Is all hypoglycaemia treated as equal? An observational study of how the type of diabetes and treatment prescribed prior to admission influences quality of treatment of inpatient hypoglycaemia

Aims: Inpatient hypoglycaemia is common and associated with adverse outcomes. There is often increased vigilance of hypoglycaemia in inpatients with type 1 diabetes (T1DM) compared to type 2 diabetes (T2DM). We aimed to investigate this apparent discrepancy, utilising the time to repeat (TTR) capillary blood glucose (CBG) measurement as a surrogate for engagement with guidelines stating that CBG should be rechecked following intervention within 15 min of an initial CBG of <4 mmol/L. Methods: This is an observational study of inpatient CBG data from 8 hospitals over a 7-year period. A national diabetes registry allowed identification of individual’s diagnosis and diabetes therapy. For each initial (index) CBG, the TTR for individuals with T2DM—on insulin or sulphonylurea—was compared with the TTR for individuals with T1DM, using a t test for significance performed on log(TTR). The median TTR was plotted for each group per index CBG. Results: In total, 1480,335 CBG measurements were obtained. A total of 26,664 were <4 mmol/L. The TTR in T2DM individuals on sulphonylurea was significantly greater than in T1DM individuals where index CBG was ≥2.3 mmol/L (except index CBG 2.6 mmol/L). For T2DM patients receiving insulin significance exists for index CBGs of ≥3.2 mmol/L. Conclusions: This analysis suggests that quality of care of hypoglycaemia varies according to diagnosis and medication. The group with the highest TTR (T2DM sulphonylurea treated) are possibly the clinical group in whom hypoglycaemia is most concerning. These data therefore suggest a need for education and raising awareness within the inpatient nursing staff

Health warning labels on alcohol products - the views of Australian university students

While Australian legislation does not currently require health warning labels on alcohol products, several medical and advocacy organisations have been campaigning for their mandatory inclusion. The current study examines the attitudes and opinions of university students (a particularly high risk group) relating to these messages, and the likelihood of such labeling influencing personal behaviours, in order to establish whether the introduction of these labels is likely to be effective. Alcohol warning labels have the potential to influence behaviours of adolescents and young adults, especially if modifications are made to the content and format of these – suggestions are given in this paper. Finally, results of this research indicate that such health messages must be integrated with other educational measures and strategies aiming to internalise alcohol risk information by changing beliefs and, ultimately, behaviours

Effects of Brush Management on Water Resources

For several decades, land managers have cleared brush species, such as mesquite and juniper (cedar), and observed increases in spring and streamflows. Scientists have also conducted numerous studies in which they have measured the effects of brush removal on different aspects of rangeland hydrology. These include the amount of rainfall that is intercepted and held by the plant leaves, surface runoff, spring flow, water use by individual plants and plant communities, fluctuation of shallow water tables, and streamflows. Considering this very diverse information, many scientists agree on several points: 1. The roots of some brush species extract water from greater depths than do grasses and forbs, and brush control can reduce the total amount of water used by vegetation. 2. Brush and other deep-rooted vegetation growing over shallow aquifers near streams can be expected to use large amounts of groundwater, likely reducing the amount in both the interconnected stream and aquifer. 3. Removal of brush like juniper and live oak from upland areas some distance from streams may increase streamflow and/or recharge aquifers especially when: 1. The brush canopy is dense and intercepts substantial amounts of rainfall (for example: dense juniper [cedar] or live oak stands), effectively reducing the amount of rainfall reaching the soil surface, and 2. Soils, subsoils and/or geologic strata are permeable, and streams in the area are fed by seeps and springs. Water can quickly percolate below the roots of grasses and forbs and move through subsurface pathways to local streams or aquifers. 4. Brush control in upland areas is unlikely to increase significantly water yields if soils and geologic formations are not conducive to increased runoff and/or subsurface flows to streams or to aquifers. 5. For brush control to have substantial long-term impacts on water yield, most or all of the woody vegetation in the treated area should be killed, and regrowth of brush and herbaceous vegetation should be controlled so that it is less dense and more shallow rooted than the pretreatment vegetation. 6. New science-based tools can help pinpoint locations where brush control should substantially increase water flows in streams. 7. A geographically targeted brush control program with careful scientific verification of impacts is needed to guide long-term brush control policies

Examining students' perceptions of study abroad programs involving sport through application of the social cognitive career theory

With sport organizations venturing into the global realm, it is important to discover sport management students' interest in studying abroad in sport. Previous research has attempted to discover career intentions using the social cognitive career theory (SCCT). SCCT focuses on the interaction of several factors which include personal behaviors such as self-efficacy, outcome expectations, choice goals, barriers, and supports. The purpose of this thesis was to identify barriers and supports to studying abroad, the relationship between the barriers and supports and one's study abroad self-efficacy, and the relationship among study abroad self-efficacy, outcome expectations, interests, and choice goals (i.e., intent). Two different studies were administered with Study One taking a qualitative approach to better analyze supports and barriers, while Study Two incorporated the results from Study One, providing a quantitative aspect to the research. Data were collected from sport management undergraduate students from a southwestern Division I institution for Study One (n = 19), as well as for Study Two (n = 71). Questionnaires for both studies were developed using the basic tenets of SCCT to measure self-efficacy, interest, intent, supports, barriers, and outcome expectations to studying abroad in sport. Data analysis included coding data into themes and calculating percentages for Study One, while items for Study Two were analyzed for reverse coding, and descriptive statistics for the study variables were performed. Means, standard deviations, and bivariate correlations were included with the statistics in Study Two. Likewise, linear regression and bivariate correlations were performed to evaluate the basic relationships between all the study variables within Study Two, while reliability estimates (Cronbach's alpha) for each study variable were assessed. The results revealed that barriers (e.g., cultural differences) and supports (e.g., further education) were correlated with self-efficacy. Furthermore, there were correlations between interest and intent, self-efficacy and interest, self-efficacy and intent, and self-efficacy and outcome expectations. Recommendations and implications were provided for sport management academia followed by limitations and future directions of this study

Two-Point Focused Laser Differential Interferometry Second-Mode Measurements at Mach 6

A two-point focused laser differential interferometer (FLDI) is used to make measurements of density fluctuations on a 7 degree half-angle cone in a Mach 6 flow. The system was first characterized in the laboratory using laser induced breakdown to provide a well defined density fluctuation. The speed of the shock wave generated by the breakdown is verified using simultaneous high-speed schlieren. The FLDI system is then installed at the NASA Langley 20-Inch Mach 6 air tunnel to make measurements in the boundary layer of the 7 degree half-angle cone model and in the tunnel freestream for a unit Reynolds number range of 3.0 to 8.22 x 10(exp 6)/ft. Second-mode packets are visible in the spectra, with peak frequencies increasing linearly and peak amplitude increasing as a function of unit Reynolds number. The two-point measurement allows for the calculation of the second-mode wavepacket speeds, which propagate between 88% and 92% of the freestream velocity of the tunnel for all Reynolds numbers. The FLDI measurements are compared to surface-mounted fast-response pressure transducer measurements, where second-mode frequencies and wavepacket speeds are in good agreement

What I say isn’t always what I do: Investigating differences in children’s reported and actual snack food preferences

The current study sought to explore discrepancies between children’s stated snack food motivations and actual food choices, using the Implicit Association Test (IAT) as a measure of implicit attitudes towards ‘healthy’ and ‘unhealthy’ foods. Participants were children aged 6-12 years (n=118), from two primary schools on the South Coast of NSW, Australia – a public school in a semi-rural suburb south of a sea-side city and a public school in a largely residential northern suburb of the same city. The children completed a questionnaire about motivations for snack choices, participated in an activity, completed two further questionnaires, selected snack foods from an in-class store, and participated in two rounds of an IAT ‘game’ pairing pictures of snack foods with positive and negative words. As hypothesized, the majority of children reported ‘healthiness’ as their primary motivator for snack food choice, but when faced with an actual purchase decision predominantly chose unhealthy snacks. It appears that children may have internalized the ‘moral’ values attributed to healthy and unhealthy foods and that this process influences both their explicit and implicit attitudes. However, their actual food choices are likely to be influenced by other factors, and thus more complex to understand and influence

2-D Circulation Control Airfoil Benchmark Experiments Intended for CFD Code Validation

A current NASA Research Announcement (NRA) project being conducted by Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI) personnel and NASA collaborators includes the development of Circulation Control (CC) blown airfoils to improve subsonic aircraft high-lift and cruise performance. The emphasis of this program is the development of CC active flow control concepts for both high-lift augmentation, drag control, and cruise efficiency. A collaboration in this project includes work by NASA research engineers, whereas CFD validation and flow physics experimental research are part of NASA s systematic approach to developing design and optimization tools for CC applications to fixed-wing aircraft. The design space for CESTOL type aircraft is focusing on geometries that depend on advanced flow control technologies that include Circulation Control aerodynamics. The ability to consistently predict advanced aircraft performance requires improvements in design tools to include these advanced concepts. Validation of these tools will be based on experimental methods applied to complex flows that go beyond conventional aircraft modeling techniques. This paper focuses on recent/ongoing benchmark high-lift experiments and CFD efforts intended to provide 2-D CFD validation data sets related to NASA s Cruise Efficient Short Take Off and Landing (CESTOL) study. Both the experimental data and related CFD predictions are discussed

Macroclimate and viticultural zoning in Europe: observed trends and atmospheric forcing

Temperature and precipitation are major forcing factors influencing grapevine phenology and yield, as well as wine quality. Bioclimatic indices describing the suitability of a particular region for wine production are a commonly used tool for viticultural zoning. For this research these indices were computed for Europe by using the E-OBS gridded daily temperature and precipitation data set for the period from 1950 to 2009. Results showed strong regional contrasts based on the different index patterns and reproduced the wide diversity of local conditions that largely explain the quality and diversity of grapevines being grown across Europe. Owing to the strong inter-annual variability in the indices, a trend analysis and a principal component analysis were applied together with an assessment of their mean patterns. Significant trends were identified in the Winkler and Huglin indices, particularly for southwestern Europe. Four statistically significant orthogonal modes of variability were isolated for the Huglin index (HI), jointly representing 82% of the total variance in Europe. The leading mode was largely dominant (48% of variance) and mainly reflected the observed historical long-term changes. The other 3 modes corresponded to regional dipoles within Europe. Despite the relevance of local and regional climatic characteristics to grapevines, it was demonstrated via canonical correlation analysis that the observed inter-annual variability of the HI was strongly controlled by the large-scale atmospheric circulation during the growing season (April to September)