Personal recollections of poets, philosophers and statesmen : being 1,001 anecdotes of life in New England, and of the great and eccentric characters celebrated in her history fifty years ago : also giving numerous anecdotes concerning the private life and secret history of many personages illustrious in American public life during the first half of the present century : and an account of men and things I saw in Europe /

Includes index.

The effects of arts, trades, and professions : and of civic states and habits of living, on health and longevity: with suggestions for the removal of many of the agents which produce disease, and shorten and duration of life /

Advertisements: 16 p. of first group and 2 p. at end.

Eddy covariance and environmental data of boreal bogs plant species

In boreal bogs plant species are low in number, but they differ greatly in their growth forms and photosynthetic properties. We assessed how ecosystem carbon (C) sink dynamics were affected by seasonal variations in photosynthetic rate and leaf area of different species. Photosynthetic properties (light-response parameters), leaf area development and areal cover (abundance) of the species were used to quantify species-specific net and gross photosynthesis rates (PN and PG, respectively), which were summed to express ecosystem-level PN and PG. The ecosystem-level PG was compared with a gross primary production (GPP) estimate derived from eddy covariance measurements (EC). Species areal cover rather than differences in photosynthetic properties determined the species with the highest PG of both vascular plants and Sphagna. Species-specific contributions to the ecosystem PG varied over the growing season, which in turn determined the seasonal variation in ecosystem PG. The upscaled growing-season PG estimate, 230 g C/m**2, agreed well with the GPP estimated by the EC, 243 g C/m**2. Sphagna were superior to vascular plants in ecosystem-level PG throughout the growing season but had a lower PN. PN results indicated that areal cover of the species together with their differences in photosynthetic parameters shape the ecosystem-level C balance. Species with low areal cover but high photosynthetic efficiency appear to be potentially important for the ecosystem C sink. Results imply that functional diversity may increase the stability of C sink of boreal bogs.

Host and Environmental Correlates of Multi-Drug Resistance in Kenyan Children with Acute Bacterial Diarrhea

Thesis (Master's)--University of Washington, 2016-06

Use of complementary and alternative medicine and quality of life: changes at the end of life

The purpose of this study was to compare the physical, psychological and social dimensions associated with quality-of-life outcomes over the last year of life, between advanced cancer users and nonusers of complementary and alternative medicine. One hundred and eleven patients were identified through Queensland Cancer Registry records, and followed up every four to six weeks until close to death using standardized protocols. Outcome measures were symptom burden, psychological distress, subjective wellbeing, satisfaction with conventional medicine and need for control over treatment decisions. At the initial interview, 36 (32%) participants had used complementary/ alternative medicine the previous week; mainly vitamins, minerals and tonics and herbal remedies. Among all participants, 53 (48%) used at least one form of complementary/ alternative medicine over the study period. Only six (11%) visited alternative practitioners on a regular basis. Overall, complementary/ alternative medicine users reported higher levels of anxiety and pain, less satisfaction with conventional medicine and lower need for control over treatment decisions compared with nonusers. These differences tend to change as death approaches. A more rigorous assessment of complementary/ alternative medicine use, psychological distress, pain and subjective wellbeing among patients with advanced cancer is needed in the clinical setting.

Do the Genetic or Environmental Determinants of Anxiety and Depression Change with Age? A Longitudinal Study of Australian Twins

Because the determinants of anxiety and depression in late adolescence and early adulthood may differ from those in later life, we investigated the temporal stability and magnitude of genetic and environmental correlates of symptoms of anxiety and depression across the life span. Data were collected from a population-based Australian sample of 4364 complete twin pairs and 777 singletons aged 20 to 96 years who were followed-up over three studies between 1980 and 1996. Each study contained the 14-item self-report DSSI/sAD scale which was used to measure recently experienced symptoms of anxiety and depression. Symptom scores were then divided and assigned to age intervals according to each subject's age at time of participation. We fitted genetic simplex models to take into account the longitudinal nature of the data. For male anxiety and depression, the best fitting simplex models comprised a single genetic innovation at age 20 which was transmitted, and explained genetic variation in anxiety and depression at ages 30, 40, 50 and 60. Most of the lifetime genetic variation in female anxiety and depression could also be explained by innovations at age 20 which were transmitted to all other ages; however, there were also smaller age-dependent genetic innovations at 30 for anxiety and at 40 and 70 for depression. Although the genetic determinants of anxiety and depression appear relatively stable across the life-span for males and females, there is some evidence to support additional mid-life and late age gene action in females for depression. The fact that mid-life onset for anxiety occurs one decade before depression is also consistent with a causal relationship (anxiety leading to depression) between these conditions. These findings have significance for large scale depression prevention projects.

WHOQOL-BREF as a measure of quality of life in older patients with depression

Objective: To assess the reliability and validity of a brief measure of quality of life recently developed by the World Health Organization, the WHOQOL-BREF, and to examine its association with a variety of clinical and sociodemographic factors in older depressed patients. Design: Cross-sectional study. Methods: Older depressed patients (N=41) underwent diagnostic assessment using the Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI) and were independently assessed on a variety of measures including the WHOQOL-BREF (a 26-item self-report questionnaire generating four domain scores), Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D); Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS); Mini-mental State Examination (MMSE); Modified Barthel Index (MBI); Instrumental activities of daily living (IADL), and measures of physical health status and social relationships. Estimates of inter-rater and test-retest reliability, and concurrent validity were made. Results: 39 subjects completed the study. The majority of subjects (94.9%) received a diagnosis of DSM-IV Major Depressive Disorder. Levels of comorbidity were high. Three of the four domains of the WHOQOL-BREF (Physical, Psychological and Environment domains) demonstrated satisfactory reliability and validity. However, the Social Relationships domain exhibited poor validity. Quality of life scores were strongly correlated with severity of depression, number of self-reported physical symptoms and self-assessed general health status. There was no relationship between diagnostic comorbidity and quality of life scores. Conclusions: The WHOQOL-BREF was successfully administered to older depressed patients although the concurrent validity of one of its four domains was poor. Quality of life scores were strongly correlated with severity of depression, raising the issue of measurement redundancy.

Physicians' attitudes towards end-of-life decisions: a comparison between seven countries

In the context of an European collaborative research project (EURELD), a study on attitudes towards medical end-of-life decisions was conducted among physicians in Belgium, Denmark, Italy, the Netherlands, Sweden and Switzerland. Australia also joined the consortium. A written questionnaire with structured questions was sent to practising physicians from specialties frequently involved in the care of dying patients. 10,139 questionnaires were studied. Response rate was equal to or larger than 50% in all countries except Italy (39%). Apart from general agreement with respect to the alleviation of pain and symptoms with possible life-shortening effect, there was large variation in support-between and within countries-for medical decision that may result in the hastening of death. A principal component factor analysis found that 58% of the variance of the responses is explained by four factors. 'Country' explained the largest part of the variation of the standardized factor scores. (c) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The effect of service evaluations on behavioral intentions and quality of life

Understanding the contribution of marketing to economic and social outcomes is fundamental to broadening the focus of marketing. The authors develop a comprehensive model that integrates the impact of service quality and service satisfaction on both economic and societal outcomes. The model is validated using two random samples involving intensive health services. The results indicate that service quality and service satisfaction significantly enhance quality of life and behavioral intentions, highlighting that customer service has social as well as economic outcomes. This is an important finding given the movement toward recognizing social and environmental outcomes, such as emphasized through triple bottom-line reporting. The findings have important implications for managing service processes, for improving the quality of life of customers, and for enhancing customers' behavioral intentions toward the organization.

Quality of life instruments in studies of menorrhagia: a systematic review

BACKGROUND: The use of quality of life (QoL) instruments in menorrhagia research is increasing but there is concern that not enough emphasis is placed on patient-focus in these measurements, i.e. on issues which are of importance to patients and reflect their experiences and concerns (clinical face validity). The objective was to assess the quality of QoL instruments in studies of menorrhagia. STUDY DESIGN: A systematic review of published research. Papers were identified through MEDLINE (1966-April 2000), EMBASE (1980-April 2000), Science Citation Index (1981-April 2000), Social Science Citation Index (1981-April 2000), CINAHL (1982-1999) and PsychLIT (1966-1999), and by manual searching of bibliographies of known primary and review articles. Studies were selected if they assessed women with menorrhagia for life quality, either developing QoL instruments or applying them as an outcome measure. Selected studies were assessed for quality of their QoL instruments, using a 17 items checklist including 10 items for clinical face validity (issues of relevance to patients' expectations and concerns) and 7 items for measurement properties (such as reliability, responsiveness, etc.). RESULTS: A total of 19 articles, 8 on instrument development and 11 on application, were included in the review. The generic Short Form 36 Health Survey Questionnaire (SF36) was used in 12/19 (63%) studies. Only two studies developed new specific QoL instruments for menorrhagia but they complied with 7/17 (41%) and 10/17 (59%) of the quality criteria. Quality assessment showed that only 7/19 (37%) studies complied with more than half the criteria for face validity whereas 17/19 (90%) studies complied with more than half of the criteria for measurement properties (P = 0.0001). CONCLUSION: Among existing QoL instruments, there is good compliance with the quality criteria for measurement properties but not with those for clinical face validity. There is a need to develop methodologically sound disease specific QoL instruments in menorrhagia focussing both on face validity and measurement properties.

The environmental control of reproduction in the female dace, Leuciscus leuciscus

An investigation was made into the nature and control of the annual reproductive cycle of the dace, Leuciscus leuciscus. It includes 1) a study of the natural reproductive cycle, 2) the use of Carp Pituitary Extract (CPE) to induce final maturation and ovulation in captive fish, 3) the effect of artificial light treatments on ovarian development and 4) the measurement of serum melatonin levels under different photoperiod regimes. Ovarian development was monitored by endocrinological data, notably serum cycles of 17-oestradiol (E2), testosterone (T), and calcium (as an index of vitellogenin), oocyte diameter, the gonadosomatic index and histological studies of the ovary. Under natural conditions, ovarian development can broadly be divided into 4 stages: 1) oogenesis which occurs immediately after spawning; 2) a primary growth phase (previtellogenic growth) prevalent between spawning and June; 3) a secondary growth phase (yolk vesicle plus vitellogenic growth) occurring between June and December and 4) final maturation and ovulation which occurs in mid-March. During the annual ovarian cycle, the sex steroids E2 and T showed two clear elevations. The first occurred initially in April followed by a rise in serum calcium levels. This subsequently initiated the appearance of yolk granules in the oocytes in June. The second rise occurred in September and levels were maintained until December, after which there was a decline in serum E2 levels. It is proposed that in the dace, high serum E2 levels between September and December were required to maintain vitellogenin production and therefore its uptake into the developing oocytes which occurred during this time, albeit at a slower rate than in the summer months. After December, prior to final maturation, whereas serum E2 and calcium levels declined, serum T levels remained elevated. In captivity, final maturation beyond the germinal vesicle migration stage failed to occur suggesting that the stimuli required for these events were absent. However ovulation could be induced by a single injection of CPE, which induced ovulation between 6 and 14 hours after treatment. Endocrine events associated with the artificial induction of spawning included a rise in serum levels of E2, T and the maturation inducing steroid 1720-dihydroxy progesterone. Photoperiodic manipulation demonstrated that whereas short or increasing daylengths were stimulatory to ovarian development, long days delayed development. Changes from long to short and constant short daylengths early in the reproductive cycle advanced maturation (up to 5 months), suggesting that the stimulus for ovarian development and maturation was a short day. However, experiments conducted later in the reproductive cycle demonstrated that only a simulated ambient photoperiod could induce final maturation. It is proposed therefore that under natural conditions the environmental stimulus for ovarian development and final maturation are short and increasing daylengths respectively. Further support that photoperiod is the dominant timing cue in this species was provided by the pattern of serum melatonin levels. Under different photoperiod treatments, serum melatonin, which is believed to be the chemical transducer of photoperiodic information (similar to other photoperiodic species) was elevated for the duration of the dark phase, indicating that the dace at least has the ability to `measure' changes in daylength.

Quality of life instruments in studies of menorrhagia: a systematic review

BACKGROUND: The use of quality of life (QoL) instruments in menorrhagia research is increasing but there is concern that not enough emphasis is placed on patient-focus in these measurements, i.e. on issues which are of importance to patients and reflect their experiences and concerns (clinical face validity). The objective was to assess the quality of QoL instruments in studies of menorrhagia. STUDY DESIGN: A systematic review of published research. Papers were identified through MEDLINE (1966-April 2000), EMBASE (1980-April 2000), Science Citation Index (1981-April 2000), Social Science Citation Index (1981-April 2000), CINAHL (1982-1999) and PsychLIT (1966-1999), and by manual searching of bibliographies of known primary and review articles. Studies were selected if they assessed women with menorrhagia for life quality, either developing QoL instruments or applying them as an outcome measure. Selected studies were assessed for quality of their QoL instruments, using a 17 items checklist including 10 items for clinical face validity (issues of relevance to patients' expectations and concerns) and 7 items for measurement properties (such as reliability, responsiveness, etc.). RESULTS: A total of 19 articles, 8 on instrument development and 11 on application, were included in the review. The generic Short Form 36 Health Survey Questionnaire (SF36) was used in 12/19 (63%) studies. Only two studies developed new specific QoL instruments for menorrhagia but they complied with 7/17 (41%) and 10/17 (59%) of the quality criteria. Quality assessment showed that only 7/19 (37%) studies complied with more than half the criteria for face validity whereas 17/19 (90%) studies complied with more than half of the criteria for measurement properties (P = 0.0001). CONCLUSION: Among existing QoL instruments, there is good compliance with the quality criteria for measurement properties but not with those for clinical face validity. There is a need to develop methodologically sound disease specific QoL instruments in menorrhagia focussing both on face validity and measurement properties.

Occurrence and environmental fate of Irgarol 1051, a new antifouling agent

The purpose of this study is to characterize the degradation products of Irgarol 1051(2-methylthio-4-tertbutylamino-6-cyclopropylamino- s-triazine), a compound recently developed for use as an antifouling agent on boat hulls. The photolytic fate of this compound in different natural waters will be used in the development of a monitoring program designed to survey the occurrence of this compound and its degradation products in South Florida marinas, the Miami River and surrounding coastal areas. ^ The transformation of Irgarol 1051 and degradation rate constants were characterized in a photo-reactor under simulated natural conditions. The degradation pathway in the UVB-UVA region (300nm to 350nm) closely resembled the transformations under natural conditions in the pond, showing that both direct photolysis and the presence of natural sensitizers play an important role in the abiotic transformation of this compound. Irgarol 1051 has an average environmental half-life of 10 days in surface waters. Average concentrations from samples around Biscayne Bay and the Miami River increased from 1–5 ng/L during 1999 and increased to between 28 and 38 ng/L in 2001, respectively. Irgarol concentrations showed a strong correlation with concentrations of its major transformation product, M1, from samples collected as part of the study ([M1]/[Irgarol] = 0.247, R2 = 0.9165, n = 125). ^

Glycemic control: Risk factors, quality of life, workforce participation, and mortality among US adults with type 2 diabetes

Despite research showing the benefits of glycemic control, it remains suboptimal among adults with diabetes in the United States. Possible reasons include unaddressed risk factors as well as lack of awareness of its immediate and long term consequences. The objectives of this study were to, using cross-sectional data, (1) ascertain the association between suboptimal (Hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) .7%), borderline (HbA1c 7-8.9%), and poor (HbA1c .9%) glycemic control and potentially new risk factors (e.g. work characteristics), and (2) assess whether aspects of poor health and well-being such as poor health related quality of life (HRQOL), unemployment, and missed-work are associated with glycemic control; and (3) using prospective data, assess the relationship between mortality risk and glycemic control in US adults with type 2 diabetes. Data from the 1988-1994 and 1999-2004 National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys were used. HbA1c values were used to create dichotomous glycemic control indicators. Binary logistic regression models were used to assess relationships between risk factors, employment status and glycemic control. Multinomial logistic regression analyses were conducted to assess relationships between glycemic control and HRQOL variables. Zero-inflated Poisson regression models were used to assess relationships between missed work days and glycemic control. Cox-proportional hazard models were used to assess effects of glycemic control on mortality risk. Using STATA software, analyses were weighted to account for complex survey design and non-response. Multivariable models adjusted for socio-demographics, body mass index, among other variables. Results revealed that being a farm worker and working over 40 hours/week were risk factors for suboptimal glycemic control. Having greater days of poor mental was associated with suboptimal, borderline, and poor glycemic control. Having greater days of inactivity was associated with poor glycemic control while having greater days of poor physical health was associated with borderline glycemic control. There were no statistically significant relationships between glycemic control, self-reported general health, employment, and missed work. Finally, having an HbA1c value less than 6.5% was protective against mortality. The findings suggest that work-related factors are important in a person’s ability to reach optimal diabetes management levels. Poor glycemic control appears to have significant detrimental effects on HRQOL.^

An integrated multi-agent framework for optimizing time, cost and environmental impact of construction processes

Environmentally conscious construction has received a significant amount of research attention during the last decades. Even though construction literature is rich in studies that emphasize the importance of environmental impact during the construction phase, most of the previous studies failed to combine environmental analysis with other project performance criteria in construction. This is mainly because most of the studies have overlooked the multi-objective nature of construction projects. In order to achieve environmentally conscious construction, multi-objectives and their relationships need to be successfully analyzed in the complex construction environment. The complex construction system is composed of changing project conditions that have an impact on the relationship between time, cost and environmental impact (TCEI) of construction operations. Yet, this impact is still unknown by construction professionals. Studying this impact is vital to fulfill multiple project objectives and achieve environmentally conscious construction. This research proposes an analytical framework to analyze the impact of changing project conditions on the relationship of TCEI. This study includes green house gas (GHG) emissions as an environmental impact category. The methodology utilizes multi-agent systems, multi-objective optimization, analytical network process, and system dynamics tools to study the relationships of TCEI and support decision-making under the influence of project conditions. Life cycle assessment (LCA) is applied to the evaluation of environmental impact in terms of GHG. The mixed method approach allowed for the collection and analysis of qualitative and quantitative data. Structured interviews of professionals in the highway construction field were conducted to gain their perspectives in decision-making under the influence of certain project conditions, while the quantitative data were collected from the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) for highway resurfacing projects. The data collected were used to test the framework. The framework yielded statistically significant results in simulating project conditions and optimizing TCEI. The results showed that the change in project conditions had a significant impact on the TCEI optimal solutions. The correlation between TCEI suggested that they affected each other positively, but in different strengths. The findings of the study will assist contractors to visualize the impact of their decision on the relationship of TCEI.