Effects of El Nino on Local Hydrography and Growth of the Giant Kelp, Macrocystis Pyrifera, at Santa Catalina Island, California

Deepened isotherms associated with El Niño resulted in severe nutrient limitation and very low kelp productivity during the last half of 1983. Frond growth rates were so low that terminal blades formed before reaching the surface, eliminating the canopy. Frond initiation rates were also extremely low, resulting in significant reductions in mean plant size. Plants growing above 10m were more severely affected than plants at 20m. Nutrient pulses associated with internal waves are thus critical for survival of Macrocystis pyrifera in nutritionally marginal habitats in Southern California

Targeted advertisement of chlamydia screening on social media: A mixed-methods analysis

Objective Chlamydia is one of the most common sexually transmitted infections in teenagers and young adults. This study used a mixed-methods analysis to investigate targeted promotion of chlamydia home-testing on social media. Methods Our first study, in which face-to-face interviews with young women were conducted, sought to explore their attitudes and preferences towards social media-based health promotion. Our second study used Facebook and Google analytics to examine visits to a chlamydia testing page (where chlamydia testing kits could be ordered online), both before and after a targeted Facebook-based health promotion campaign was conducted. Results The interviews revealed Facebook to be the preferred choice of social media, with participants perceiving it to be a powerful and far-reaching platform for social interaction. Participants also highlighted several aspects of promotional content to be important at increasing engagement with the target population, including appropriate use of colour, level of interactivity, use of humour and anonymity. The website analysis showed a 277% increase in the direct entrance on the chlamydia testing kit page and a 41% increase in chlamydia test kit orders, in comparison with the baseline period prior to the intervention. Conclusions The findings support social media as an engaging medium for the online promotion of chlamydia self-testing and implicate Facebook advertising as a useful tool in addition to community-based chlamydia screening services. Future research needs to identify whether targeted social media-based health promotion could lead to higher chlamydia diagnosis rate in comparison to traditional communication channels

Impaired Bone Formation in Transgenic Mice Resulting from Altered Integrin Function in Osteoblasts

AbstractTo determine the role of integrins in mature osteoblasts in vivo, we expressed in transgenic mice a dominant-negative integrin subunit (β1-DN) consisting of the β1 subunit cytoplasmic and transmembrane domains, driven by the osteoblast-specific osteocalcin promoter. Immature osteoblasts isolated from transgenic animals differentiated normally in vitro until the osteocalcin promoter became active; thereafter they detached from the substratum, suggesting that β1-DN was impairing adhesion in mature osteoblasts. Transgenic animals had reduced bone mass, with increased cortical porosity in long bones and thinner flat bones in the skull. At 35 days, the rate of bone formation was reduced in cortical bone, and the parietal bones were 45% thinner than in wild-type animals. Active osteoblasts were less polar and had larger areas of cytoplasm with intracellular stores of matrix molecules. Osteocyte lacunae appeared normal around the cell body but did not have normal canilicular structures. At 90 days, the parietal bone of transgenic males was of normal width, suggesting that the original defect in matrix deposition had been repaired or compensated for. In contrast, transgenic females still had decreased bone mass in the parietal bone at 90 days. The decreased bone mass in TG females was accompanied by increased staining for osteoclast activity, suggesting that there was a sex-specific defect in mature animals

Strategies for Engaging Engineering Faculty in Continuing Education

This presentation was part of the session : Practical Strategies for Engaging Engineering Faculty in Continuing Education ITerry J. Reed: Director, Engineering Continuing & Distance Education, Penn State University, University, University Park, PA, USA. Mr. Reed received B.S. in Electrical Engineering from Penn State, an M.S. in Electrical Engineering and an MBA from the University of Pittsburgh. Thomas M. Iwinski: eLearning Specialist, Engineering Continuing & Distance Education, Penn State University, University, University Park, PA, USA. Mr. Iwinski received a B.S. in Communications Media from Indiana University of Pennsylvania and an M.S. in Instructional Technologies from Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania. Deborah L. Zimmerman: Program Manager, Engineering Continuing & Distance Education, Penn State University, University, University Park, PA, USA. Ms. Zimmerman has over 30 years of experience working with faculty on continuing and distance programs. John M. Mason: Associate Dean for Research, Graduate Studies, and Outreach; Professor of Civil Engineering; and Director of the Pennsylvania Transportation Institute in the College of Engineering, Penn State University, University, University Park, PA, USA. Dr. Mason received a B.S. in Transportation from Penn State, an M.S. in Transportation Engineering from Villanova University, and a Ph.D. in Civil Engineering from Texas A&M University.IACEE 11th World Conference on Continuing Engineering EducationEngaging engineering faculty at a large research university in continuing education is a challenge because faculty choose to invest their time and talents in other activities which are perceived to have higher benefits. This paper describes strategies that can be employed to increase the benefits of continuing education activities to make them more attractive. These strategies include reducing the faculty time requirements and increasing the rewards. The paper illustrates how these strategies have been applied to the activities necessary for the design, production and delivery a graduate level credit course taught to distant students.Distance Learning and Professional Education ; International Association for Continuing Engineering Educatio

The risk of stroke and stroke type in patients with atrial fibrillation and chronic kidney disease

Background: Atrial fibrillation (AF) and chronic kidney disease (CKD) are known to increase the risk of stroke. Objectives: We set out to examine the risk of stroke by kidney function and albuminuria in patients with and without AF. Design: Retrospective cohort study. Settings: Ontario, Canada. Participants: A total of 736 666 individuals (>40 years) from 2002 to 2015. Measurements: New-onset AF, albumin-to-creatinine ratio (ACR), and an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR). Methods: A total of 39 120 matched patients were examined for the risk of ischemic, hemorrhagic, or any stroke event, accounting for the competing risk of all-cause mortality. Interaction terms for combinations of ACR/eGFR and the outcome of stroke with and without AF were examined. Results: In a total of 4086 (5.2%) strokes (86% ischemic), the presence of AF was associated with a 2-fold higher risk for any stroke event and its subtypes of ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke. Across eGFR levels, the risk of stroke was 2-fold higher with the presence of AF except for low levels of eGFR (eGFR < 30 mL/min/1.73 m2, hazard ratio [HR]: 1.38, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.99-1.92). Similarly across ACR levels, the risk of stroke was 2-fold higher except for high levels of albuminuria (ACR > 30 mg/g, HR: 1.61, 95% CI: 1.31-1.99). The adjusted risk of stroke with AF differed by combinations of ACR and eGFR categories (interaction P value = .04) compared with those without AF. Both stroke types were more common in patients with AF, and ischemic stroke rates differed significantly by eGFR and ACR categories. Limitations: Medication information was not included. Conclusions: Patients with CKD and AF are at a high risk of total, ischemic, and hemorrhagic strokes; the risk is highest with lower eGFR and higher ACR and differs based on eGFR and the degree of ACR

Expansion strategies of a mutual help organization

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/44029/1/10464_2004_Article_BF00937930.pd

Demographic and Disease Characteristics Associated With Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma Survivors' Quality of Life: Does Age Matter?

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVES: To examine demographic and disease characteristics by age and the moderating effect of age on quality of life (QOL) among non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) survivors. DESIGN: A cross-sectional, secondary analysis study of NHL survivors. SETTING: Two North Carolina cancer registries. SAMPLE: 741 NHL survivors with a mean age of 62 years and a mean time since diagnosis of 10 years. METHODS: Mailed surveys were sent to individuals treated for NHL. All analyses were conducted using SPSS®, version 18.0. Multiple regression was used to analyze relationships among demographic and disease characteristics, age, and QOL. MAIN RESEARCH VARIABLES: Demographic, disease, and clinical characteristics on QOL. FINDINGS: In relation to QOL, income and gender were moderated by age; for example, younger survivors who earned less than $30,000 annually had a poorer QOL. Women reported a higher QOL than men. CONCLUSIONS: Age was a moderator for income and an indicator for how income could affect care of younger survivors. Men reported a lower QOL than women and gender-specific resources may be helpful to them. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING: Nursing research should focus on age-sensitive resources targeted for younger NHL survivors. KNOWLEDGE TRANSLATION: Age is an important characteristic that impacts overall health-related QOL. Oncology nurses are instrumental in identifying patients at all ages who could benefit from age-specific resources

The importance of practitioner smoking status: A survey of NHS Stop Smoking Service practitioners

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the smoking status of stop smoking practitioners, the impact of this on their practice, and clients' quit rates. METHODS: Smoking cessation practitioners in the UK NHS Stop Smoking Service were asked about their smoking status, client quit rates and practitioner-client interaction, using an online survey. Associations between responses were investigated using logistic regression. RESULTS: 51% of the sample (N=484) were ex-smokers. Most practitioners had been questioned about their smoking status by clients, with more never than ex-smokers claiming that this reduced their confidence when advising. Never smokers more frequently reported that clients questioned their ability as a practitioner, but no significant difference in quit rates was reported between never and ex-smokers. CONCLUSION: Although evidence suggests smokers believe many practitioners are never smokers, this survey found that this is not true. Research investigating how many smokers might not be seeking support to quit because of this could be beneficial. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Raising awareness of the similarity of quit rates achieved by never and former smoker practitioners, and the experience practitioners draw upon when offering advice, might encourage greater use of the NHS SSS. It could also be beneficial to improve training in never smokers to address confidence issues

Shercliff layers in strongly magnetic cylindrical Taylor-Couette flow

We numerically compute axisymmetric Taylor-Couette flow in the presence of axially periodic magnetic fields, with Hartmann numbers up to Ha2 = 107. The geometry of the field singles out special field lines on which Shercliff layers form. These are simple shear layers for insulating boundaries, versus super-rotating or counter-rotating layers for conducting boundaries. Some field configurations have previously studied spherical analogs, but fundamentally new configurations also exist, having no spherical analogs. Finally, we explore the influence of azimuthal fields Bφ ∼ r−1ˆeφ on these layers, and show that the flow is suppressed for conducting boundaries but enhanced for insulating boundaries