Suicides

Non-fiction by Ray Stewar

The Midway

Non-fiction by Ray Stewar

Contemporary training practices in elite british powerlifters:survey results from an international competition

The primary objective of this study was to investigate current powerlifting training methods in light of anecdotal evidence purporting increased similarity with the explosive training practices of weightlifters. The study also assessed the prevalence of contemporary training practices frequently recommended for powerlifters in the popular literature. A 20-item survey was distributed to 32 elite British powerlifters at an International competition. The subject group included multiple national, international, and commonwealth champions and record holders. Based on 2007 competition results, the average Wilks score of the group was 450.26 ± 34.7. The response rate for the surveys was 88% (28 of 32). The survey was sectioned into 6 areas of inquiry: a) repetition speed, b) explosive training load, c) resistance materials used, d) adjunct power training methods, e) exercise selection, and f) training organization. The results demonstrate that the majority of powerlifters train with the intention to explosively lift maximal and submaximal loads (79 and 82%, respectively). Results revealed that 39% of the lifters regularly used elastic bands and that 57% incorporated chains in their training. Evidence for convergence of training practices between powerlifters and weightlifters was found when 69% of the subjects reported using the Olympic lifts or their derivatives as part of their powerlifting training. Collectively, the results demonstrate that previous notions of how powerlifters train are outdated. Contemporary powerlifters incorporate a variety of training practices that are focused on developing both explosive and maximal strength

Morphoseismic Features in the New Madrid Seismic Zone (central USA) and their Implications for Geotechnical Engineering

Morphoseismic features arc new landforms produced by earthquakes or pre-existing landforms modified by them. The New Madrid Seismic Zone (NMSZ) contains thousands of earthquake-related surface features distributed over 13,000 square kilometers. They are attributable to some combination of (1) seismically-induced liquefaction, (2) secondary deformation, and (3) seismically-induced slope failures. Most were produced by the series of great earthquakes that occurred in 1811-12, but some predate and some postdate those events. They are being modified by ongoing activities such a fluvial processes, mass wasting, eolian processes, hydrologically-induced liquefaction (HIL), mechanically-induced liquefaction (MJL), and human activities. Dynamic responses to ground motion include sand extrusion, sand intrusion, lateral spreading, faulting, subsidence, uplift, stream modification, landsliding, groundwater flooding, and explosion cratering. We have identified thirty-four types of morphoseismic features. While the formation of these features during and following earthquakes can be devastating to engineering structures in place at the time of the ground motion, they pose unique hazards to structures built over them for all subsequent time. Geotechnical engineers working in the NMSZ, or any other region where large earthquakes occur, need to recognize and compensate for them

Depressive Symptoms are Associated with Poor Adherence to Some Lifestyle but not Medication Recommendations to Prevent Cardiovascular Disease: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2005-2010

poster abstractDepression has been linked to poor medical adherence; however, most studies have involved persons with preexisting conditions, such as cardiovascular disease (CVD). Our aim was to examine relationships between depressive symptoms and adherence to medication and lifestyle recommendations intended to prevent CVD in a community sample. We selected adults ≥18 years (53%-56% female, 47%-52% non-white) with a history of hypertension and/or hypercholesterolemia, but free of CVD, who participated in 2005-2010 waves of NHANES – a survey of a large probability sample representative of the U.S. population. The Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) was used to assess depressive symptoms (converted to z-scores). The NHANES Blood Pressure and Cholesterol questionnaire was used to assess self-reported adherence to five medication and lifestyle recommendations: take antihypertensive medication (N=3313), take lipid-lowering medication (N=2266), control/lose weight (N=2177), eat fewer high fat/cholesterol foods (N=2924), and increase physical activity (N=2540). Logistic regression models (adjusting for age, sex, race-ethnicity, education, body mass, diabetes, smoking status, daily alcohol intake and NHANES sample design) revealed that a 1-SD increase in PHQ-9 total score was associated with a 14% lower likelihood of adherence to the control/lose weight recommendation (OR=0.86, 95% CI: 0.75-0.98, p=.02) and a 25% lower likelihood of adherence to the increase physical activity recommendation (OR=0.75, 95% CI: 0.65-0.86, p<.001). PHQ-9 total score was not associated with the likelihood of adherence to antihypertensive medication (OR, 0.93, 95% CI: 0.82-1.05, p=0.21), lipid-lowering medication (OR=0.99, 95% CI: 0.86-1.14, p=0.90), or eat fewer high fat/cholesterol foods recommendations (OR=0.94, 95% CI: 0.82-1.08, p=0.40). Adherence rates for depressed verses nondepressed adults to the control/lose weight recommendation were 75% and 85% and the increase physical activity recommendation were 63% and 79%, respectively. Our findings suggest that poor adherence to weight and activity recommendations, but not medication and diet recommendations, may partially explain the excess CVD risk of depressed persons

Genetic Relations of West Spanish Peak Stock, South-Central Colorado, with Surrounding Radial Dikes Containing Cognate Xenoliths and Miarolitic Cavities

The Spanish Peaks intrusive suite in south-central Colorado includes various mid-Tertiary intrusions, which includes the plutonic stocks of the Spanish Peaks themselves, as well as various dikes, sills, and volcanic plugs. This study specifically focuses on the relationship between the plutonic stock of the West Spanish Peak and a group of radial dikes centered on this mountain. The goal of this thesis is to determine if the radial dike swarm and the West Spanish Peak stock potentially share a common magma source based on their temporal, geochemical, and isotopic relationships. The West Spanish peak is a holocrystaline quartz monzanite plutonic stock, and its surrounding hypocystalline radial dikes range from mafic to felsic in composition. Contained within the radial dikes surrounding the peak are cognate xenoliths and miarolitic cavities, features which have not been described in this geologic setting before. The holocrystalline cognate xenoliths in the radial dikes have gabbroic compositions. The miarolitic cavities are composed of a variety of both mafic and felsic minerals in concentric rims towards the center of the cavities. From the petrographic, major and minor oxide, trace element, and 87Sr/86Sr isotopic analysesI conducted on these samples, two major conclusions have been drawn. First, the West Spanish Peak stock, its surrounding radial dikes, and the cognate xenoliths included into the radial dikes are likely to be co-genetic, most probably forming from a single parent-magma body. Secondly, the miarolitic cavities in the radial dikes formed during a paleo-groundwater event, or series of events, which occurred after the emplacement of the radial dike swarm, but probably soon afterwards when the local groundwaters were still heated

Broadcast Journalism: Techniques of Radio & Television News -6/E.

This newest edition of Broadcast Journalism continues its long tradition of covering the basics of broadcasting-gathering news sources, interviewing, putting together a programme, news writing, reporting, editing, working in the studio, conducting live reports, and more. Two new authors have joined forces in this new edition to present behind the scenes perspectivess on multimedia broadcast news, where it is heading, and how you getb there. Technology is meshing global and local news. Constant interactivity between on-the-scene reporting and nearly instantaneous broadcasting to the world has changed the very nature of how broadcast journalists must think, act, write and report on a 24/7 basis. This new edition takes up this digital workflow and convergence. Students of broadcast journalism and professors alike will find that the sixth edition of Broadcast Journalism is comletely up-to-date

Parent support advisor pilot : first interim report from the evaluation

The Parent Support Adviser (PSA) pilot is a government funded initiative to support 20 Local Authorities (LAs) to introduce PSAs into their workforce. The Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) commissioned the Centre for Educational Development, Appraisal and Research (CEDAR) to evaluate the PSA pilot programme from September 2006 – August 2008. A government grant (£40 million) has been made available to fund employment of PSAs over this period. To date, 717 PSAs are in place, supporting parents in 1167 schools. This first Interim Report is based on semi-structured interviews with 97 PSAs, 85 line managers and 23 other professionals in 12 case study LAs during Phase 1 of the evaluation, which was carried out between April and June 2007. Phase 2 of the study will take place during the period October to December 2007; phase 3 will take place during March to June 2008. In addition to these interview-based studies with the 12 case study LAs, an analysis will be made of the data collected by all 20 LAs over the period of the pilot using a standard database devised by CEDAR. Data are being collected on the PSAs’ work with parents and, where this occurs, with children. Finally, a cost effectiveness study will be undertaken. The findings from these phases of the project will be reported in the final report