Lead Poisoning Thresholds and Triggers

Lead poisoning remains a significant problem in the United States, especially in cities like Buffalo with old housing stock and concentrated poverty. Young children are particularly vulnerable to the dangers of lead toxicity because they are in a continuous state of growth and development

Analytical and experimental studies of shock interference heating in hypersonic flows

An analytical and experimental study is presented of the aerodynamic heating resulting from six types of shock interference patterns encountered in high speed flow. Centerline measurements of pressure and heat transfer distributions on basic bodies were obtained in four wind tunnels for Mach numbers from 6 to 20, specific heat ratios from 1.27 to 1.67, and free stream Reynolds numbers from 3 million to 25.6 million per meter. Peak heating and peak pressures up to 17 and 7.5 times stagnation values, respectively, were measured. In general, results obtained from semiempirical methods developed for each of the six types of interference agreed with the experimental peaks

Deeside (North Wales) thematic geological mapping

This study was commissioned by the Department of the Environment on behalf of the Welsh Office and was funded jointly by the Department of the Environment and the British Geological Survey. Its principal aim was to produce a synthesis of geological information relevant to the planning of land-use and development in the Deeside area of Clwyd (North Wales). The intention is that this report presents that information in a style comprehensible to those involved in planning and development and little geological knowledge is required to be able to use it. Much of the information is provided on a series of seven thematic maps, each of which concentrates on a specific aspect of the geology. In addition to the information contained in the report, sources of other more detailed data are indicated

Relationships between stressful life events, psychological distress and resilience among Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal adolescents

Objective(s): In order to shed light on the impacts of various stressful life events and resilience factors during adolescence and across different cultural backgrounds, this study explored a variety of protective and vulnerability factors associated with psychological distress among Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal youth. Methods: The participants were 207 adolescents (mean age = 15.8 years, 55% female, 45% Aboriginal) recruited from two secondary schools located in Innu communities of Saguenay-Lac-St-Jean and Côte Nord (Canada). Data were collected on psychological distress, exposure to stressful life events, and resilience. Results: Six multiple linear regressions were conducted to predict six dimensions of psychological distress. Sexual abuse, family violence and other stressful life events were all associated with higher levels of psychological symptoms. Individual resilience factors were associated with lower levels of depression, anxiety, dissociation and post-traumatic stress (PTS), whereas relational/familial resilience factors were associated with lower levels of anger and sexual concerns. The relationship with contextual resilience was not significant. Conclusions and implications: Overall, these results indicate that stressful life events such as sexual abuse and family violence may have deleterious effects on the mental health of Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal adolescents. However, some individual and relational factors may have positive effects on their mental health. These findings may provide hope for communities under greater stress and support the importance of establishing culturally sensitive intervention strategies that strengthen the key protective factors identified in this study

Best friends: children use mutual gaze to identify friendships in others

This study examined children’s ability to use mutual eye gaze as a cue to friendships in others. In Experiment 1, following a discussion about friendship, 4-, 5-, and 6-year-olds were shown animations in which three cartoon children looked at one another, and were told that one target character had a best friend. Although all age groups accurately detected the mutual gaze between the target and another character, only 5- and 6-year-olds used this cue to infer friendship. Experiment 2 replicated the effect with 5- and 6-year-olds when the target character was not explicitly identified. Finally, in Experiment 3, where the attribution of friendship could only be based on synchronized mutual gaze, 6-year-olds made this attribution, while 4- and 5-year-olds did not. Children occasionally referred to mutual eye gaze when asked to justify their responses in Experiments 2 and 3, but it was only by the age of 6 that reference to these cues correlated with the use of mutual gaze in judgements of affiliation. Although younger children detected mutual gaze, it was not until 6 years of age that children reliably detected and justified mutual gaze as a cue to friendship

Pondering Theory within Extension & Community Education: An Exploration of New Frontiers & Frameworks

A century after its humble beginnings, Cooperative Extension persists in being a strong foundation for rural communities within the United States, as well as a unique model for community education globally. Still, in our contemporary landscape, some would argue that if extension doesn’t evolve and transform, it could become irrelevant. As we look to the 21st Century, we propose five novel academic frameworks that, while respecting the traditions of extension, help to explain and move forward international extension and education processes within contemporary society. The innovative frameworks introduced are: the Emotional-Behavioral Influence Model, the Community Psychosocial Model, the Symbiotic Model of Community Reciprocity, Foundational Phases for Community Development and the Model of Urban Extension. Utilizing Extensionista as the setting in which to apply these frameworks, the authors demonstrate the utility of each model. Ultimately, these innovative frameworks are intended to augment and challenge the landscape of extension, both domestically and globally, into a more relevant future

Developing a Research Mentorship Program: The American Society of Pediatric Nephrology's Experience

Background: Most pediatric nephrologists work in academia. Mentor-mentee relationships provide support and guidance for successful research career. Mentorship program implementation is valuable in medical fields for providing research opportunities to young faculty. Methods: The American Society of Pediatric Nephrology (ASPN) established a research mentorship program to (a) assist with matching of appropriate mentor-mentee dyads and (b) establish metrics for desirable mentor-mentee outcomes with two independent components: (1) the grants review workshop, a short-term program providing mentor feedback on grant proposals, and (2) the longitudinal program, establishing long-term mentor-mentee relationships. Regular surveys of both mentors and mentees were reviewed to evaluate and refine the program. Results: Twelve mentees and 17 mentors participated in the grant review workshop and 19 mentees were matched to mentors in the longitudinal program. A review of NIH RePORTER data indicated that since 2014, 13 NIH grants have been awarded. Mentees in the longitudinal program reported that the program helped most with identifying an outside mentor, improving grant research content, and with general career development. Mentors perceived themselves to be most helpful in assisting with overall career plans. Email communications were preferred over phone or face-to-face communications. Mentees endorsed strong interest in staying in touch with their mentors and 100% of mentors expressed their willingness to serve in the future. Conclusion: This mentorship program was initiated and supported by a relatively small medical society and has shown early success in cultivating mentoring relationships for a future generation of clinician-scientists