Investigating the influence of smoking on willed action and cognitive function in individuals with brain injury

Rationale: Smoking triggers dopamine release, particularly in the mesocorticolimbic dopamine system. Activation of this system has a major overlap with functioning of the frontostriatal circuitry, which has been labelled the 'willed action system'. 'Willed action' describes action that is non-automatic, internally generated, effortful, and involves conscious control. It is implicated in initiation and motivation. There is evidence that abstinence from smoking leads to acute impairments in a range of cognitive and motivational measures, many of which are associated with frontal / frontostriatal functioning. Aims: The current study aimed to investigate the effects of smoking on willed action in 18 brain-injured smokers. Method: A within-subjects cross-over design was utilised, to compare performance after an acute (>2 hours) period of abstinence from smoking with performance after smoking. The test battery included measures of reward responsivity (objective and subjective measures of motivation), initiation (verbal fluency), and working memory. Results: Reward responsivity was enhanced after a cigarette had been smoked compared to the abstinent condition. Additionally, performance on the card sorting task was particularly enhanced after smoking on the first occasion, i.e. when the task was novel. There was no significant enhancement on any other measure. Conclusion: The results suggest that reward responsivity is modulated by acute smoking status, suggesting a specific effect of nicotine on aspects of motivation. Enhancement of performance is particularly seen when the task is novel. These conclusions are partially in concordance with a willed action framework. Implications are discussed with reference to routine neuropsychological assessments, and a possible role for nicotine as a therapeutic agent for enhancing motivation after acquired brain injury

Impact of Organic Matter Composition from Urban Streams and Storm Water on Oxygen Consumption in the Jordan River

Coarse particulate organic matter (CPOM) is an essential part of the food chain in aquatic ecosystems because it represents a readily available carbon and energy source. The process by which it decomposes in rivers has been well studied and documented. However, the rate and extent of biodegradability of various CPOM components (i.e., twigs, leaves, grass, etc.) in storm drains is not well understood. The Jordan River TMDL study identified storm water generated CPOM as a likely cause of low dissolved oxygen levels in the lower Jordan River, but recent investigations have suggested that dissolved organic matter generated from this CPOM in storm drains and culverts entering into the Jordan River, rather than the CPOM itself, is the main driver of oxygen impairment. The degradability of CPOM components transported and stored in the storm drain system was studied to understand its relative impact on dissolved oxygen and nutrient status in the Jordan River. Results indicate the generation of highly degradable organic material is a function of the starting CPOM, and oxygen consumption is associated with the dissolved portion of organic material leached from CPOM in water. Leaves and grass produced the highest levels of all parameters studied. Between 93% to 95% of total oxygen demand is generated within the first 1 to 3 hours of the 24 hour test. Chemical oxygen demand and dissolved organic carbon proved to be the best indicator of biochemical oxygen demand. By using the results of the leaching study an estimate of water quality indicator levels in the Jordan River was made, and was compared to levels in samples collected from the Jordan River. The estimate proved accurate for dissolved organic carbon but not for total or volatile suspended solids. Results of this study were used to discuss possible solutions to reduce oxygen demand in the Jordan River

Plan beta: Core or Cusp?

The inner profile of Dark Matter (DM) halos remains one of the central problems in small-scale cosmology. At present, the problem can not be resolved in dwarf spheroidal galaxies due to a degeneracy between the DM profile and the velocity anisotropy beta of the stellar population. We discuss a method which can break the degeneracy by exploiting 3D positions and 1D line-of-sight (LOS) velocities. With the full 3D spatial information, we can determine precisely what fraction of each stars LOS motion is in the radial and tangential direction. This enables us to infer the anisotropy parameter beta directly from the data. The method is particularly effective if the galaxy is highly anisotropic. Finally, we argue that such a test could be applied to Sagittarius and potentially other dwarfs with RR Lyrae providing the necessary depth information.Comment: 10 pages, 3 figures Accepted in MNRAS. Extended introduction to match accepted version. Main conclusions unchange

Policy analysis: Compressed workweek

Today the economy has slowed down and inflation has risen to near record highs. Corporations, governments, and agencies are looking at ways to save costs. Budget expenditures on payroll are addressed as well as the cost of utilities, resources, and the costs of doing business. One implicated method to help solve these problems is for the use of compressed workweeks. Compressed workweeks are both beneficial to the agencies and the employees. The employee can have more time for home life while putting in the same amount of hours at work, and save money on commuting to work. Additionally the agency is saving on the budget, because of an extended weekend for the worker. An employer can shorten its workweek and lower operational costs, while improving employee attendance through the use of compressed workweeks. This study is going to examine the different workweeks for differences in attendance, the best measurable variable in favor for the agency. The study will focus on the Clark County, Nevada, the Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJS), which has an identical job classification working both traditional workweeks and compressed workweeks. This type of study is rare in that the comparison group is within the same agency and job classification as the experimental group. This examination of compressed work weeks comes at a time where most work in the area of compressed work weeks remain exploratory (Pierce & Dunham 1992), and current agencies, and even entire government agencies are moving radically toward compressed workweeks because of the slowing of the economy and increased inflation

Microwave Generated Plasma Railway Track Treatment

[EN] Braking conditions are a fundamental issue for the railway and have been a limiting factor in network capacity & timetabling. This work was focused on taking high power microwave generated plasma out of the laboratory into a railway environment. The Imagination Factory with no experience in microwave generated plasma has partnered with experts in this field to develop a mobile system which delivered 15kW 2.45GHz microwave generated plasma – Fig.1. The plasma was created within a dielectric tube placed in a monomode microwave cavity; the atmospheric plasma sustained in different inert gases (nitrogen, argon) gases as well as mixtures of inert gases with reactive molecules was jetted directly onto the railhead as to change the conditions for the wheel-rail interface. This technology is hoped to be a game changer in enabling predictable & optimized braking on the railway network. Challenges encountered during the demonstration phase will be discussed.Swan, J.; Candy, M.; Radoui, M.; Richardson, G. (2019). Microwave Generated Plasma Railway Track Treatment. En AMPERE 2019. 17th International Conference on Microwave and High Frequency Heating. Editorial Universitat Politècnica de València. 144-151. https://doi.org/10.4995/AMPERE2019.2019.9778OCS14415

Size Matters: Spleen and Lung Volumes Predict Performance in Human Apneic Divers

Humans share with seals the ability to contract the spleen and increase circulating hematocrit, which may improve apneic performance by enhancing gas storage. Seals have large spleens and while human spleen size is small in comparison, it shows great individual variation. Unlike many marine mammals, human divers rely to a great extent on lung oxygen stores, but the impact of lung volume on competitive apnea performance has never been determined. We studied if spleen- and lung size correlated with performance in elite apnea divers. Volunteers were 14 male apnea world championship participants, with a mean (SE) of 5.8 (1.2) years of previous apnea training. Spleen volume was calculated from spleen length, width, and thickness measured via ultrasound during rest, and vital capacity via spirometry. Accumulated competition scores from dives of maximal depth, time, and distance were compared to anthropometric measurements and training data. Mean (SE) diving performance was 75 (4) m for constant weight depth, 5 min 53 (39) s for static apnea and 139 (13) m for dynamic apnea distance. Subjects’ mean height was 184 (2) cm, weight 82 (3) kg, vital capacity (VC) 7.3 (0.3) L and spleen volume 336 (32) mL. Spleen volume did not correlate with subject height or weight, but was positively correlated with competition score (r = 0.57; P < 0.05). Total competition score was also positively correlated with VC (r = 0.54; P < 0.05). The three highest scoring divers had the greatest spleen volumes, averaging 538 (53) mL, while the three lowest-scoring divers had a volume of 270 (71) mL (P < 0.01). VC was also greater in the high-scorers, at 7.9 (0.36) L as compared to 6.7 (0.19) L in the low scorers (P < 0.01). Spleen volume was reduced to half after 2 min of apnea in the highest scoring divers, and the estimated resting apnea time gain from the difference between high and low scorers was 15 s for spleen volume and 60 s for VC. We conclude that both spleen- and lung volume predict apnea performance in elite divers

The Queer Limit of Black Memory: Black Lesbian Literature and Irresolution

Introduction : listening to the archives : Black lesbian literature and queer memory -- Desirous mistresses and unruly slaves : neo-slave narratives, property, power, and desire -- Small movements : queer blues epistemologies in Cherry Muhanji's Her -- "Mens womens some that is both some that is neither" : spiritual epistemology and queering the Black rural South in the work of Sharon Bridgforth -- "Make it up and trace it back" : remembering Black trans subjectivity in Jackie Kay's Trumpet -- What grace was : erotic epistemologies and diasporic belonging in Dionne Brand's In another place, not here -- Epilogue : grieving the queer : anti-Black violence and black collective memoryItem embargoed for five year

Basic Measurements of Division 1 Collegiate Baseball Pitchers to Predict Grip Strength and Spin Rate

Basic measurements such as range of motion (ROM), grip strength (GS), height, and arm length have been associated with the rate that the ball spins. Increased spin rate along with the axis of rotation of a baseball is linked to the movement that a pitch experiences during its delivery. This spin rate gives a batter difficulty when trying to contact the ball. Plainly, the more spin the more likely the chance the batter will miss. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to use external range of motion (EROM), GS, height, weight, forearm length, and forearm circumference to predict spin rate. METHODS: Thirteen right-handed division 1 collegiate baseball pitchers (height 183.2cm± 6.9cm, weight 90kg ± 12kg, forearm length 27.5cm ± 1.3cm, forearm circumference 29.8cm ± 2.1cm, EROM 111.3° ± 9.0°, GS 57.3kg ± 8.4kg, spin rate 2057.2rpm ±160.5rpm) were recruited for this study. Height and weight measurements were recorded using a Doran physician\u27s scale. Measurements of the right forearm were taken from the medial epicondyle of the humerus to the styloid process of the ulna. Forearm circumference was taken from the thickest portion of the forearm. External rotation was measured using a goniometer from a lying position. Spin rate was calculated using a Yakkertech which uses visual imaging technology to calculate spin rate and eliminates the gyro spin of the ball. Ipsilateral hand grip strength was assessed using a Delsys handgrip dynamometer at 90-degree elbow flexion with the elbow unsupported and hand in a neutral grip. The participant was given three attempts to exert as much force as possible and the maximum force in kg was recorded. External rotation of the glenohumeral joint was measured using a goniometer from a lying position with the humerus abducted 90 degrees the subjects were instructed to start with their forearm in a vertical position then slowly drop the back of their hand toward the table. RESULTS: Data were assessed using a forward stepwise multiple regression to identify a statistically significant (p\u3c 0.05) prediction model of spin rate using basic measurements described above. Forearm length was the only variable that was a statistically significant predictor and accounted for 41.8% of the variance in predicting spin rate. The resulting prediction equation was as follows: Spin rate= -165.655rpm - (80.945x FL; R2.418; SEE=127.8). CONCLUSION: Increased forearm length allows for the moment arm to produce more torque on the ball thus increasing the spin rate allowing increased movement on the ball