Interdisciplinary Dissertation Research Among Public Health Doctoral Trainees, 2003-2015

Given the call for more interdisciplinary research in public health, the objectives of this study were to (1) examine the correlates of interdisciplinary dissertation completion and (2) identify secondary fields most common among interdisciplinary public health graduates. METHODS: We analyzed pooled cross-sectional data from 11 120 doctoral graduates in the Survey of Earned Doctorates, 2003-2015. The primary outcome was interdisciplinary dissertation completion. Covariates included primary public health field, sociodemographic characteristics, and institutional attributes. RESULTS: From 2003 to 2015, a total of 4005 of 11 120 (36.0%) doctoral graduates in public health reported interdisciplinary dissertations, with significant increases observed in recent years. Compared with general public health graduates, graduates of environmental health (odds ratio [OR] = 1.74; P < .001) and health services administration (OR = 1.38; P < .001) doctoral programs were significantly more likely to report completing interdisciplinary dissertation work, whereas graduates from biostatistics (OR = 0.51; P < .001) and epidemiology (OR = 0.76; P < .001) were less likely to do so. Completing an interdisciplinary dissertation was associated with being male, a non-US citizen, a graduate of a private institution, and a graduate of an institution with high but not the highest level of research activity. Many secondary dissertation fields reported by interdisciplinary graduates included other public health fields. CONCLUSION: Although interdisciplinary dissertation research among doctoral graduates in public health has increased in recent years, such work is bounded in certain fields of public health and certain types of graduates and institutions. Academic administrators and other stakeholders may use these results to inform greater interdisciplinary activity during doctoral training and to evaluate current and future collaborations across departments or schools

Influence of Adaptive Water Sports Programs on Quality of Life Perceptions for People with Disabilities: A Feasibility Study

This research sought to examine the relationship between participation in adapted water sports events and QoL. Additionally it sought to analyze the feasibility of the data collection methods from participants involved in adaptive water sport activities. In general, QoL remained the same after AWSP participation and participant surveys did not produce statistically significant information. The analysis of feasibility data collected indicated a need for better recruitment strategies, survey design, and timing of survey distribution

Cold and Warm Gas Outflows in Radio AGN

The study of the conditions and the kinematics of the gas in the central region of AGN provides important information on the relevance of feedback effects connected to the nuclear activity. Quantifying these effects is key for constraining galaxy evolution models. Here we present a short summary of our recent efforts to study the occurrence and the impact of gas outflows in radio-loud AGN that are in their first phase of their evolution. Clear evidence for AGN-induced outflows have been found for the majority of these young radio sources. The outflows are detected both in (warm) ionized as well in (cold) atomic neutral gas and they are likely to be driven (at least in most of the cases) by the interaction between the expanding jet and the medium. The mass outflow rates of the cold gas (HI) appear to be systematically higher than those of the ionized gas. The former reach up to ~50 Msun/yr, and are in the same range as "mild" starburst-driven superwinds in ULIRGs, whilst the latter are currently estimated to be a few solar masses per year. However, the kinetic powers associated with these gaseous outflow are a relatively small fraction (a few x 10^-4) of the Eddington luminosity of the galaxy. Thus, they do not appear to match the requirements of the galaxy evolution feedback models.Comment: Invited talk, to appear in the Proceedings of the IAU Symposium 267, "Co-Evolution of Central Black Holes and Galaxies", B.M. Peterson, R.S. Somerville, T. Storchi-Bergmann, eds., in pres

The impact of warm-up on youth golfer clubhead speed and self-reported shot quality

Background/Purpose: Physical preparation in golf is now considered a key component of the game. With players becoming more athletic, warm-up has become an important area in a player's preparation for practice and competition. Much of the research to date has focused on the adult golfer, showing potential for improvements in clubhead speed, driving distance and shot quality, as well as reductions in injury risk. However, there is currently no work specifically investigating the impacts of warm-up in youth golf. The aim of this study was to examine the impact of a club only warm-up and a dynamic exercise routine followed by a club warm-up on club head speed and self-reported shot quality. Methods: Using a counterbalanced repeated measures design, eight male and 13 female youth golfers completed a control (no warm-up), club only warm-up and an exercise based dynamic warm-up followed by club warm-up on three non-consecutive days. In each session, players were required to hit 10 maximal effort shots with a driver and clubhead speed (CHS) was recorded using a launch monitor alongside self-reported shot quality scores. Results: Statistically significant improvements in clubhead speed and self-reported shot quality were seen in the dynamic warm-up combined with club warm-up. No significant differences were seen in the club-warm up only or control groups for either clubhead speed or self-reported shot quality. Conclusion: A combined dynamic physical warm-up and club warm-up improves clubhead speed and self-reported shot quality in youth golfers. However, a club warm-up alone does not seem to be sufficient in eliciting these same improvements. Level of Evidence: 3

The genetic basis of disease

Genetics plays a role, to a greater or lesser extent, in all diseases. Variations in our DNA and differences in how that DNA functions (alone or in combinations), alongside the environment (which encompasses lifestyle), contribute to disease processes. This review explores the genetic basis of human disease, including single gene disorders, chromosomal imbalances, epigenetics, cancer and complex disorders, and considers how our understanding and technological advances can be applied to provision of appropriate diagnosis, management and therapy for patients

Utah\u27s Water Future: Perspectives on Water Issues in Utah\u27s Wasatch Range Metropolitan Area

The iUTAH Household Survey was conducted in 2014 during a time when the State of Utah was initiating various activities aimed at charting a long-term strategy for securing Utah’s water future. Water is currently high on the state’s public policy agenda due to Utah’s rapid population growth and urbanization, future water supply uncertainties related to climate change, and the political challenges of allocating increasingly limited regional water supplies. In order to provide information relevant to water policy, planning and management, the survey focused on understanding residents’ water management practices, water experiences and concerns, as well as their support for various state and local water policies and programs. The iUTAH Household Survey gathered data from over 2,300 residents in 23 different neighborhoods that represent the diverse types of urban development occurring in the Wasatch Range Metropolitan Area of Northern Utah. The survey was successful in capturing the views, experiences, and priorities of a representative cross-section of adults living in Utah’s urban areas. Study neighborhoods were selected based upon development of a detailed urban neighborhood typology. Using a drop-off/pick-up method, the research team received responses from over 62% of the randomly selected households within study neighborhoods. This report summarizes overall findings from the survey research effort, with an emphasis on comparing the four broad study locations of Salt Lake City, other parts of the Salt Lake Valley, the Cache Valley, and the Heber Valley. Our analysis presents some overarching themes that appear across our entire study area, but also highlights differences across these four locations