Discussion and Presentation of the Disability Test Results from the Current Population Survey

In accordance with Executive Order 13078, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in cooperation with the Employment Rate Measurement Methodology interagency workgroup, identified the goal of placing a small set of questions within the Current Population Survey (CPS) to measure disability. A set of potential questions was drawn from existing surveys, cognitively tested, and placed in the National Comorbidity Survey (NCS) for testing. Based on an analysis of the NCS data, a set of seven questions was identified. These seven questions were then cognitively tested to ensure that they would work within the CPS context. This question set was placed in the February 2006 CPS for field testing. The two primary goals of the test were to compare the CPS disability rate to that obtained from the NCS, and to evaluate the effect on CPS response rates in the following month. Analysis of the test data revealed a lower overall disability rate as measured in the CPS than in the NCS, with lower positive response rates for each question. The data did not indicate that there was an adverse effect on the response rates for households that had received the disability questions.Disability, Current Population Survey

College Life Styles, Life Stressors and Health Status: Differences Along Gender Lines

The ability of students\u27 social supports, such as friends from high school and family, to effectively lessen stress often wanes during students\u27 transitions to postsecondary institutions (Ensel and Lin, 1991; Moss, 1973; Schutt, Tatjana and Rierdan, 1994; Thoits, 1995). It\u27s easy to intuit why this happens-During this major life change, most students add miles between themselves and people they have relied on for 18 years, break up with their significant others and promise to email the best friends they were used to seeing after school each day. College, most often the best years of a student\u27s life, at its first bloom (choosing a school) carries with it with high anxiety about changing location, routine and study habits; separation from friends; the learning environment; managing finances; and much more

An experimental study on MQL assisted high speed machining of NiTi shape memory alloy

Abstract: Nickel Titanium (NiTi) shape memory alloy is a prominent material for biomedical implants. Machining of shape memory alloy is challenging and requires intervention of sustainable techniques to produce quality products with minimum environmental footprints. This paper details the results of experimental investigation conducted on MQL assisted high speed machining of shape memory alloys. It reports the effect of MQL parameters on surface roughness and tool wear during turning (at speed 90 m/min) of NiTi shape memory alloy. Experiments are conducted based on Taguchi’s robust design of experiment technique with L9 orthogonal array. Rhomboid shaped simple carbide tool is selected for experimentation. Green lubricant which is a blend of natural, synthetic and sulphurized esters is used as MQL fluid. Three important MQL parameters such as flow rate, air pressure, and nozzle distance are varied at 3 levels each. Parameters are optimized to secure the optimum combination producing best surface finish (Ra~1.39μm) and tool flank wear 1.6 mm

Student Lifestyles and Emotional Well-Being at a Historically Black University

Quality of life, physical and mental health, and lifestyle behaviors were assessed in 500 graduate and undergraduate students at a Historically Black University. 82% of the sample rated their quality of life positively. 11.3% of the sample reported mild depression, while 4.9% and 1.1% of the sample reported moderate and severe depression respectively. 8.4% of the sample reported suicidal ideation within the past two weeks. Family, financial and academic stressors were found to be significant predictors of depressive symptoms. Implications for mental health care are discussed

PyMT-Maclow: A novel, inducible, murine model for determining the role of CD68 positive cells in breast tumor development

CD68+ tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) are pro-tumorigenic, pro-angiogenic and are associated with decreased survival rates in patients with cancer, including breast cancer. Non-specific models of macrophage ablation reduce the number of TAMs and limit the development of mammary tumors. However, the lack of specificity and side effects associated with these models compromise their reliability. We hypothesized that specific and controlled macrophage depletion would provide precise data on the effects of reducing TAM numbers on tumor development. In this study, the MacLow mouse model of doxycycline-inducible and selective CD68+ macrophage depletion was crossed with the murine mammary tumor virus (MMTV)-Polyoma virus middle T antigen (PyMT) mouse model of spontaneous ductal breast adenocarcinoma to generate the PyMT-MacLow line. In doxycycline-treated PyMT-MacLow mice, macrophage numbers were decreased in areas surrounding tumors by 43%. Reducing the number of macrophages by this level delayed tumor progression, generated less proliferative tumors, decreased the vascularization of carcinomas and down-regulated the expression of many pro-angiogenic genes. These results demonstrate that depleting CD68+ macrophages in an inducible and selective manner delays the development of mammary tumors and that the PyMT-MacLow model is a useful and unique tool for studying the role of TAMs in breast cancer

A North American Consortium on Rehabilitation Engineering and Technology for the Individual

The availability and accessibility of appropriate rehabilitative healthcare, medical technology and treatment is an important national and international issue of particular relevance due to recent national healthcare reform initiatives. The focus of this project was to increase global competencies and awareness among biomedical engineers of the differing rehabilitative healthcare needs in North America via student exchange with consortium institutions in the U.S., Canada and Mexico. The aim was to increase understanding of alternative healthcare delivery systems with respect to technology and interaction with diverse client populations in a clinical setting and to enhance the development and technology transfer of new scientific tools and techniques, medical devices, and related biomedical research. To date, more than 50 undergraduates have expressed interest in these programs, with over 30 students completing applications, and travel awards extended to 18 students (16 of whom opted to participate in study abroad experiences). Assessment tools included: a healthcare survey, two case study reports, global perspectives inventory documenting cultural differences, cultural comforts and the campus environment for culture and cultural tolerance, and interviews of the exchange participants and faculty research mentors by the external program evaluator

Mechanical advantaged single drum vibratory roller earth compactor design for rural road construction, maintenance & upgrading within S.A.

Abstract: “Rural South Africa is characterised by poor infrastructure, large distances, dispersed demand and low incomes. There are also historical backlogs in service delivery, rural people also have poor access to basic social services and the economic mainstream [1].” Rural areas in South Africa are in need of better services regarding their existing infrastructure and maintenance. Some services includes the building, upgrading and maintenance of roads [1]. These roads have to be cost effective and yet efficient enough to carry the loads and traffic of vehicles that will use these roads. Roads are the backbone of rural well-being and advances rural economy in many ways. Without proper roads, accessibility becomes a huge problem and thus the rural economy suffers. Road building is subjective to many types of road construction machinery. These machines are used at various stages of the road construction process. Due to budget constraints that local municipalities encounter in rural areas, expensive machinery to build and maintain these roads are difficult or in some cases almost impossible to purchase. To alleviate the constraints rural budgets are facing, a fresh look has to be taken on the cost of road construction machinery. In this dissertation, focus is placed on the compaction part of the earth road building process and the ultimate design of a towed road roller...M.Tech. (Mechanical Engineering

Evaluation of delirium screening tools in geriatric medical inpatients: a diagnostic test accuracy study

Introduction: screening all unscheduled older adults for delirium is recommended in national guidelines, but there is no consensus on how to perform initial assessment. Aim: to evaluate the test accuracy of five brief cognitive assessment tools for delirium diagnosis in routine clinical practice. Methods: a consecutive cohort of non-elective, elderly care (older than 65 years) hospital inpatients admitted to a geriatric medical assessment unit of an urban teaching hospital. Reference assessments were clinical diagnosis of delirium performed by elderly care physicians. Routine screening tests were: Abbreviated Mental Test (AMT-10, AMT-4), 4 A's Test (4AT), brief Confusion Assessment Method (bCAM), months of the year backwards (MOTYB) and informant Single Question in Delirium (SQiD). Results: we assessed 500 patients, mean age 83 years (range = 66−101). Clinical diagnoses were: 93 of 500 (18.6%) definite delirium, 104 of 500 (20.8%) possible delirium and 277 of 500 (55.4%) no delirium; 266 of 500 (53.2%) were identified as definite or possible dementia. For diagnosis of definite delirium, AMT-4 (cut-point < 3/4) had a sensitivity of 92.7% (95% confidence interval (CI): 84.8–97.3), with a specificity of 53.7% (95% CI: 48.1–59.2); AMT-10 (<4/10), MOTYB (<4/12) and SQiD showed similar performance. bCAM had a sensitivity of 70.3% (95% CI: 58.5–80.3) with a specificity of 91.4% (95% CI: 87.7–94.3). 4AT (>4/12) had a sensitivity of 86.7% (95% CI: 77.5–93.2) and specificity of 69.5% (95% CI: 64.4–74.3). Conclusions: short screening tools such as AMT-4 or MOTYB have good sensitivity for definite delirium, but poor specificity; these tools may be reasonable as a first stage in assessment for delirium. The 4AT is feasible and appears to perform well with good sensitivity and reasonable specificity

Field Survey of Cactus Crater Storage Facility (Runit Dome)

The US Department of Energy, Office of Health and Safety (DOE/HS-10), requested that National Security Technologies, LLC, Environmental Management directorate (NSTec/EM) perform a field survey of the Cactus Crater Storage Facility (Runit Dome), similar to past surveys conducted at their request. This field survey was conducted in conjunction with a Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) mission on Runit Island in the Enewetak Atoll in the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI). The survey was strictly a visual survey, backed up by digital photos and a written description of the current condition