Comparing the EPA Indoor Air Quality Personal Computer Model and Field Data

The authors recommend caution in using an EPA model for reconstructing past exposure events as well as for predicting future exposures

The physiological effects of simultaneous exposures to heat and vibration

Determination of the effects of exposure to vibration on the body's ability to handle heat stress, and, if so, identification of the specific vibration parameters (frequency and intensity) for both whole-body (wbv) and segmental-body vibration (sbv) that would have the most detrimental effect on the body's ability to maintain thermal homeostasis were studied. Rectal and skin temperatures, heart rates, localized sweat rates, arm-segment blood perfusion rates, respiration rates, oxygen uptakes, and respiratory exchange ratios were measured in six men (22 to 33 yr) during simultaneous exposures to heat and vibration - either wbv or sbv, and during a heated 50 min recovery period. The heat conditions were T (sub db) = 43.5 + or - 0.5 C (mean + or S.E.M.), and RH = 20 + or - 4%. All vibration exposures were divided into two exposure conditions - identical frequencies but at a high intensity (HI) and a low intensity (LI) level. The HI wbv exposure was for 25 min/day at 5 Hz, 0.37 g-rms; 10 Hz, 0.46 g-rms; 16 Hz, 0.72 g-rms; 30 Hz, 1.40 g-rms; 80 Hz, 3.70 g-rms. The LI wbv exposure was for 2.5 hr/day at the same frequencies but at the following accelerations: 0.14 g-rms; 0.18 g-rms; 0.28 g-rms; 0.55 g-rms; 1.44 g-rms. During the sbv the subject stood and grasped a vibrating, in the Z-axis, hand grip with both hands

Studies in the Roman province of Mauretania Tingitana

Not availabl

Flushing Responses of Golden Eagles (\u3cem\u3eAquila chrysaetos\u3c/em\u3e) in Response to Recreation

Disturbance because of human activity, including recreation on wildlands, can affect bird behavior which in turn can reduce breeding success, an important consideration for species of management concern. We observed Golden Eagles (Aquila chysaetos) during the breeding season to determine whether the probability of flushing was affected by the type of recreationist, distance to encounter, eagle nest attendance, or date. We monitored eagles in 23 nesting territories from distant (600-1,200 m) observation points and recorded recreation activity within 1,200 m of eagles in the Owyhee Front of southwestern Idaho. In most (86%, n = 270) encounters, eagles did not flush in response to recreationists; however, whether an eagle flushed was affected by the type of recreationist and whether an eagle was at or away from the nest. Eagles were 60 times more likely to flush in response to recreationists that stopped a motor vehicle and transitioned to walking (11 of 17 passes) and 4.5 times more likely to flush in response to off-road vehicle (ORV) riders (17 of 121 passes) than during encounters with road vehicles (7 of 107 passes). Flushing was 12 times more likely for eagles away from nests (23 of 87 passes) than eagles at nests (13 of 183 passes). Eagles flushed at greater distances in response to recreationists that transitioned from motor vehicles to walking (lsmean = 620 m) than when responding to either ORV riders (lsmean = 525 m) or road vehicles (lsmean = 318 m). Flushing distances tended to decline throughout the breeding season to suggest seasonal changes in the costs and benefits of responding to disturbance. After flushing from nests, most eagles (77%) spentaway, but some (23%) spent \u3e90 mins away from nests. Limiting recreational activities within 650 m and 1,000 m of nest sites may decrease nest-site flushing events by 77% and 100%, respectively. Because eagles seem most sensitive to humans transitioning between motorized and non-motorized recreation, land managers may strike a balance between access needs of recreationists and buffering eagles from disturbance by using a mix of trail closures and no-stopping zones that prevent transitions from motorized to walking activities

Liability in negligence of clergy and churches in New South Wales for pastoral counselling for depression

University of Technology, Sydney. Faculty of Law.The thesis suggests an approach to be taken in determining whether clergy who provide pastoral counselling for depression1 to individuals in New South Wales owe a duty of care. The ‘pastoral’ nature of pastoral counselling for depression is defined herein by reference to several indicia, including that the cleric is a non-professional counsellor and that the counselling is wholly or primarily based on religion. The Civil Liability Amendment (Personal Responsibility) Act 2002 (NSW) (‘the CLA’) does not provide a general statement of when a duty of care arises. The common law continues to apply, to the extent not supplanted by the CLA. Whatever the CLA’s overall effect, the change to the law has not been extensive as it may relate to the existence of the postulated duty of care. There is no Australian case of direct relevance to pastoral counselling for depression, and no majority accepted general approach in the High Court of Australia (‘the Court’) for determining whether a duty of care exists. It is contended that whether a duty of care will arise for pastoral counselling for depression by clergy may appropriately be determined by reference to the following questions, to be answered with regard to the facts of the case. These are whether the cleric knew, or a reasonable cleric would have known, of a likelihood of a client relying on the counselling; whether such reliance would be reasonable; whether pastoral counselling for depression could increase the client’s vulnerability if reasonable care is not taken; whether harm to the client is foreseeable to a reasonable cleric as a result of an act or omission when providing pastoral counselling for depression; whether it would be unreasonable, having regard to the public interest, for the cleric to be subject to a duty of care; and whether imposing a duty of care would subject clergy or churches to an unreasonable burden. Affirmative answers to each of the first four questions and a negative answer to the fifth and sixth questions in a particular case would result in a finding that a duty of care existed. A negative answer to any of the first four questions or an affirmative answer to either of the fifth and sixth questions would mean no duty of care. It is argued that the provisions of the CLA about the standard of care for professionals do not apply to pastoral counselling for depression, and the cleric must act as a reasonable cleric who provides pastoral counselling for depression should in the circumstances. Referral of the client to a general medical practitioner or mental health professional (‘the duty to refer’) is the main constituent of the degree of care required, if a duty of care arises. As it relates to causation, the CLA was intended by parliament to guide courts as they apply the common sense approach developed by the Court. Whether breach of the duty to refer may be the cause of a suicide attempt by a client, and therefore of damage resulting from the attempt, is considered.5 It is argued that in some circumstances it may, and that a suicide attempt does not in itself break the causal chain. The law and main issues relevant to whether a church could be liable for a cleric’s counselling negligence are also identified

Recreation Disturbance to a Shrub-Steppe Raptor: Biological Consequences, Behavioral Mechanisms, and Management Implications

With rapid increases in outdoor recreation, and mounting evidence of impacts to wildlife, public land managers and biologists need better information on the nature of this potential disturbance. Outdoor recreation may impact wildlife negatively via human disturbance or habitat degradation. Golden eagles (Aquila chrysaetos) in shrub-steppe habitats face several current and emerging threats, including increased non-motorized and motorized (off-highway vehicle, OHV) recreation. We tested the hypothesis that recreation affects eagle breeding biology by monitoring eagle behavior and reproduction in response to recreation volume and activity types, and landscape features associated with recreation. We also investigated the probability that an adult golden eagle would flush, examined flight initiation distance (FID), and documented total time off the nest following flushing events in response to motorized and non-motorized recreationists. Territories with higher seasonal-average OHV volumes were less likely to be occupied than territories with lower seasonal-average OHV volumes, despite uniformly low OHV volume across all territories during the pre-breeding period. For non-migratory species, like eagles in southern Idaho, decreased occupancy during the breeding season may be the result of carry-over effects of disturbance in the non-breeding season, degraded habitat, or both. At occupied territories, early season volumes of pedestrians and other non-motorized recreationists negatively influenced adult eagle nest attendance and the likelihood of egg-laying. Behavioral observations of breeding birds revealed that adult nest attendance, a strong predictor of success, was associated negatively with the volume of pedestrians, and most pedestrians observed near the nests reached the area via motorized vehicles. In addition, nest survival was affected negatively by interval-specific OHV volume recorded by trail cameras. In most (87.1%, n = 279) instances, adult eagles did not respond to recreationists passing within 1200 m. Flushing was more likely to occur if eagles were perched away from the nest than if eagles were at the nest. FID was greater in the earlier portion of the breeding season, suggesting seasonal changes in the costs and benefits of responding to disturbance. Type of recreation activity did not affect the probability of flushing or FID, but flushing occurred frequently (36%, n = 36) when motorized recreationists stopped and changed their behavior near eagles. Recreationists on foot frequently go off trail and follow less predictable movement patterns than motorized recreationists and might create greater perceived risk. Taken together, these results suggest that OHVs may facilitate disturbance events leading to nest failure by transporting motorized recreationists, who become pedestrians, to areas near eagle nests. We propose that landscape features suitable for eagle nesting, like steep canyons and rocky outcrops, also inspire recreationists to transition from predictable movements along a trail to less predictable stop-and-go hiking; less predictable recreation activities may increase perceived risk for eagles. Expanding existing trail management efforts to consider the effects of pedestrian and non-motorized recreation, especially during the early portion of the breeding season, could help improve eagle productivity. Limiting motorized and non-motorized recreation activities within 650 m and 1000 m of nest sites may decrease flushing events by 77% and 100%, respectively. Trail management efforts on public lands may strike a balance between the needs of recreationists and eagles by implementing “no-stopping” zones near known eagle nesting areas

Creating sustainable communities: conceptualising an interactive toolkit for skills enhancement

The UK policy framework for the development of sustainable communities, dating from the late 1990’s, has involved substantial changes in the working practices of urban development practitioners. The achievement of sustainable outcomes requires a range of professions, organisations, groups and individuals to work towards shared goals. Thus an emphasis on multi-agency and participatory working has become an integral component of the development of sustainable communities. Initial slow progress gave rise to a review of shortfalls in institutional capacity, and deficits in the generic skills required to enable effective multi-agency working were revealed. The policy response to these perceived deficits included initiatives to provide targeted information and training resources – at both a national and regional level – to urban development professionals and communities. This paper discusses research conducted at a regional level to develop a set of on-line resources focussed on the enhancement of generic skills. The research has addressed a wide range of conceptual and practical difficulties: the nature of generic skills; the capacity of online learning to address contextual skills; and the difficulties of integrating on-line learning into everyday working practices. The paper reviews this conceptual framework and its contribution to the design of the on-line skills resource

Protocol for the Foot in Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis trial (FiJIA): a randomised controlled trial of an integrated foot care programme for foot problems in JIA

<b>Background</b>: Foot and ankle problems are a common but relatively neglected manifestation of juvenile idiopathic arthritis. Studies of medical and non-medical interventions have shown that clinical outcome measures can be improved. However existing data has been drawn from small non-randomised clinical studies of single interventions that appear to under-represent the adult population suffering from juvenile idiopathic arthritis. To date, no evidence of combined therapies or integrated care for juvenile idiopathic arthritis patients with foot and ankle problems exists. <b>Methods/design</b>: An exploratory phase II non-pharmacological randomised controlled trial where patients including young children, adolescents and adults with juvenile idiopathic arthritis and associated foot/ankle problems will be randomised to receive integrated podiatric care via a new foot care programme, or to receive standard podiatry care. Sixty patients (30 in each arm) including children, adolescents and adults diagnosed with juvenile idiopathic arthritis who satisfy the inclusion and exclusion criteria will be recruited from 2 outpatient centres of paediatric and adult rheumatology respectively. Participants will be randomised by process of minimisation using the Minim software package. The primary outcome measure is the foot related impairment measured by the Juvenile Arthritis Disability Index questionnaire's impairment domain at 6 and 12 months, with secondary outcomes including disease activity score, foot deformity score, active/limited foot joint counts, spatio-temporal and plantar-pressure gait parameters, health related quality of life and semi-quantitative ultrasonography score for inflammatory foot lesions. The new foot care programme will comprise rapid assessment and investigation, targeted treatment, with detailed outcome assessment and follow-up at minimum intervals of 3 months. Data will be collected at baseline, 6 months and 12 months from baseline. Intention to treat data analysis will be conducted. A full health economic evaluation will be conducted alongside the trial and will evaluate the cost effectiveness of the intervention. This will consider the cost per improvement in Juvenile Arthritis Disability Index, and cost per quality adjusted life year gained. In addition, a discrete choice experiment will elicit willingness to pay values and a cost benefit analysis will also be undertaken

Accounting students' IT applicaton skills over a 10-year period

This paper reports on the changing nature of a range of information technology (IT) application skills that students declare on entering an accounting degree over the period from 1996 to 2006. Accounting educators need to be aware of the IT skills students bring with them to university because of the implications this has for learning and teaching within the discipline and the importance of both general and specific IT skills within the practice and craft of accounting. Additionally, IT skills constitute a significant element within the portfolio of employability skills that are increasingly demanded by employers and emphasized within the overall Higher Education (HE) agenda. The analysis of students' reported IT application skills on entry to university, across a range of the most relevant areas of IT use in accounting, suggest that their skills have continued to improve over time. However, there are significant differential patterns of change through the years and within cohorts. The paper addresses the generalizability of these findings and discusses the implications of these factors for accounting educators, including the importance of recognising the differences that are potentially masked by the general increase in skills; the need for further research into the changing nature, and implications, of the gender gap in entrants' IT application skills; and the low levels of entrants' spreadsheet and database skills that are a cause for concern

Nonmotorized Recreation and Motorized Recreation in Shrub-Steppe Habitats Affects Behavior and Reproduction of Golden Eagles (\u3cem\u3eAquila Chrysaetos\u3c/em\u3e)

Different forms of outdoor recreation have different spatiotemporal activity patterns that may have interactive or cumulative effects on wildlife through human disturbance, physical habitat change, or both. In western North America, shrub-steppe habitats near urban areas are popular sites for motorized recreation and nonmotorized recreation and can provide important habitat for protected species, including golden eagles. Our objective was to determine whether recreation use (i.e., number of recreationists) or recreation features (e.g., trails or campsites) predicted golden eagle territory occupancy, egg-laying, or the probability a breeding attempt resulted in ≥1 offspring (nest survival). We monitored egg-laying, hatching and fledging success, eagle behavior, and recreation activity within 23 eagle territories near Boise, Idaho, USA. Territories with more off-road vehicle (ORV) use were less likely to be occupied than territories with less ORV use (β = −1.6, 85% CI: −2.8 to −0.8). At occupied territories, early season pedestrian use (β = −1.6, 85% CI: −3.8 to −0.2) and other nonmotorized use (β = −3.6, 85% CI: −10.7 to −0.3) reduced the probability of egg-laying. At territories where eagles laid eggs, short, interval-specific peaks in ORV use were associated with decreased nest survival (β = −0.5, 85% CI: −0.8 to −0.2). Pedestrians, who often arrived near eagle nests via motorized vehicles, were associated with reduced nest attendance (β = −11.9, 85% CI: −19.2 to −4.5), an important predictor of nest survival. Multiple forms of recreation may have cumulative effects on local populations by reducing occupancy at otherwise suitable territories, decreasing breeding attempts, and causing nesting failure. Seasonal no-stopping zones for motorized vehicles may be an alternative to trail closures for managing disturbance. This study demonstrates the importance of considering human disturbance across different parts of the annual cycle, particularly where multiple forms of recreation have varying spatiotemporal use patterns that create human–wildlife interactions