bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Trends in Socioeconomic Inequalities in Adult Health Behaviors among U.S. States, 1990–2004
Authors: Harper Sam , Lynch John 
Published: January 2017

Objective. The purpose of this study was to measure state trends in educational inequalities in smoking, binge alcohol use, physical inactivity, obesity, and seatbelt use. Methods. The authors calculated the Relative Concentration Index of educational inequality for five health behaviors on adults from all 50 states and the District of Columbia using data from 1990 to 2004 in the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System ( n=2,118,562). Linear regression was used to measure changes and trends in the Relative Concentration Index of health inequality across education groups in each state. Results. Except for binge alcohol use, poorer health behaviors were concentrated among the less educated. The largest educational inequalities were for physical inactivity. From 1990 to 2004, significant increases in relative educational inequalities occurred in 40 states for smoking and 31 states for physical inactivity. For binge alcohol use, 27 states showed significant declining inequality trends, but educational inequalities reversed direction and binge alcohol use is now more prevalent among the less educated in 19 states. Significant decreases in educational inequalities occurred in 36 states for obesity and 24 states for seat belt use. Changes in educational inequalities across the different health behaviors were not associated, except for a modest correlation between changes in inequality in smoking and binge alcohol use ( r=0.40; p=0.004). Similarly, there was little association between changes in the population prevalence of health behaviors and changes in educational inequality in health behaviors, with substantial heterogeneity among states. Conclusions. State trends in relative educational inequality among health behaviors were mixed, increasing for smoking and physical inactivity and decreasing for obesity and seat belt use. The factors influencing relative inequality trends may differ from those affecting overall prevalence trends.
Acute Pesticide Poisoning in the U.S. Retail Industry, 1998–2004
Authors: Calvert Geoffrey M. , Petersen Ann M. , Sievert Jennifer , Mehler Louise N. , Das Rupali , Harter Lucy C. , Romoli Cinzia , Becker Alan , Ball Cynthia , Male Dorilee , Schwartz Abby , Lackovic Michelle 
Published: January 2017

Objective. This study was conducted to describe the national magnitude and characteristics of acute pesticide poisoning among workers and customers in retail establishments. Methods. Analyses included retail employees 15–64 years of age and customers with acute pesticide poisoning identified from the Sentinel Event Notification System for Occupational Risks-Pesticides (SENSOR-Pesticides) and California Department of Pesticide Regulation from 1998 to 2004. Pesticide poisoning incidence rates and incidence rate ratios (IRR) were calculated. Results. A total of 325 cases of acute pesticide poisoning were identified. Of these cases, 287 (88%) were retail employees and 38 (12%) were customers. Overall, retail employees had a significantly lower acute pesticide poisoning incidence rate compared with non-agricultural, non-retail employees (IRR=0.53; 95% confidence interval 0.47, 0.59). However, significantly elevated pesticide poisoning incidence rates were observed for four retail occupations (janitors, stock handlers/baggers, bakery/deli clerks, and shipping/receiving handlers). In addition, workers employed in two retail industry sectors (farm supply stores and hardware stores) had significantly elevated acute pesticide poisoning incidence rates. Incidence rates among the retail employees demonstrated a quadratic trend, monotonically decreasing from 1998 to 2000 and monotonically increasing from 2000 to 2003. The rates appear to have leveled off in 2003 and 2004. Conclusions. Preventive measures to decrease acute pesticide poisoning incidence in the retail sector include adoption of unbreakable and tear-resistant container requirements, increased utilization of integrated pest management strategies, and advisement to store managers, employees, and customers about poisoning prevention.
Risk Factors Associated with Anthrax Outbreak in Animals in North Dakota, 2005: A Retrospective Case-Control Study
Authors: Mongoh Mafany Ndiva , Dyer Neil W. , Stoltenow Charles L. , Khaitsa Margaret L. 
Published: January 2017

Objective. We identified the risk factors associated with the anthrax outbreak of 2005 in animals in North Dakota. Methods. Medical records of the 2005 anthrax outbreak were obtained from the Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory at North Dakota State University. Additional data were obtained from the North Dakota state veterinarian's office, and supplemental questionnaires were administered to producers. The data obtained included ecological and environmental factors, animal health factors, and management factors. Results. Anthrax occurred from July 1 to October 12, 2005. The cases were located in eastern North Dakota around the Red River Basin. Ransom, LaMoure, and Barnes counties reported most cases (71%). Species affected included cattle, bison, horses, sheep, elk, deer, pigs, and llamas. The predominant symptom was sudden death (38%) followed by bleeding from orifices (17%). Chi-square analysis indicated significant differences between case and control premises on the following variables: death reported on neighboring pasture, vaccination period, dry conditions, wet conditions, antibiotic use, multiple vaccination, and type of predator (coyote). Factors that significantly ( p<0.05) predicted anthrax occurrences on the final logistic regression model were vaccination, use of antibiotics during an outbreak, and period of vaccine administration (before or during the outbreak). Conclusions. The characteristics of the anthrax outbreak regarding time and place of occurrence, animals affected, clinical signs reported, and mortality rate were consistent with previous reports of natural anthrax outbreaks in animals. A number of factors that significantly predicted anthrax occurrence in animals in the 2005 outbreak in North Dakota were identified. This information is important in planning appropriate control and prevention measures for anthrax, including recommending the right vaccination and treatment regimens in managing future anthrax outbreaks.
Risk Factors for Infection with Pathogenic and Antimicrobial-Resistant Fecal Bacteria in Northern Elephant Seals in California
Authors: Stoddard Robyn A. , Atwill Edward R. , Gulland Frances M.D. , Miller Melissa A. , Dabritz Haydee A. , Paradies Dave M. , Worcester Karen R. , Jang Spencer , Lawrence Judy , Byrne Barbara A. , Conrad Patricia A. 
Published: January 2017

Objectives. The goal of this study was to identify potential environmental and demographic factors associated with Campylobacter jejuni (C. jejuni), Salmonella enterica (Salmonella spp.), and antimicrobial-resistant Escherichia coli (E. coli) infection in northern elephant seals stranded along the California coastline. Methods. E. coli, Salmonella spp., and C. jejuni were isolated from rectal swabs from 196 juvenile northern elephant seals, which were found stranded and alive along the California coast and brought to The Marine Mammal Center in Sausalito, California, for rehabilitation. Gender, weight, county where the animal stranded, month stranded, coastal human population density, exposure to sewage outfall or freshwater outflow (river or stream), and cumulative precipitation in the previous 24 hours, seven days, 30 days, 90 days, and 180 days were analyzed as potential risk factors for infection. Results. The odds of C. jejuni and antimicrobial-resistant E. coli were higher in feces of seals stranded at sites with higher levels of freshwater outflow compared with lower levels of freshwater outflow. The odds of Salmonella spp. in feces were 5.4 times greater in seals stranded in locations with lower levels of 30-day cumulative precipitation, along with substantially lower odds of Salmonella shedding for seals stranded in Monterey or Santa Cruz county compared with seals stranded in regions further north or south of this central California location. Conclusions. Juvenile northern elephant seals that have entered the water are being colonized by antimicrobial-resistant and pathogenic fecal bacteria that may be acquired from terrestrial sources transmitted via river and surface waters.
Bridging the Chasm between Management Education, Research, and Practice: Moving Towards the ‘Grounded Theory’ Approach
Authors: Maital Shlomo , Prakhya Srinivas , Seshadri DVR 
Published: January 2017

This paper addresses the issue of best-practice research methodology in management. It is argued that management research should follow what is known as ‘grounded theory’, or what Harvard Business School Professor, Robert Kaplan, termed as “innovation action research.” Today, management research is found following an inappropriate model, the hypotheticoscientific method designed for laboratory research in the natural sciences. This is unsuitable for management and not aligned with case-based pedagogy, action learning or reality-based executive programmes. The result is a painful disconnect between management research and management teaching. There is an increasing divergence and separation between educators and researchers, when in fact these endeavours should be integrated and converging. While educators use case studies intensively, researchers reject N=1 qualitative methods and instead employ N ≥ 25. It is indeed strange that sometimes the educator and the researcher are the same person. This strange methodological schizophrenia needs a remedy. For management, world is the laboratory. It therefore requires a worldly. research methodology. Management educators seek to use reality-based tools; yet, they often do research that is abstract and diffused. Some of the leading management tools taught by management educators originated, in fact, in best-practice innovations in organizations. Why not adopt this as general best-practice? And why, then, does management research pay lip service to the natural sciences, when its most powerful theories and tools emerged from clinical, not laboratory, settings? This paper offers an alternative, a new way forward, based on the familiar concept of grounded theory. Through examples and case studies, it shows how this approach might be applied and how teaching and research can become tightly integrated. It concludes with some poignant thoughts on the way forward, including finding robust ways to partner between management researchers, educators, and practitioners (who are participants of executive education programmes in most business schools). For instance: There would be a need for extensive collaboration between these three constituents. Management education and research must include extensive team work, rather than the common phenomenon of each educator doing his ‘solo’ act in management education programmes and moving on. There should be relevant and well-thoughtout themes that facilitate high quality dialogue between the three constituents (educators, researchers, and practitioners), where there is intense learning on the part of all of them. Significant mindset changes on the part of companies sponsoring their managers for management education programmes would be necessary. It is hoped that this paper would generate a lot of dialogue resulting in positive changes that would bridge the existing chasm between management education, research, and practice.
The Effect of Auditory Processing on the Development of Low Level Low Frequency Noise Criteria
Authors: Benton S. , Leventhall H.G. 
Published: January 2017

The role played by loudness in the assessment of annoyance is seen to effect an intensity dominated concept current in noise assessment practices. Such dominance is not supported by the complex processing nature of the auditory system. The individual is placed within a context which requires the auditory system to align the person to external stimuli whilst maintaining the production of appropriate behaviours. Development of the concepts associated with audition is a pre-requisite to establishing viable noise assessment criteria. The limitations of present day criteria, with an accepted assumption of intensity as the key parameter, are accentuated when assessments are made of low level low frequency noise. Once the individual is viewed as an active processor, bodily parameters may also serve to provide indices which are derived from the amount of ‘processor work’.
Sensations, Perception Thresholds and Temporary Threshold Shifts of Whole Body Vibrations in Sitting and Standing Posture
Authors: Landström Ulf , Lundström Ronnie 
Published: January 2017

The experiments were conducted to evaluate the subjective experience associated with sinusoidal whole body vibration. Exposures were carried out in vertical (z) direction with the subject placed in upright sitting and standing positions. According to the present results, the vibration perception level is approximately the same for both postures, about 80–90 dB, (re 1 μm/s2 (r.m.s)) when comparing frequencies below 100 Hz. The threshold values were found to be influenced by the body weight, heavy people being more sensitive to whole body vibration in sitting posture, light people being more sensitive to vibrations in standing posture. Furthermore, the present study clearly shows the existence of temporary threshold shifts (TTS) in perception of whole body vibration after 5 minutes of vibration fatigue. If measured c. 30 seconds after the end of the exposure the temporary threshold shifts were in the magnitude of 10 dB.
Optimal Tower Design for a Wind Power System
Authors: Bourgund Ulrich , Lawo Michael 
Published: January 2017

The optimal layout for structures of self-supporting truss-towers is found by comparing the different minimum weight design topologies under geometric, structural, assemblage and maintenance aspects with respect to static and dynamic effects. The basic idea concerning the geometry of the structures was to determine a design with a minimum of different elements with respect to length, cross-sectional area, etc. A modified Newton-Raphson iteration is used to consider the effects of non-linearity in the static analysis. Dynamic investigations applying Stodola's method are necessary because the first frequencies in bending and torsion have to be examined. The present optimization problem is nonlinear with the cross-sectional areas of the truss elements as design variables. The problem is solved by formulating optimality criteria derived from the different restrictions. The strongest restriction is the one concerning the eigenfrequencies, followed by the warping stiffness and stability restrictions. Extensive studies, done by a computer program, showed that the differences in weight are negligible; only design aspects are of significance for the optimal truss tower. Therefore, a new and simple nodal point construction is developed using sheets prefabricated very easily in one piece out of a flat panel.
Infinite Polyhedra Lattice (I.P.L) Space Trusses: Morphology, Analysis And Application
Authors: Burt Michael 
Published: January 2017

The hyperbolic finite and infinite surfaces and Polyhedra, abstract models of all poly-genus Sponge-like and labyrinthian configutations, are among a new array of basic forms which were introduced and morphologically explored, mostly in the last few decades. I.P.L. Space Trusses are among the first engineered architectural applications of this new form family. Morphologically they are based on Periodic Hyperbolic Surfaces and their tessellations, the so called “Infinite Polyhedra Lattices” (hence - I.P.L.) which were developed by the author over the last thirty years. They represent a novel mode of material distribution in space which enables to achieve higher structural performance (in terms of attainable spans and amount of invested material), and far-reaching design opportunities. Because of their size and complexity, I.P.L. trusses pose a very intense calculation problem which requires great ingenuity and powerful (paranet) computer systems. The article describes the evolution of the concept, form generation, design considerations and their application to wide-span and high-rise mega-structures.
Awareness and Perception of Strabismus Among the Youths and Women of Child-Bearing Age in a Local Government in South Western Nigeria
Authors: Bodunde Olubunmi , Runsewe-Abiodun Tamramat , Alabi Adekunle , Adetunji Janet , Olowonyo Michael , Adefuye Bolanle 
Published: January 2017

Purpose To determine the awareness and perception of strabismus among the youths and women of child-bearing age in Ikenne Local Government Area (LGA) of Ogun State, South Western Nigeria. Methodology Fifteen focus group discussions (FGDs) were carried out in the LGA on the perceptions and attitudes of people to strabismus. Their responses were tape-recorded and later transcribed. A thematic phenomenological approach was used for the analysis. Result A total of 139 people participated in the FGDs, with a male:female ratio of 1:∼4. Although there was a fairly high level of awareness of strabismus in the populace, their knowledge and perception of the disease were poor. Attitudes toward the disease were based on unfounded fears and misconceptions of the disease. Conclusions We conclude that the perception and acceptance of people with strabismus by the people of Ikenne LGA was based on their poor knowledge of the disease. This in turn interfered with the uptake of health-care services for the condition.
Small Caliber Vascular Grafts. Part II: Polyurethanes Revisited
Authors: Zdrahala Richard J. 
Published: January 2017

Polyurethanes are considered to be one of the most bio- and blood-compatible biomaterials known today. By intelligent utilization of principles governing the structure/property relationship of these polymers, one can generate systems which resemble, in principle, the physical-mechanical behavior of living tissue. Thus, it is not surprising that these materials played a major role in development of small caliber vascular grafts targeted for vascular access, peripheral and coronary artery bypass indications. Numerous technologies, often esoteric in nature, were and are utilized to generate porous, potentially multilayered conduits possessing some or many characteristics of natural blood vessels. Properties such as durability, elasticity, compliance, pulsatility, and propensity for healing became attainable via polyurethanes. Furthermore, additional surface and/or bulk modification via attachments of biologically active species such as anticoagulants, cell proliferation suppressants, anti-infective compounds or biorecognizable groups are possible due to reactive groups which are part of the polyurethane structure. These modifications are designed to control or mediate host acceptance and healing of the graft. Finally, a myriad of practical processing technologies are used to fabricate functional grafts. Among those, casting, electrostatic and wet spinning of fibers and monofilaments, extrusion, dip coating or spraying of mandrels with polymer/additive solutions are often coupled with chemical-potential-difference-driven coagulation and phase inversion leading to grafts feeling and often behaving like natural vessels. Historically, the first polyurethanes utilized were hydrolytically unstable polyester polyurethanes containing hydrolysis-prone polyester polyols as soft segments, followed by hydrolytically stable but oxidation sensitive polyether polyols based polyurethanes. Polyether-based polyurethanes and their clones containing silicone and other modifying polymeric intermediates represented significant progress. Many viable technologies were discovered and developed using polyether-based polyurethanes. Chronic in vivo instability observed on prolonged implantation became, however, a major roadblock. The path led finally to the use of hydrolytically and oxidatively stable polycarbonate polyols as the soft segment to generate biodurable materials with resistance to biodegradation adequate for vascular access or perhaps peripheral graft indications. This biodurability needs to be further increased in order to utilize the full potential of polyurethanes in development of patent small caliber graft. Modification of both the soft and hard segments needs to be considered in order to maximize biodurability of both basic building blocks of the polyurethane. This paper reviews the achievements, discusses trends, and offers the view of the future in this exciting area of material/device combination.
Energy - The Key to an Ecologically Sustainable Development⊗
Authors: Fritsch Bruno B. 
Published: January 2017

In assessing the chances and dangers which exist on the way to a globally sustainable economic system which would provide the basis for a decent living for a population of the magnitude of about 9 to 10 billion people, one cannot deny the tremendous progress mankind made during the last twenty five years. But precisely because such positive developments cannot be expected to last for ever, the question was posed by many social and natural scientists whether, and for how long the carrying capacity of our planet can withstand such “progress”. In this paper, facts are presented which show that limits are not so much in the area of physical factors, e.g. energy and resources, but rather in our ability to learn and to absorb the speed of technological change, both in psychological and in political terms. Thus the problems we are confronted with are neither of a purely physical nor of a purely economical nature. From a wider perspective, it becomes obvious that man is involved in three interrelated conflicts. He is: in conflict with nature (environment), in conflict with his fellow men (war), and in conflict with himself (identity between the inner and outer world). The factors influencing our chances to achieve a situation which is sustainable and socially acceptable as well, have at least three dimensions: a dimension of evolutionary history, a scientific or technological, and an economico-political dimension. It is shown that in terms of the time dimensions involved in evolution, the increase of world population occurred in an extremely short period. Therefore, we are right in describing this phenomenon as an “explosion”. The changes connected to the population explosion – agglomerations, new infrastructures, mobility etc., – imposed a great stress upon our psyche. Uncertainty and anxiety gradually changed our behaviour. More and more people tended to blame each other for the “catastrophes” to come. In such an atmosphere of uncertainty, knowledge about the time scale is essential. The time scales of ecological processes differs by magnitudes from the time scale of political processes. A deeper understanding of the underlying processes shows that we do not “consume” energy, but rather transfer high grade energy into waste heat. (Second Law of Thermodynamics). Similarly, we do not “consume” resources, but rather change a given concentration and composition of elements in a way which suits the present purposes. Hence we “consume” state of orders and not matter (law of conservation). These technical transformations require energy and knowledge. The more efficiently we use energy, the better the “eco-efficiency” – a concept which is explained in the article. It is shown that the key positive factor in achieving any kind of sustainability is knowledge and the key negative factor is further population growth. Hence, if we want to achieve a morally and materially sustainable future we must break the vicious circle of on-going population growth, more poverty, less chances to learn, more violence, more population growth, and so on.