Session 4-2-A: Taking the Disorder out of Gambling Disorder

DSM‐5 Gambling Disorder A. Persistent and recurrent problematic gambling behavior leading to clinically significant impairment or distress, as indicated by four (or more) of the following in a 12‐month period: A. Persistent and recurrent maladaptive gambling behavior as indicated by five (or more) of the following

Restaurant site selection

"Restaurant site selection is a complex decision often made without proper planning or sufficient information. It is generally held that the site selection process is more art than science and therefore difficult to quantify. The most important aspect of site selection is to assure that all factors that could possibly have any bearing on the decision are considered carefully."--First paragraph.Neil P. Quirk (Management Assistance Officer, Small Business Administration ; St. Louis), Robert F. Lukowski and Dante M. Laudadio (State Extension Specialists, Food Service and Lodging Management ; University of Missouri--Columbia)Includes bibliographical references

Ignition of thermally sensitive explosives between a contact surface and a shock

The dynamics of ignition between a contact surface and a shock wave is investigated using a one-step reaction model with Arrhenius kinetics. Both large activation energy asymptotics and high-resolution finite activation energy numerical simulations are employed. Emphasis is on comparing and contrasting the solutions with those of the ignition process between a piston and a shock, considered previously. The large activation energy asymptotic solutions are found to be qualitatively different from the piston driven shock case, in that thermal runaway first occurs ahead of the contact surface, and both forward and backward moving reaction waves emerge. These waves take the form of quasi-steady weak detonations that may later transition into strong detonation waves. For the finite activation energies considered in the numerical simulations, the results are qualitatively different to the asymptotic predictions in that no backward weak detonation wave forms, and there is only a weak dependence of the evolutionary events on the acoustic impedance of the contact surface. The above conclusions are relevant to gas phase equation of state models. However, when a large polytropic index more representative of condensed phase explosives is used, the large activation energy asymptotic and finite activation energy numerical results are found to be in quantitative agreement

Development of a Grazing Land Management Education Program for Northern Australia’s Grasslands and Grassy Woodlands

Recognition of the potential to enhance grazing land management to meet the goal of sustainable beef production has been increasing over the past decade. Recognition of the relationship between poor land management and negative off-site environmental impacts, such as soil erosion and a decline in the condition of rivers and adjacent near shore coastal areas from sediment transport, has increased also. This concern has matured somewhat to include the critical link between land condition and production, and the threat to sustainable carrying capacity that comes from declining land condition. Concurrently, interest has increased in optimising the use of pasture, e.g. through the development of infrastructure (watering points, fencing), through more pro-active management e.g. alternative grazing systems, spelling of pastures, and through pasture development. In fact, it can be argued that achieving production goals while improving and maintaining the health of the land has become the major on-property issue for northern Australian graziers

A shared framework for the common mental disorders and Non-Communicable Disease: key considerations for disease prevention and control.

BACKGROUND: Historically, the focus of Non Communicable Disease (NCD) prevention and control has been cardiovascular disease (CVD), type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), cancer and chronic respiratory diseases. Collectively, these account for more deaths than any other NCDs. Despite recent calls to include the common mental disorders (CMDs) of depression and anxiety under the NCD umbrella, prevention and control of these CMDs remain largely separate and independent. DISCUSSION: In order to address this gap, we apply a framework recently proposed by the Centers for Disease Control with three overarching objectives: (1) to obtain better scientific information through surveillance, epidemiology, and prevention research; (2) to disseminate this information to appropriate audiences through communication and education; and (3) to translate this information into action through programs, policies, and systems. We conclude that a shared framework of this type is warranted, but also identify opportunities within each objective to advance this agenda and consider the potential benefits of this approach that may exist beyond the health care system

Positive allosteric modulation as a potential therapeutic strategy in anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis

N-methyl-d-aspartate receptors (NMDARs) are ionotropic glutamate receptors important for synaptic plasticity, memory, and neuropsychiatric health. NMDAR hypofunction contributes to multiple disorders, including anti-NMDAR encephalitis (NMDARE), an autoimmune disease of the CNS associated with GluN1 antibody-mediated NMDAR internalization. Here we characterize the functional/pharmacological consequences of exposure to CSF from female human NMDARE patients on NMDAR function, and we characterize the effects of intervention with recently described positive allosteric modulators (PAMs) of NMDARs. Incubation (48 h) of rat hippocampal neurons of both sexes in confirmed NMDARE patient CSF, but not control CSF, attenuated NMDA-induced current. Residual NMDAR function was characterized by lack of change in channel open probability, indiscriminate loss of synaptic and extrasynaptic NMDARs, and indiscriminate loss of GluN2B-containing and GluN2B-lacking NMDARs. NMDARs tagged with N-terminal pHluorin fluorescence demonstrated loss of surface receptors. Thus, function of residual NMDARs following CSF exposure was indistinguishable from baseline, and deficits appear wholly accounted for by receptor loss. Coapplication of CSF and PAMs of NMDARs (SGE-301 or SGE-550, oxysterol-mimetic) for 24 h restored NMDAR function following 24 h incubation in patient CSF. Curiously, restoration of NMDAR function was observed despite washout of PAMs before electrophysiological recordings. Subsequent experiments suggested that residual allosteric potentiation of NMDAR function explained the persistent rescue. Further studies of the pathogenesis of NMDARE and intervention with PAMs may inform new treatments for NMDARE and other disorders associated with NMDAR hypofunction.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENTAnti-N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor encephalitis (NMDARE) is increasingly recognized as an important cause of sudden-onset psychosis and other neuropsychiatric symptoms. Current treatment leaves unmet medical need. Here we demonstrate cellular evidence that newly identified positive allosteric modulators of NMDAR function may be a viable therapeutic strategy.</jats:p

Resolved SPLASH Chemodynamics in Andromeda's PHAT Stellar Halo and Disk: On the Nature of the Inner Halo Along the Major Axis

Stellar kinematics and metallicity are key to exploring formation scenarios for galactic disks and halos. In this work, we characterized the relationship between kinematics and photometric metallicity along the line-of-sight to M31's disk. We combined optical HST/ACS photometry from the Panchromatic Hubble Andromeda Treasury (PHAT) survey with Keck/DEIMOS spectra from the Spectroscopic and Photometric Landscape of Andromeda's Stellar Halo (SPLASH) survey. The resulting sample of 3536 individual red giant branch stars spans 4-19 projected kpc, making it a useful probe of both the disk and inner halo. We separated these stars into disk and halo populations by modeling the line-of-sight velocity distributions as a function of position across the disk region, where 70.9% stars have a high likelihood of belonging to the disk and 17.1% to the halo. Although stellar halos are typically thought to be metal-poor, the kinematically identified halo contains a significant population of stars (29.4%) with disk-like metallicity ([Fe/H]$_{\rm phot} \sim -0.10$). This metal-rich halo population lags the gaseous disk to a similar extent as the rest of the halo, indicating that it does not correspond to a canonical thick disk. Its properties are inconsistent with those of tidal debris originating from the Giant Stellar Stream merger event. Moreover, the halo is chemically distinct from the phase-mixed component previously identified along the minor axis (i.e., away from the disk), implying contributions from different formation channels. These metal-rich halo stars provide direct chemodynamical evidence in favor of the previously suggested "kicked-up'' disk population in M31's inner stellar halo.Comment: Submitted to AJ. Conclusions on page 20. 18 figures, 2 tables, 4 appendice

A physical activity intervention for children with type 1 diabetes- steps to active kids with diabetes (STAK-D): a feasibility study

Background This study describes the development and feasibility evaluation of a physical activity intervention for children with type 1 diabetes called ‘Steps to Active Kids with Diabetes’ (STAK-D). It aims to explore the feasibility and acceptability of the intervention and study design. Methods Thirteen children aged 9-11 years and their parents were recruited from one paediatric diabetes clinic. A process evaluation was conducted alongside a two-arm randomised feasibility trial, including assessment of rate of recruitment, adherence, retention, data completion and burden, implementation fidelity and adverse events. Qualitative interviews with children (n=9), parents (n=8), healthcare professionals (n=3) and STAK-D volunteers (n=8) explored intervention acceptability. Interviews were analysed thematically. Results Rate of recruitment was 25%, with 77% retention at 3-month follow-up. Study burden was low, data completion was high and the intervention was delivered as per protocol. No serious adverse event was reported. Engagement with intervention materials was generally good, but attendance at group activity sessions was low due to logistical barriers. Interview analysis identified preferred methods of recruitment, motivations for recruitment, barriers and facilitators to adherence, the experience of data collection, experience of the STAK-D programme and its perceived benefits. Conclusions STAK-D was feasible and acceptable to children, their parents and healthcare professionals, but group sessions may present logistical issues. Recruitment and retention may be improved with a clinic-wide approach to recruitment. Trial registration This trial was registered on ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT02144337 (16/01/2014). Keywords Children, feasibility study, intervention, paediatric diabetes, physical activity, process evaluation, self-efficacy, type 1 diabete

Modeling the Measurements of Cochlear Microcirculation and Hearing Function after Loud Noise

Objective: Recent findings support the crucial role of microcirculatory disturbance and ischemia for hearing impairment especially after noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL). The aim of this study was to establish an animal model for in vivo analysis of cochlear microcirculation and hearing function after a loud noise to allow precise measurements of both parameters in vivo. Study Design: Randomized controlled trial. Setting: Animal study. Subjects and Methods: After assessment of normacusis (0 minutes) using evoked auditory brainstem responses (ABRs), noise (106-dB sound pressure level [SPL]) was applied to both ears in 6 guinea pigs for 30 minutes while unexposed animals served as controls. In vivo fluorescence microscopy of the stria vascularis capillaries was performed after surgical exposure of 1 cochlea. ABR measurements were derived from the contralateral ear. Results: After noise exposure, red blood cell velocity was reduced significantly by 24.3% (120 minutes) and further decreased to 44.5% at the end of the observation (210 minutes) in contrast to stable control measurements. Vessel diameters were not affected in both groups. A gradual decrease of segmental blood flow became significant (38.1%) after 150 minutes compared with controls. Hearing thresholds shifted significantly from 20.0 ± 5.5 dB SPL (0 minutes) to 32.5 ± 4.2dB SPL (60 minutes) only in animals exposed to loud noise. Conclusion: With regard to novel treatments targeting the stria vascularis in NIHL, this standardized model allows us to analyze in detail cochlear microcirculation and hearing function in vivo