Accounting for variability in ULF wave radial diffusion models

Many modern outer radiation belt models simulate the long‐time behavior of high‐energy electrons by solving a three‐dimensional Fokker‐Planck equation for the drift‐ and bounce‐averaged electron phase space density that includes radial, pitch‐angle, and energy diffusion. Radial diffusion is an important process, often characterized by a deterministic diffusion coefficient. One widely used parameterization is based on the median of statistical ultralow frequency (ULF) wave power for a particular geomagnetic index Kp. We perform idealized numerical ensemble experiments on radial diffusion, introducing temporal and spatial variability to the diffusion coefficient through stochastic parameterization, constrained by statistical properties of its underlying observations. Our results demonstrate the sensitivity of radial diffusion over a long time period to the full distribution of the radial diffusion coefficient, highlighting that information is lost when only using median ULF wave power. When temporal variability is included, ensembles exhibit greater diffusion with more rapidly varying diffusion coefficients, larger variance of the diffusion coefficients and for distributions with heavier tails. When we introduce spatial variability, the variance in the set of all ensemble solutions increases with larger spatial scales of variability. Our results demonstrate that the variability of diffusion affects the temporal evolution of phase space density in the outer radiation belt. We discuss the need to identify important temporal and length scales to constrain variability in diffusion models. We suggest that the application of stochastic parameterization techniques in the diffusion equation may allow the inclusion of natural variability and uncertainty in modeling of wave‐particle interactions in the inner magnetosphere

Socio-Economic Impacts Associated with the Introduction of Casino Gambling: A Literature Review and Synthesis

This literature review was commissioned by Blue Thorn Research.This review is an attempt to comprehensively identify and synthesize the literature examining the socio-economic impacts associated with the introduction of casino-style gambling. Search terms used for the literature review included but were not limited to the following keywords and subject headings / descriptors: "gambling", "gaming", "casino", "casinos", "casino gambling", "casino gaming", "socioeconomic", "socioeconomic", "social", "economic", "effects", "impacts", "introduction". It should be noted that each database generally uses its own terminology which makes searching unique. The academic literature on the socio-economic impacts of gambling is quite extensive and an effort was made to limit results to articles and reports published after 1990 that related specifically to casino-style gambling.N

The effect of liner design and materials selection on prosthesis interface heat dissipation

Background and aim: Thermal discomfort often affects prosthesis wearers and could be addressed by increasing liner thermal conductivity. This note explores a liner made from thermally conductive silicone and two additional alternative liner designs. Technique: Thermally conductive silicone was used to create a conductive liner and a hybrid liner. Additionally, one with open elements was made. These were compared with a plain silicone liner and a no liner scenario. Scaled down liner prototypes were used due to the high-cost of the thermally conductive silicone. Temperature decay profiles were collected by attaching thermistors to a heated liner phantom and used to evaluate scenarios. Discussion: No scenario performed much better than the plain silicone liner. Implementation of passive solutions may be easier, but alternative liner materials are unlikely to affect dissipation enough to address thermal discomfort. Based on this work, future research efforts may be better spent developing active thermal discomfort solutions. Clinical relevance Thermal discomfort can increase the probability of skin damage, reduce prosthesis satisfaction and, ultimately, the quality of life. The prosthesis-wearing experience could be improved if thermal discomfort can be addressed by technological improvements

The Social and Economic Impacts of Gambling

There has been considerable debate about the best methodological and theoretical approach to analyzing the social and economic impacts of gambling, with one of the central issues being how to aggregate the social impacts with the financial impacts to arrive at an overall summative measure. However, there is no reliable way of doing this. Judging the overall positive or negative nature of gambling will always be a subjective determination about the relative importance of the observed social impacts compared to the observed economic impacts. This does not mean that high quality socioeconomic analyses of gambling cannot be conducted. Rather, there are many basic principles for conducting socioeconomic impact studies that can ensure that the obtained results are comprehensive, provide a meaningful accounting of the social impacts of gambling, and are scientifically rigorous. These principles are outlined in the first section of this report. In light of these methodological principles, the second section of this report provided an exhaustive review of what is known about the social and economic impacts of gambling, including a compilation of 492 studies on this topic, and a summary of the findings of these studies in a series of tables organized by impact area and type of gambling. These Summary Tables provide a useful documentation of which types of gambling have been most and least studied, the types of impacts that have been most and least studied, and the general pattern of results in terms of whether a particular form of gambling has found increases, decreases, no impact, or just changes in that impact area. Additionally, these tables provide a reference source for other researchers who may wish to conduct even more in-depth analyses of specific domains or types of gambling.Canadian Consortium for Gambling Research; Alberta Gaming Research Institute; Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse; Gaming Policy and Enforcement Branch of British Columbia; Manitoba Gaming Control Commission; Ministère de la Sante et des Services Sociaux du Québec; Gambling Awareness Foundation of Nova Scotia; Ontario Problem Gambling Research Centre

Gambling and problem gambling in North American Aboriginal people

Author manuscriptThe purpose of this paper is to review what is known about gambling and problem gambling among Aboriginal peoples of North America. The focus is primarily on current gambling practices, and on health and social issues rather than economic ones. The first part of this paper provides a brief review of historical aspects of Aboriginal gambling. The second part reviews the current situation with specific reference to the meaning of gambling for Aboriginal people, current patterns of gambling behaviour, and the prevalence and causes of problem gambling within this population.Ye

The physicality of sound production on acoustic instruments

This thesis presents practical research into sound production on instruments, working collaboratively with players, in order to build an understanding of the sounds available. I have explored the way in which instrumental technique can be extended in such a way as to function as the basis for musical material. The function of ‘figuration’ has also be brought into question, by employing seemingly primitive, residual material pushed to such a degree that it is possible to hear what happens underneath a gesture. Research in this area has been conducted by, among others, Helmut Lachenmann and Rebecca Saunders; I am drawn to the way their work highlights the tangible quality of sound. The exploration of the physicality of sound production inevitably encounters the problem that the finished work becomes a catalogue of extended techniques. My research has drawn on the work of these composers and has attempted to resolve this problem by exploring the way in which texture can suggest ‘line’ and the structural implications of sculpting self-referential material through angular and polarized divisions. This facilitates a Braille-like reading of a sound’s progress by foregrounding a non-thematic sound-surface of resonance and decay. This takes a positive and active approach to the problems of musical language, by questioning the functions and expectations put upon music. The possible solutions have been worked through in a series of works for mixed chamber ensembles, in order to investigate the palette possibilities of fusing instruments in intimate settings.EThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceArts and Humanities Research CouncilGBUnited Kingdo

The population prevalence of problem gambling: methodological influences, standardized rates, jurisdictional differences, and worldwide trends

Report prepared for the Ontario Problem Gambling Research Centre and the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long Term Care.The primary purpose of the present research was to standardize problem gambling prevalence rates so as to facilitate comparisons between jurisdictions as well as within the same jurisdiction over time. The first step in this process was the identification and collection of all published and unpublished studies that involve a jurisdiction-wide adult prevalence survey of problem gambling. A total of 202 studies were conducted between 1975 and 2012. All pertinent information was extracted from each of these 202 studies and is reported in Appendices A, B, C, and D. These Appendices represent the most complete collection of problem gambling prevalence studies to date and will serve as a database for future researchers. In addition, the demographic, characterological, environmental, and gambling format correlates of problem gambling in these 202 studies are summarized and reported in Appendices E, F, G, and H. The second step in this process was the examination of the impact of methodological differences on obtained problem gambling prevalence rates. The main methodological elements influencing obtained problem gambling prevalence are: a) which assessment instrument is used; b) the time frame used to assess the presence of problem gambling (i.e., past year, lifetime); c) how the survey is described to prospective participants; d) how the survey is administered (i.e., face-to-face, telephone, self-administered); and e) the threshold criterion that determines when problem gambling questions are asked. The methodological approach (within each of these elements) that produced the most valid prevalence rate was identified, as well as weighting factors that could be applied to obtain rates that would have been obtained using the more valid approach. The third part of this report presents the results of applying these weighting factors to create standardized past year problem gambling prevalence rates for all studies.N

Peptide macrocyclisation via intramolecular interception of visible-light-mediated desulfurisation

Synthetic methods that enable the macrocyclisation of peptides facilitate the development of effective therapeutic and diagnostic tools. Herein we report a peptide cyclisation strategy based on intramolecular interception of visible-light-mediated cysteine desulfurisation. This method allows cyclisation of unprotected peptides in an aqueous solution via the installation of a hydrocarbon linkage. We explore the limits of this chemistry using a range of model peptides of increasing length and complexity, including peptides of biological/therapeutic relevance. The method is applied to replace the native disulfide of the peptide hormone, oxytocin, with a proteolytically/redox-stable hydrocarbon, and internal macrocyclisation of an MCL-1-binding peptide

Incidence and Characteristics of Total Stroke in the United States

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Stroke, increasingly referred to as a "brain attack", is one of the leading causes of death and the leading cause of adult disability in the United States. It has recently been estimated that there were three quarters of a million strokes in the United States in 1995. The aim of this study was to replicate the 1995 estimate and examine if there was an increase from 1995 to 1996 by using a large administrative claims database representative of all 1996 US inpatient discharges. METHODS: We used the Nationwide Inpatient Sample of the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project, release 5, which contains ≈ 20 percent of all 1996 US inpatient discharges. We identified stroke patients by using the International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM) codes from 430 to 438, and we compared the 1996 database with that of 1995. RESULTS: There were 712,000 occurrences of stroke with hospitalization (95% CI 688,000 to 737,000) and an estimated 71,000 occurrences of stroke without hospitalization. This totaled 783,000 occurrences of stroke in 1996, compared to 750,000 in 1995. The overall rate for occurrence of total stroke (first-ever and recurrent) was 269 per 100,000 population (age- and sex-adjusted to 1996 US population). CONCLUSIONS: We estimate that there were 783,000 first-ever or recurrent strokes in the United States during 1996, compared to the figure of 750,000 in 1995. This study replicates and confirms the previous annual estimates of approximately three quarters of a million total strokes. This slight increase is likely due to the aging of the population and the population gain in the US from 1995 to 1996