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Collegiate Marching Band Artists Self-Report Previous Exercise-Associated Hyponatremia: A Cross-Sectional Study
No full textExercise-associated hyponatremia (EAH) is commonly observed in endurance athletes, where prolonged physical exertion combined with being unaware of personal hydration needs can lead to excessive water consumption or inadequate sodium intake. Marching band (MB) is an emerging setting for sports medicine professionals. However, there is little research on non-musculoskeletal illnesses among these performing artists. This study is part of a larger cross-sectional study and seeks to examine whether MB artists have previously experienced EAH and the presence of known EAH risk factors (e.g., pre-existing medical conditions, medication use, nutritional behaviors). Active collegiate MB members (n = 1207; mean age = 19.6 ± 1.3 years) completed an online survey that characterized demographics, medical history, and nutrition behaviors. Statistical analyses included descriptives (mean, standard deviation) and frequencies for all data. Binomial logistic regressions analyzed the relationship and determined the odds ratio (OR) between previous EAH and EAH risk factors. Participants were from 23 different states, predominately White (82.9%), female (56.7%), and at NCAA Division I institutions (92%). A total of 74 (6.1%) participants reported previously experiencing EAH, 32 (43.2%) within the past year. Previous EAH occurrence was greatest among individuals who had kidney conditions (χ2(1) = 5.920, R2 = 0.013, OR = 15.708, p = 0.015); mood/neurological conditions (χ2(1) = 7.508, R2 = 0.017, OR = 2.154, p = 0.006), particularly anxiety (χ2(1) = 7.651, R2 = 0.017, OR = 3.590, p = 0.006); used mental health medications (χ2(1) = 7.512, R2 = 0.017, OR = 2.220, p = 0.006), particularly selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (χ2(1) = 13.502, R2 = 0.030, OR = 3.297, p < 0.001); and who dieted (χ2(1) = 6.121, R2 = 0.014, OR = 1.913, p = 0.013) or perceived they had an eating disorder (χ2(1) = 9.502, R2 = 0.021, OR = 2.729, p = 0.002). Healthcare providers should be aware that MB artists may have pre-existing medication conditions, use medication, and have inadequate nutrition. Targeted hydration and nutritional education for MB artists is essential for effective prevention and early EAH recognition, improving health and performance for MB artists within demanding environments.Health and Human Performanc
The Probability of Hospital Bankruptcy: A Stochastic Approach
No full textHealthcare leaders are faced with many financial challenges in the contemporary environment, leading to financial distress and notable instances of bankruptcies in recent years. What is not well understood are the specific conditions that may lead to organizational economic failure. Though there are various models that predict financial distress, existing regression methods may be inadequate, especially when the finance variables follow a nonnormal frequency pattern. Furthermore, the regression approach encounters difficulties due to multicollinearity. Therefore, an alternate stochastic approach for predicting the probability of hospital bankruptcy is needed. The new method we propose involves several key steps to better assess financial health in hospitals. First, we compute and interpret the relationship between the hospital’s revenues and expenses for bivariate lognormal data. Next, we estimate the risk of bankruptcy due to the mismatch between revenues and expenses. We also determine the likelihood of a hospital’s expenses exceeding the state’s median expenses level. Lastly, we evaluate the hospital’s financial memory level to understand its level of financial stability. We believe that our novel approach to anticipating hospital bankruptcy may be useful for both hospital leaders and policymakers in making informed decisions and proactively managing risks to ensure the sustainability and stability of their institutions
Laboratory Evaluation of Storage Stability for Asphalt Binder Modified with Crumb Rubber and Styrene–Isoprene–Styrene Depending on Evaluation Factors and Blending Condition
No full textModified asphalt binders are still considered important in asphalt pavement. However, the comprehensive use of various modifiers is limited due to storage stability issues. Moreover, there is a scarcity of detailed analyses regarding the degree of separation for asphalt binders among each method despite the utilization of various methods to assess the storage stability of binders. Therefore, a comprehensive analysis was conducted to assess the storage stability of asphalt binder modified with a crumb rubber modifier (CRM) and styrene–isoprene–styrene (SIS), utilizing five evaluation factors following the ASTM D7173 guidelines based on four mixing methods (A: high-shear mixing method, B: low-speed agitating method, C: high-shear mixing method + low mixing method, D: low-speed agitating method + low mixing method). To produce the modified asphalt binder, the proportions of the CRM were 5% and 10% for each binder, and 10% SIS was added to all binders. The results in this study convey that (1) the addition of the modifier led to an increase in G*/sin δ with different mixing methods, but using mixing methods (C and D) for a relatively long time resulted in a lower G*/sin δ, indicating suboptimal performance; (2) through the multiple stress creep recovery (MSCR), rheological properties of Jnr and % rec exhibited trends similar to G*/sin δ evaluation, highlighting an improved elastic recovery with a higher modifier content; (3) storage stability assessment revealed consistent trends in high-shear mixing groups (A and C), while low-speed mixing groups (B and D) exhibited an elevated separation index (SI), suggesting a sensitivity to modification conditions; (4) evaluation using the MSCR method indicated that % rec with a 3.2 kPa load is effective for the sensitive assessment of binder storage stability and Jnr showed a limited sensitivity across varying loads, advocating for % rec for precise evaluation; and (5) despite permitting various tests, achieving consistent results remains challenging. Future research should explore diverse modifiers and optimal evaluation methods to enhance knowledge of binder behavior and separation dynamics
Additive Impacts of Liveweight and Body Condition Score at Breeding on the Reproductive Performance of Merino and Non-Merino Ewe Lambs
No full textEwe lambs that are heavier due to improved nutrition pre- and post-weaning achieve puberty at a younger age, are more fertile, and have a higher reproductive rate. Fatness is intimately linked to reproduction, and we hypothesised that higher body condition scores at breeding would have positive effects on the reproductive rate of ewe lambs over and above liveweight. We also expected that if only a proportion of ewe lambs were presented for breeding, then it would be more effective to select them based on both liveweight and body condition score. To test these hypotheses, we analysed data from over 17,000 records from Merino and non-Merino ewe lambs from 22 different flocks across Australia. Non-Merino ewe lambs were more fertile (69.4% vs. 48.7%) and achieved a higher reproductive rate than Merino ewe lambs (96.9% vs. 60.7%). There were significant curvilinear relationships between liveweight (p < 0.001) or body condition score (p < 0.001) prior to breeding and reproductive rate for both Merino and non-Merino ewe lambs. For both breeds, there was a significant (p < 0.001) quadratic effect of body condition score prior to breeding on reproductive rate, independent of the correlated changes in liveweight, and at the same liveweight, an extra 0.5 of a body condition score up to 3.3 improved reproductive rate by about 20%. Nevertheless, the results indicated that if only a proportion of ewe lambs were selected for breeding, then selection based on both liveweight and body condition scores may only improve the overall reproductive rate by 1 to 2% compared to selection based on liveweight alone. We conclude that liveweight is a more effective method than body condition score for selecting ewe lambs for breeding.Agricultural Science
Valorization of Sugarcane Bagasse Ash as an Alternative SCM: Effect of Particle Size, Temperature-Crossover Effect Mitigation and Cost Analysis
No full textThe construction industry faces increasing pressure to reduce its environmental impact while meeting the growing demand for infrastructure. One approach to achieving this goal is the use of industrial waste as a replacement for traditional supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs). This study investigates sugarcane bagasse ash (SCBA), addressing the future scarcity and increased cost of other commonly used SCMs. Despite existing literature, the use of SCBA is hindered by several unknowns. This research evaluates SCBA’s performance in mortars, focusing on the effects of curing temperature and particle size variation. Mortar samples were prepared with SCBA replacements from 0% to 30% by mass of cement and cured at 21 °C and 45 °C for 7, 28, and 90 days. The results suggest potential for SCBA replacement up to 30%, emphasizing its sustainability and economic benefits. A cost analysis was also conducted, demonstrating the economic viability of SCBA as an alternative to traditional cement for practical applications.Engineering Technolog
Citation chasing and other tricks
No full textThis H5P interactive book walks the learner through how to use one article and citation chase forwards and backwards to find other articles for a research assignment
Validation of Short-Form Scales of Self-Control, Procedural Justice, and Moral Foundations
No full textSelf-control, perceived procedural justice, and moral foundations are prominent theoretical constructs in the criminological literature. However, existing measures of each are long. Long scales crowd questionnaires, increase cognitive burden, and lengthen completion times. Using a set of heuristic guidelines for scale construction, we develop short measures of self-control, procedural justice, and moral foundations and then test experimentally whether they can replace the existing longer versions. We conducted a series of split-ballot experiments with a national sample of American adults (N = 1191). Respondents were randomly assigned to receive the existing long scale or our shorter version. We then compared the scales on factor structure, reliability, and validity. The short scales performed as well, and sometimes better than, the longer versions. Our results suggest that researchers can use our short scales of self-control, procedural justice, and moral foundations in lieu of the existing long scales while maintaining data quality.Criminal Justice and Criminolog
Interviewing and Interrogation Practices and Beliefs, 20 Years Later: A National Self-Report Survey of American Police
No full textObjective: This survey examined current law enforcement beliefs and practices about interviewing and interrogation to gauge whether they have evolved given the research and training developed over the past 20 years.
Hypotheses: We hypothesized that police beliefs and practices would have evolved along with research findings over the past 20 years.
Method: We surveyed 526 law enforcement officers about the practices and beliefs regarding interviewing and interrogation. We asked questions about officers' beliefs about rates of true and false confessions, time spent in the interrogation room, beliefs about their ability to detect deception, training experience, practices of recording interrogations, and their self-reported use of interrogation techniques.
Results: Overall, when we compared our survey with Kassin et al.'s (2007) seminal survey, we found both similar results and evolving positive trends. The average interview was reportedly 1.6 hr, virtually no different from that in Kassin and colleagues' study. In addition, our sample reported that 26.2% of innocent suspects at least partially falsely confessed. Further, whereas Kassin and colleagues found that fewer than one in 10 interrogations were video recorded, we found that now more than half of interrogations are recorded in this way.
Conclusions: In a geographically diverse sample of U.S. law enforcement officers, we found significant positive trends toward knowledge and practices informed by research generated over the past decades on interviewing and interrogation. Although causality could not be determined, these findings indicate an evolution of the U.S. law enforcement mindset in a more science-based direction. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).Criminal Justice and Criminolog
Evaluating Structure from Motion as an Effective Method for the Reconstruction of Lunar Topography
No full textWith the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) plan to return, build permanent infrastructure, and land the first woman and person of color on the Moon, lunar research is of increasing interest. Thirteen Candidate Landing Regions (CLR) have been chosen for their desirable features for mission landings on the lunar south pole. This research uses images from the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Narrow Angle Camera (LRO NAC) to reconstruct elevation models of the Nobile Rim 1 CLR using the photogrammetric technique Structure from Motion (SfM). SfM uses the 2D structures in these images with high overlap and variable illumination and emission angles to construct 3D structures. Leveraging the eccentric orbit of the LRO NAC and the mission’s consistent data collection since 2009, an algorithm was developed to test the creation of elevation models of Nobile Rim 1. Results indicate that running SfM on the LRO NAC images consistently reproduced point clouds and 3D models, but displayed inaccurate elevation values, spatial discrepancies, and projection distortion. Attaching EXIF data to the images to include spacecraft location information resulted in accurate elevation values but displayed a similar error in location. By georeferencing the LRO NAC images to elevation data from the Lunar Orbiter Laser Altimeter, accurate elevation values were displayed, coordinate system projection was successful, but the point cloud was misaligned from the features. Within the scope of this research, I found that there is a fundamental trade-off wherein the model can achieve accuracy in elevation, location, or projection, but not all three simultaneously. Despite sustained efforts and exhaustive exploration, the intended objective remained unattainable. Regardless of this limitation, this thesis shows significant promise in the reconstruction of LRO NAC images using structure from motion.Geography and Environmental Studie