other sources of life satisfaction. This study asked whether people who participate in cultural leisure activities have higher life satisfaction than people who do not, if different types of leisure have the same influence on life satisfaction and if satisfaction is dependent on the frequency of participation or the number of activities undertaken. It used data from UKHLS Survey to establish associations between type, number and frequency of participation in leisure activities and life satisfaction. Results showed an independent and positive association of participation in sport, heritage and active-creative leisure activities and life satisfaction but not for participation in popular entertainment, theatre hobbies and museum/galleries. The association of reading hobbies and sedentary-creative activities and life satisfaction was negative. High life satisfaction was associated with engaging in a number of different activities rather than the frequency of participation in each of them. The results have implications for policy makers and leisure services providers, in particular those associated with heritage recreation. Subjective wellbeing measures, such as life satisfaction, and not economic measures alone should be considered in the evaluation of services. The promotion of leisure activities which are active and promote social interaction should be considered in programmes aimed at improving the quality of life

ICAR: endoscopic skull‐base surgery

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International Consensus Statement on Allergy and Rhinology: Allergic Rhinitis

Background: Critical examination of the quality and validity of available allergic rhinitis (AR) literature is necessary to improve understanding and to appropriately translate this knowledge to clinical care of the AR patient. To evaluate the existing AR literature, international multidisciplinary experts with an interest in AR have produced the International Consensus statement on Allergy and Rhinology: Allergic Rhinitis (ICAR:AR).Methods: Using previously described methodology, specific topics were developed relating to AR. Each topic was assigned a literature review, evidence-based review (EBR), or evidence-based review with recommendations (EBRR) format as dictated by available evidence and purpose within the ICAR:AR document. Following iterative reviews of each topic, the ICAR:AR document was synthesized and reviewed by all authors for consensus.Results: The ICAR:AR document addresses over 100 individual topics related to AR, including diagnosis, pathophysiology, epidemiology, disease burden, risk factors for the development of AR, allergy testing modalities, treatment, and other conditions/comorbidities associated with AR.Conclusion: This critical review of the AR literature has identified several strengths; providers can be confident that treatment decisions are supported by rigorous studies. However, there are also substantial gaps in the AR literature. These knowledge gaps should be viewed as opportunities for improvement, as often the things that we teach and the medicine that we practice are not based on the best quality evidence. This document aims to highlight the strengths and weaknesses of the AR literature to identify areas for future AR research and improved understanding. </p

Raman Scattering and Electrical Properties of TGS:PCo (9%) Crystal as Ambient Temperature IR Detector

We developed and adequately characterized the triglycine sulfate family crystals doped with specific molar percent of cobalt phosphate, TGS:PCo (9%). The crystals were grown by slow evaporation technique and the growth rates of different crystallographic planes are rather faster in comparison with the plane growth rates of pure TGS crystals. The introduction of $Co^{2+}$ ion as an active optical element to the structure of TGS crystal leads to optimization of some parameters such as optical quality, stability at ambient condition, Curie temperature, stronger Raman peaks, etc. Three new peaks at 460, 620 and 1368 $cm^{-1}$ were observed in the dispersive back scattering Raman spectra of the grown TGS:PCo (9%) crystal in comparison with the pure triglycine sulfate crystal

Mean fluoride (mg/l) in Larestan and Gerash cities' wells and number of the exposed people

Spatiotemporal variations of fluoride (F) from 2003 to 2010 in groundwater of Larestan and Gerash region in Iran were monitored employing Mann-Kendall trend test and a geospatial information system (GIS). The annual precipitation had a negative but not significant relation with the mean concentrations of F in the wells of eight cities (Pearson's r = -0.512, p = 0.195) and thirty-one villages (r = -0.545, p = 0.259) for the eight-year period. Results of Mann-Kendall trend test revealed that there is a trend in the series of one city and eleven village's individual-wells for the eight-year period (significant level alpha = 0.05). Moreover, spatiotemporal variations of fluoride were relatively constant over the years. Besides, in 2003 to 2010, 62.8, 63.2, 63.4, 62.8, 62.4, 62.7, 58.9, and 59.5 percent of the Larestan and Gerash region areas had fluoride concentrations beyond the maximum permissible standard F level of 1.4 mg/l. Accordingly, effective protective measures, cost-effective interventions, and compliance monitoring—monthly monitoring—should be considered, especially in unsafe contaminated areas up to achieve a standard level