The impact of working in eating disorder settings on staff

Objective: Research into how staff working in eating disorder setting may be affected by their work is still a reasonably new area, with many previous studies relying on homogenous groups for recruitment or utilising survey based methodologies. Therefore, this study used a grounded theory approach to construct a theory of changes to body image, perceptions of food and diet experienced by clinicians, how these changes are experiences or made sense of, and what factors may contribute to these changes. Method: Thirteen members of staff were interviewed about their body image and eating habits before and since working in eating disorder settings. Participants were drawn from a range of different staff groups. Interviews were analysed using grounded theory to develop a theoretical model of why changes to body image and eating habits may occur. Results: Three core categories were defined, and a theoretical model was postulated in which pre-existing body image and ideas of food, the work environment, access to support, the impact of patients themselves and promotion of chaotic eating through the work itself all interplay to create change. Individual differences in management and the “personalised meaning” ascribed to these changes media how these changes are labelled and managed. Implications for future research and clinical practice are discussed

Plasma properties and Stokes profiles during the lifetime of a photospheric magnetic bright point

Aims: to investigate the evolution of plasma properties and Stokes parameters in photospheric magnetic bright points using 3D magneto-hydrodynamical simulations and radiative diagnostics of solar granulation. Methods: simulated time-dependent radiation parameters and plasma properties were investigated throughout the evolution of a bright point. Synthetic Stokes profiles for the FeI 630.25 nm line were calculated, which allowed the evolution of the Stokes-I line strength and Stokes-V area and amplitude asymmetries to also be investigated. Results: our results are consistent with theoretical predictions and published observations describing convective collapse, and confirm this as the bright point formation process. Through degradation of the simulated data to match the spatial resolution of SOT, we show that high spatial resolution is crucial for the detection of changing spectro-polarimetric signatures throughout a magnetic bright point's lifetime. We also show that the signature downflow associated with the convective collapse process is reduced towards zero as the radiation intensity in the bright point peaks, due to the magnetic forces present restricting the flow of material in the flux tube.Comment: 14 pages, 12 figures, accepted to A&

Probing the Low Surface Brightness Dwarf Galaxy Population of the Virgo Cluster

We have used public data from the Next Generation Virgo Survey (NGVS) to investigate the dwarf galaxy population of the Virgo cluster beyond what has previously been discovered. We initially mask and smooth the data, and then use the object detection algorithm Sextractor to make our initial dwarf galaxy selection. All candidates are then visually inspected to remove artefacts and duplicates. We derive Sextractor parameters to best select low surface brightness galaxies using g band central surface brightness values of 22.5 to 26.0 mag sq arc sec and exponential scale lengths of 3.0 - 10.0 arc sec to identify 443 cluster dwarf galaxies - 303 of which are new detections. These new detections have a surface density that decreases with radius from the cluster centre. We also apply our selection algorithm to 'background', non-cluster, fields and find zero detections. In combination, this leads us to believe that we have isolated a cluster dwarf galaxy population. The range of objects we are able to detect is limited because smaller scale sized galaxies are confused with the background, while larger galaxies are split into numerous smaller objects by the detection algorithm. Using data from previous surveys combined with our data, we find a faint end slope to the luminosity function of -1.35+/-0.03, which does not significantly differ to what has previously been found for the Virgo cluster, but is a little steeper than the slope for field galaxies. There is no evidence for a faint end slope steep enough to correspond with galaxy formation models, unless those models invoke either strong feedback processes or use warm dark matter.Comment: Accepted for publication in MNRA

Nitrous Oxie-Curare Anesthesia: Reappraisal

Of the many inhalation drugs available today, nitrous oxide is the only one which is both non-explosive and non-toxic. Although the compound is rarely listed as a primary agent, it is used on almost every patient. The usefulness of nitrous oxide tends to be dismissed because it is considered to be relatively weak. However, with the continuing trend toward lighter anesthesia seen during the past quarter century, this viewpoint is no longer reasonable. The fact that MAC for halothane can be reduced to one third by the addition of 70% nitrous oxide attests to the drug\u27s potency

Teaching Literacy Strategies in Math

This study sought to determine the effectiveness of incorporating literacy strategies during math instruction. In distinct lessons, a class of sixteen students was given instruction in the strategies of using key words, visualization, and graphic organizers to solve word problems. The students rated the difficulty of the problems on a scale of too easy , \u27just right , and too hard both before and after the reading strategy lessons to assess if the use of the strategy changed their perception. The test-retest with equivalent forms method of estimating reliability was used to give a measure of stability and equivalence. A matched pair analysis using the t test of significance was performed to determine if there was a significant correlation between the pre-test and the post-test after instruction in the use of comprehension strategies for solving math word problems. Triangulation of the data was used to establish the validity of the results. Each student\u27s independently assessed reading level was examined to determine if there was a relationship between reading proficiency and the results of the mathematics assessment. Previous math assessment was examined for a correlation with current scores. The students\u27 perception of the difficulty they experienced in their attempt to solve the word problems was analyzed for a possible correlation with their test results. Students demonstrated an increase in \u27performance level scores for each strategy between pre-test and post-test. The second trial of visualization produced a significant change from pretest to post-test scores. Most students preferred using visualization as a strategy to help solve mathematical word problems. Future research using a larger and more diverse student population could lead to a better understanding of the relationship between literacy strategies and mathematical reasoning

The geology and geochemistry of volcanic rocks in the Lava Mountains, California: Implications for Miocene development of the Garlock Fault

The Lava Mountains are located in the Mojave Desert, southern California along the Garlock Fault, a major continental strike-slip fault that separates the southwestern Basin and Range to the north from the Mojave block to the south. Chemical similar dacitic lava and pyroclastic flows erupted from the 9-km diameter Western Lava Mountains volcano. Dacites with limited chemical variability reflect interaction of mantle derived basalt with both metabasalt and graywacke of the Mesozoic Rand Schist and Cretaceous Atolia-type granitoids. Geophysical data suggests a low angle contact between these lithologies at a depth of about 20 km. This boundary may have served as a density barrier to rising magma. Magma trapped at this barrier could not ascend until it evolved by fractional crystallization and assimilation to a density less than that of the host rock. This density was achieved as soon as SiO2 evolved to values greater than about 63 wt.%; the resulting magma corresponds to the composition of Lava Mountains dacite. Both geochemistry and stratigraphy were used to develop correlations of volcanic units across the Garlock Fault between the Lava Mountains to the south and the El Paso Mountains to the north of the fault. This work demonstrated a total of 32--40 km movement of the fault since 10.3 Ma, which indicates a displacement rate of 3.1--3.8 mm/yr