Gender differences in the impact of population-level alcohol policy interventions: evidence synthesis of systematic reviews

Background: Consistent review-level evidence supports the effectiveness of population-level alcohol policies in reducing alcohol-related harms. Such policies interact with well-established social, cultural and biological differences in how men and women perceive, relate to and use alcohol, and with wider inequalities, in ways which may give rise to gender differences in policy effectiveness.  Aims: To examine the extent to which gender-specific data and analyses were considered in, and are available from, systematic reviews of population-level alcohol policy interventions, and where possible, to conduct a narrative synthesis of relevant data.  Methods: A prior systematic ‘review of reviews’ of population level alcohol interventions 2002-2012 was updated to May 2014, all gender-relevant data extracted, and the level and quality of gender reporting assessed. A narrative synthesis of extracted findings was conducted.  Results: Sixty-three systematic reviews, covering ten policy areas, were included. Five reviews (8%) consistently provided information on baseline participation by gender for each individual study in the review and twenty-nine (46%) reported some gender-specific information on the impact of the policies under consideration. Specific findings include evidence of possible gender differences in the impact of and exposure to alcohol marketing, and a failure to consider potential unintended consequences and harm to others in most reviews.  Conclusions: Gender is poorly reported in systematic reviews of population-level interventions to reduce alcohol-related harm, hindering assessment of the intended and unintended effects of such policies on women and men

Forest plots in Excel: Moving beyond a clump of trees to a forest of visual information

Forest plots provide an effective means of presenting a wealth of information in a single graphic. Whether used to illustrate multiple results in a single study or the cumulative knowledge of an entire field, forest plots have become an accepted and generally understood way of presenting many estimates simultaneously. This article explores advanced uses of the forest plot with the intent of highlighting the flexibility of Excel in generating both simple and complex forest plots. A step-by-step tutorial is included with specific directions for generating a stratified forest plot and general suggestions for modifying the forest plot to meet the user’s specific needs. Accessed 35,975 times on https://pareonline.net from April 29, 2013 to December 31, 2019. For downloads from January 1, 2020 forward, please click on the PlumX Metrics link to the right

Pinch Me - I'm Fusing!

The process of combining nuclei (the protons and neutrons inside an atomic nucleus) together with a release of kinetic energy is called fusion. This process powers the Sun, it contributes to the world stockpile of weapons of mass destruction and may one day generate safe, clean electrical power. Understanding the intricacies of fusion power, promised for 50 years, ,is sometimes difficult because there are a number of ways of doing it. There is hot fusion, cold fusion and con-fusion. Hot fusion is what powers suns through the conversion of mass energy to kinetic energy. Cold fusion generates con-fusion and nobody really knows what it is. Honestly - this is true. There does seem to be something going on here; I just don't know what. Apparently some experimenters get energy out of a process many call cold fission but no one seems to know what it is, or how to do it reliably. It is not getting much attention from the mainline physics community. Even so, no one is generating electrical power for you and me with either method. In this article 1 will point out some basic features of the mainstream approaches taken to hot fusion power, as well as describe why z pinches are worth pursuing as a driver for a power reactor and may one day generate electrical power for mankind

Safety analysis of high pressure 3He-filled micro-channels for thermal neutron detection.

This document is a safety analysis of a novel neutron detection technology developed by Sandia National Laboratories. This technology is comprised of devices with tiny channels containing high pressure {sup 3}He. These devices are further integrated into large scale neutron sensors. Modeling and preliminary device testing indicates that the time required to detect the presence of special nuclear materials may be reduced under optimal conditions by several orders of magnitude using this approach. Also, these devices make efficient use of our {sup 3}He supply by making individual devices more efficient and/or extending the our limited {sup 3}He supply. The safety of these high pressure devices has been a primary concern. We address these safety concerns for a flat panel configuration intended for thermal neutron detection. Ballistic impact tests using 3 g projectiles were performed on devices made from FR4, Silicon, and Parmax materials. In addition to impact testing, operational limits were determined by pressurizing the devices either to failure or until they unacceptably leaked. We found that (1) sympathetic or parasitic failure does not occur in pressurized FR4 devices (2) the Si devices exhibited benign brittle failure (sympathetic failure under pressure was not tested) and (3) the Parmax devices failed unacceptably. FR4 devices were filled to pressures up to 4000 + 100 psig, and the impacts were captured using a high speed camera. The brittle Si devices shattered, but were completely contained when wrapped in thin tape, while the ductile FR4 devices deformed only. Even at 4000 psi the energy density of the compressed gas appears to be insignificant compared to the impact caused by the incoming projectile. In conclusion, the current FR4 device design pressurized up to 4000 psi does not show evidence of sympathetic failure, and these devices are intrinsically safe

Current initiation in low-density foam z-pinch plasmas

Low density agar and aerogel foams were tested as z-pinch loads on the SATURN accelerator. In these first experiments, we studied the initial plasma conditions by measuring the visible emission at early times with a framing camera and 1-D imaging. At later time, near the stagnation when the plasma is hotter, x-ray imaging and spectral diagnostics were used to characterize the plasma. Filamentation and arcing at the current contacts was observed. None of the implosions were uniform along the z-axis. The prime causes of these problems are believed to be the electrode contacts and the current return configuration and these are solvable. Periodic phenomena consistent with the formation of instabilities were observed on one shot, not on others, implying that there may be a way of controlling instabilities in the pinch. Many of the issues involving current initiation may be solvable. Solutions are discussed

Binary electrokinetic separation of target DNA from background DNA primers.

This report contains the summary of LDRD project 91312, titled ''Binary Electrokinetic Separation of Target DNA from Background DNA Primers''. This work is the first product of a collaboration with Columbia University and the Northeast BioDefense Center of Excellence. In conjunction with Ian Lipkin's lab, we are developing a technique to reduce false positive events, due to the detection of unhybridized reporter molecules, in a sensitive and multiplexed detection scheme for nucleic acids developed by the Lipkin lab. This is the most significant problem in the operation of their capability. As they are developing the tools for rapidly detecting the entire panel of hemorrhagic fevers this technology will immediately serve an important national need. The goal of this work was to attempt to separate nucleic acid from a preprocessed sample. We demonstrated the preconcentration of kilobase-pair length double-stranded DNA targets, and observed little preconcentration of 60 base-pair length single-stranded DNA probes. These objectives were accomplished in microdevice formats that are compatible with larger detection systems for sample pre-processing. Combined with Columbia's expertise, this technology would enable a unique, fast, and potentially compact method for detecting/identifying genetically-modified organisms and multiplexed rapid nucleic acid identification. Another competing approach is the DARPA funded IRIS Pharmaceutical TIGER platform which requires many hours for operation, and an 800k$ piece of equipment that fills a room. The Columbia/SNL system could provide a result in 30 minutes, at the cost of a few thousand dollars for the platform, and would be the size of a shoebox or smaller

Effectiveness of mass media campaigns to reduce alcohol consumption and harm: a systematic review

Aims: To assess the effectiveness of mass media messages to reduce alcohol consumption and related harms using a systematic literature review. Methods: Eight databases were searched along with reference lists of eligible studies. Studies of any design in any country were included, provided they evaluated a mass media intervention targeting alcohol consumption or related behavioural, social cognitive or clinical outcomes. Drink driving interventions and college campus campaigns were ineligible. Studies quality were assessed, data were extracted and a narrative synthesis conducted. Results: Searches produced 10,212 results and 24 studies were included in the review. Most campaigns used TV or radio in combination with other media channels, were conducted in developed countries and were of weak quality. There was little evidence of reductions in alcohol consumption associated with exposure to campaigns based on 13 studies which measured consumption, although most did not state this as a specific aim of the campaign. There were some increases in treatment seeking and information seeking and mixed evidence of changes in intentions, motivation, beliefs and attitudes about alcohol. Campaigns were associated with increases in knowledge about alcohol consumption, especially where levels had initially been low. Recall of campaigns was high. Conclusion: Mass media health campaigns about alcohol are often recalled by individuals, have achieved changes in knowledge, attitudes and beliefs about alcohol but there is little evidence of reductions in alcohol consumption

The Physics of Fast Z Pinches

The spectacular progress made during the last few years in reaching high energy densities in fast implosions of annular current sheaths (fast Z pinches) opens new possibilities for a broad spectrum of experiments, from x-ray generation to controlled thermonuclear fusion and astrophysics. Presently Z pinches are the most intense laboratory X ray sources (1.8 MJ in 5 ns from a volume 2 mm in diameter and 2 cm tall). Powers in excess of 200 TW have been obtained. This warrants summarizing the present knowledge of physics that governs the behavior of radiating current-carrying plasma in fast Z pinches. This survey covers essentially all aspects of the physics of fast Z pinches: initiation, instabilities of the early stage, magnetic Rayleigh-Taylor instability in the implosion phase, formation of a transient quasi-equilibrium near the stagnation point, and rebound. Considerable attention is paid to the analysis of hydrodynamic instabilities governing the implosion symmetry. Possible ways of mitigating these instabilities are discussed. Non-magnetohydrodynamic effects (anomalous resistivity, generation of particle beams, etc.) are summarized. Various applications of fast Z pinches are briefly described. Scaling laws governing development of more powerful Z pinches are presented. The survey contains 36 figures and more than 300 references

Development of a visible framing camera diagnostic for the study of current initiation in z-pinch plasmas

The authors assembled and tested a visible framing camera system to take 5 ns FWHM images of the early time emission from a z-pinch plasma. This diagnostic was used in conjunction with a visible streak camera allowing early time emissions measurements to diagnose current initiation. Individual frames from gated image intensifiers were proximity coupled to charge injection device (CID) cameras and read out at video rate and 8-bit resolution. A mirror was used to view the pinch from a 90-degree angle. The authors observed the destruction of the mirror surface, due to the high surface heating, and the subsequent reduction in signal reflected from the mirror. Images were obtained that showed early time ejecta and a nonuniform emission from the target. This initial test of the equipment highlighted problems with this measurement. They observed non-uniformities in early time emission. This is believed to be due to either spatially varying current density or heating of the foam. Images were obtained that showed early time ejecta from the target. The results and suggestions for improvement are discussed in the text

Hipotensión ortostática en los estudiantes de medicina

Orthostatic hypotension is conceived as a decrease in systolic blood pressure (SBP) by 20 mmHg or in diastolic blood pressure (DBP) by 10 mmHg during standing. It is part of a set of entities called dysautonomies, which are characterized by a variable deficiency of the autonomic nervous system. The present research aimed to determine the characteristics of orthostatic hypotension (HO) in medical students at a Public Health Hospital, located in the Iribarren Municipality, Lara state. This study is framed in the quantitative approach, supported by an exploratory field research, of a descriptive nature, of a non-experimental, transectional design. The study population consisted of 46 medical students, 34 female and 12 male, whose ages range between 22 and 28 years, to whom a structured survey was applied in order to collect information related to their demographic data and functional history. . Then their blood pressure was censored in sitting and standing. The data interpretation was carried out with descriptive statistics and was expressed in frequencies and percentages, representing the results in graphs. Among the findings, it was obtained that 41% of the sample presented symptoms of orthostatic intolerance. In addition, on physical examination, 14% presented HO, of which both the initial and the classic had the same percentages (50%) represented in 83% by womenLa hipotensión ortostática es concebida como el descenso de la presión arterial sistólica (PAS) en 20 mmHg o de la presión arterial diastólica (PAD) en 10 mmHg durante la bipedestación. Es parte de un conjunto de entidades llamadas disautonomías, las cuales se caracterizan por una deficiencia variable del sistema nervioso autónomo. La presente investigación tuvo como objetivo determinar las características de la hipotensión ortostática (HO) en los estudiantes de medicina de un Hospital de Salud Pública, ubicado en el Municipio Iribarren estado Lara. Este estudio está enmarcado en el enfoque cuantitativo, apoyado en una investigación de campo tipo exploratorio, de carácter descriptivo, de diseño transeccional, no experimental. La población de estudio estuvo conformada por 46 estudiantes de medicina, 34 femeninas y 12 masculinos, cuyas edades oscilan entre 22 y 28 años, a quienes se les aplicó una encuesta estructurada con el propósito de recabar información relacionada con sus datos demográficos y los antecedentes funcionales. Luego se les censó la presión arterial en sedestación y bipedestación. La interpretación de datos se realizó con la estadística descriptiva y fue expresada en frecuencias y porcentajes, representando los resultados en gráficos. Entre los hallazgos se obtuvo que 41% de la muestra, presentó síntomas de intolerancia ortostática. Además al examen físico 14% presentó HO, de los cuales tanto la inicial como la clásica tuvieron iguales porcentajes 50%representado en 83% por mujeres