Unfit for Service: The Implications of Rising Obesity for U.S. Military Recruitment

This paper contributes to the literature on the labor market consequences of unhealthy behaviors and poor health by examining a previously underappreciated consequence of the rise in obesity in the United States: challenges for military recruitment. Specifically, this paper estimates the percent of the U.S. military-age population that meets, and does not meet, current active duty enlistment standards for weight-for-height and percent body fat for the U.S. Army, using data from the series of National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys that spans 1959-2008. We calculate that the percentage of military-age adults ineligible for enlistment because they are overweight and overfat doubled for men and tripled for women during that time. We document disparities across race, education, and age in meeting the standards, and finds that a further rise of just 1% in weight and body fat would further reduce eligibility for military service by over 600,000 men and 1 million women of military age. The paper concludes with a discussion of the implications for military recruitment and military policy.military, obesity, labor

Migration and social change in remote rural areas: a Scottish Highland case study

The thesis draws on research carried out in a small village on the west coast of the Scottish Highlands, anonymised here as Bailemor in the parish of Beulach.Whilst there have been considerable numbers of community studies carried out in the Highlands and Islands, the thesis is unusual in its methodological approach, combining a long fieldwork period of participant observation, taped interviews, and the use of data such as the Census Small Area Statistics and Register of Sasines. Furthermore, the thesis deals with issues previously often examined only by means of survey data, principally the process of migration and especially 'rural renaissance'. It is argued that quantitative data alone does not examine these processes adequately, often creating a two dimensional 'snapshot in time'. Instead, the thesis draws upon rich fieldwork data to show how participant observation can add to understanding, and through fieldnotes and qualitative interviews presents the complexities and subtleties of migration in and out of the parish.The thesis consists of a literature review, methodology chapter and descriptive chapter which form the context for the four main data chapters. The central focus of migration provides empirical evidence of demographic and historical change, which is used to analyse the experience of 'rural renaissance' in one small community, leading to the argument that such communities have a critical 'viability threshold'. Examining migration also gives scope for theoretical discussion of 'belonging' and social interaction. Migration decisions over time and social change in the parish are looked at through family history interviews. Contentious issues of belonging and localness are analysed in depth, linked to the gossip, humour and conflict of everyday life. One crofting township is examined in detail as a microcosm of all issues involved.The thesis makes a significant contribution to the field both in its methodological discussion, and in the research findings and associated analysis. As an in-depth micro-level study, it helps to fill an identified gap in the literature. Key findings include that incomer/local statuses are not a dichotomy, nor even simply the more subtle 'continuum' of recent writing. Rather, they are mobilised and deployed selectively, in specific contexts. The thesis also highlights the significance of personal relationships, both in terms of 'belonging' and as the crucial factor underpinning many migration decisions. This aspect of social change and migration has been neglected so far in the literature. Countering the common-sense perception of Highland in-migration, and earlier research into similar communities, the thesis finds that Bailemor is relatively open to newcomers, and that despite the erosion of cross-cutting ties of mutual interdependence, practices such as gossip and nicknaming have survived in social interaction.While the thesis is a community study insofar as it is grounded in a substantial period of fieldwork in one area, it is a study of sociological issues in a community, rather than simply a study of a particular place. It is argued in the conclusion that the future of community studies lies in this direction, and there is much potential for further research building on the work of the current thesis

Towards molecular machine functionalised biological and biomimetic systems

Overall this thesis describes the study of the ability of the tetracationic cyclophane CBPQT4+ to form inclusion complexes with electron-rich moieties such as tetrathiafulvalene (TTF) and dioxynaphthalene. These complexes are strengthened by π-stacking and charge transfer interactions, which give rise to coloured complexes. The complexes are fully reversible and can be decomplexed by the addition of a stimulus that can be chemical, electrochemical, and thermal. In addition we have exploited the ability of ferrocene to form inclusion complexes with cyclodextrins in aqueous media. The host-guest interactions that occur between these molecules were investigated using a number of techniques such as UV-Vis, fluorescence, NMR spectroscopy and cyclic voltammetry. Isothermal titration calorimetery (ITC) was also be used to measure the Ka of the complexes. Chapter two describes the synthesis of naphthalene and ferrocene functionalised dihydroimidazophenanthridines (DIPs). These materials were synthesised in order to create DNA intercalating agents that could undergo further host-guest interactions with either CBPQT4+ or β-cyclodextrin. These interactions were studied using ITC in a number of aqueous buffers with calf thymus DNA and the synthetic Dickerson dodecamer D-DNA. Additionally, the host-guest interactions for the naphthalene functionalised DIP with CBPQT4+ were studied using UV-Vis, fluorescence and NMR spectroscopy. The cytotoxic nature of the functionalised DIPs were investigated using MDCK epithelial cell culture experiments. Chapter three describes the synthesis and analysis of silane and disulfides modified with chosen electron rich substrates for the production of functionalised surfaces where self-assembled monolayers were produced on either glass or gold surfaces. These functionalised surfaces were then utilised in cell adhesion experiments with MDCK cells where the modulation of adhesion was attempted by the formation of pseudorotaxanes with either CBPQT4+ or β-cyclodextrin and by changing the oxidation state of the functional group in the case of ferrocene. Chapter four describes the synthesis of functionalised diacetylenes for the formation of polydiacetylene liposomes in aqueous conditions. The liposomes successfully formed were analysed by DLS. UV-Vis spectroscopy and cyclic voltammetry were used to investigate the dual response chromophoric sensing applications of these materials. Chapter five describes the synthesis of functionalised surfactant compounds for the formation of mixed micelles in aqueous conditions with sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS). The interactions between the surfactant and CBPQT4+ were measured by ITC, NMR, UV-Vis, and fluorescence spectroscopy. Chapter six describes the modification of the protein BSA with a naphthalene functionalised chloroacetate. The modified protein was analysed by ITC, MALDI TOF, UV-Vis, and fluorescence spectroscopy in order to identify the degree of functionalisation that had occurred and whether complexation was possible with CBPQT4+. Chapter seven describes the synthesis of a naphthalene, and two ferrocene functionalised biotin conjugates with a view to investigate the interactions with avidin proteins. The interactions were measured by ITC and UV-Vis spectroscopy. The effect of changing the chain length on binding to neutravidin and β-cyclodextrin was studied in the ferrocene biotin conjugates where the interactions were assessed using ITC, cyclic voltammetry, and NMR spectroscopy. The interactions between the naphthalene based conjugate and CBPQT4+ was measured by UV-Vis and fluorescence spectroscopy

Expanding Public Insurance Eligibility Increases Substance Use Treatment Provider Acceptance of Public Insurance and Increases Adolescent Access to Treatment

Expanding eligibility thresholds for Medicaid and CHIP leads to increased access to and use of substance use treatment among adolescents

Unfit for Service: The Implications of Rising Obesity for U.S. Military Recruitment

Excess body weight or body fat hinders performance of military duties. As a result, the U.S. military has weight-for-height and percent body fat standards for enlistment. This paper estimates the number and percent of military-age civilians who meet, and do not meet, the current active duty enlistment standards for weight and body fat for the four major armed services (Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps), using data from the full series of National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys that spans 1959-2008. We find that the percent of civilian military-age men and women who satisfy current military enlistment standards for weight-for-height and percent body fat has fallen considerably. This is due to a large increase in the percentage who are both overweight and overfat, which roughly doubled for men and more than tripled for women between 1959-62 and 2007-08. As of 2007-08, 5.7 million men (11.70%) and 16.5 million women (34.65%) of military age exceed the U.S. Army’s enlistment standards for weight-for-height and percent body fat. The implications of rising obesity for the U.S. military are especially acute given its recent difficulties in recruiting a sufficient number of new high quality service members in the midst of combat operations overseas.

Synthesis of new flavin-based rotaxanes

In recent years the development of interlocked structures has been of significant importance for the expansion of molecular machines. In particular those that incorporate the rotaxane architecture, so as to utilise the shuttling properties associated with the class of structure. The research described herein is of the synthesis of a new class of flavin based [2] rotaxanes, such that the flavin moiety acts as the rotaxane stoppers. The construction of the rotaxane threads from two modified flavin architectures are reported within. With the use of trifluoromethyl flavin and dimethoxy flavin units, the symmetric bis-trifluoromethyl-flavin stoppered axle, and the asymmetric trifluoromethyl-dimethoxy flavin stoppered axle units were synthesised, and the corresponding interlocked [2] rotaxane structures are described. The expectation is that these systems will lead to the development of new flavin based molecular machines, by the virtue of the redox induced shuttling properties that are inherent in these types of systems