Dental discoloration from fluorosis is a global public health problem. In Nigeria, 11.4% of the population is impacted by this disorder. Dental discoloration is caused by successive exposures to high fluoride concentrations during tooth development in utero and it is linked to the development of a variety of psychological and physiological problems, from dental aesthetics to a reduction in intelligence and skeletal changes. The purpose of this quantitative, cross-sectional study was to examine the cultural and environmental determinants of dental fluorosis in children in a rural community in Nigeria. A multilevel theoretical model was used to develop possible fluoride exposure pathways, such as good social services and dental care, as well as factors in the environment. The study was guided by 2 main research questions: What is the prevalence of fluorosis among Nigerian school-aged children? What is the severity of this fluorosis, and is it associated with the fluoride content of the soil, the water or the food? Data was collected by administering three surveys, on children aged 5 to15 years, their parent/guardian, and on community leaders. Chi-square and regression analysis tests were used to test for possible associations. The study findings showed a fluorosis prevalence rate of 86.6% in the 269 school children surveyed, with majority of these children between the ages of 8 to 13 years. The severity of children fluorosis was associated with the length of stay in the study area and the fluoride content in water, soil, and food. This study's possible impact on social change include raising awareness to the problem and the possible ways to resolve it, such as through, improved dental care services and a supportive social environment like flocculation of community water sources.

Adequately assessing injury severity is critical in treating articular fractures. Severity assessment is used to inform clinical and surgical decision making through anticipation of patient outcomes. The assessments generally involve interpreting radiographs or CT image data. In recognition of the poor reliability of existing clinical severity assessments, objective severity metrics have been developed that are firmly rooted in mechanics and provide capable alternatives for use in research, where reliable data is paramount. Their broader clinical utility remains to be established. An existing CT-based method for determining the energy expended in a bone fracture was extended to facilitate its use in more fracture types. Its utility in different articular joints was evaluated. Specifically, the severities of articular fractures of the proximal tibia (plateau), of the distal tibia (plafond), and of the calcaneus were compared with present clinical severity metrics, patient outcomes, and/or surgeon rankings of severity. Differences in the fracture energies in the different joints were also compared. The objective fracture energy metric compared favorably with present clinical severity metrics. The fracture energies for fractures of the tibial plateau had between 71% and 78% concordance with surgeon rankings of severity. The calcaneal fracture energies had a 75% concordance with the present clinical standard. Fracture energy was also predictive of later radiographic indicators of post-traumatic osteoarthritis. The fracture energy metric is a capable tool for analyzing fracture severity in various joints. Fracture energy correlated well with outcomes and present clinical gold standards for severity assessment. The methods for assessing fracture energy described are highly useful for orthopaedic research and have potential as an important clinical tool.

It has been suggested that mental health professionals are insufficiently trained to assess and manage suicide risk (U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and Defense [USDVA/DOD], 2013; Goldsmith, Pellmar, Kleinman, & Burney, 2002; Jobes, Rudd, Overholser, & Joiner, 2008; Mirick, McCauley, Bridger, & Berkowitz, 2015; Silverman & Berman, 2014) and this problem may originate during graduate training (Feldman & Freedenthal, 2006; Mackelprang, Karle, Reighl, & Cash, 2014; Rudd, Cukrowicz, & Bryan, 2008; Schmitz et al., 2012). Unfortunately, however, this area has been inadequately studied (Battista, 2007; Cramer, Johnson, McLaughlin, Rausch, & Conroy, 2013; Department of Health and Human Services, 2012; Stuber & Quinnett, 2013), precluding a full understanding of this problem. The present study surveyed clinical psychology doctoral students’ behavioral competency in responding to suicidal clients, attitudes toward suicide prevention, perceived ability to engage in appropriate practices, subjective norms surrounding SRA behaviors, intentions to engage in these behaviors, and the relationship of amount of graduate training in suicide risk assessment (SRA) core competencies to the aforementioned constructs. It was hypothesized that amount of training in SRA competencies would be significantly related to participants’ attitudes, perceived behavioral control, and subjective norms related to SRA behaviors. Further, it was hypothesized that the aforementioned variables would be significantly related to participant intentions to engage in these behaviors. Finally, it was hypothesized that intentions to engage in SRA behaviors would be positively related to participants’ behavioral competency in SRA. Study participants were 167 students from 46 clinical psychology doctoral programs. Hypotheses were tested using path analysis. Results provided partial support for significant relationships between attitudes, PBC, subjective norms, and intentions (Hypothesis 1a). Implications of this research include advancing the training practices of clinical psychology doctoral programs so as to help increase the number of mental health practitioners competent in suicide risk assessment and management practices.

The primary objective of this study was to find out if changes in chemistry could be used to quantify Pinus radiata compression wood severity or degree of compression wood development. Basic chemical composition and the lignin structure was assessed for a range of different compression wood samples sourced from juvenile wood, mature wood, earlywood, latewood, branches, knots, 2-year and 1-year old Pinus radiata. Fluorescence microscopy was used as the reference method to assess the degree of compression wood development. Lignin structure of compression wood was studied by thioacidolysis, size exclusion chromatography, and thioacidolysis/31P NMR spectroscopy. Variation in the basic chemical composition and lignin structure with compression wood severity was ascertained. Results showed that, as the severity of compression wood changed, progressively from normal through mild to severe, all chemical parameters commonly associated with compression wood changed concurrently. With increasing severity lignin and galactose levels increased while glucose and mannose levels decreased. Lignin structural changes were also associated with changing severity of compression wood. Levels of p-hydroxyphenyl (H) releasable β-ethers increased and guaiacyl (G) releasable β-ethers decreased. Similarly, levels of uncondensed p-hydroxyphenyl units increased, while uncondensed guaiacyl units decreased. Similar proportions of condensed guaiacyl units were present in compression wood and normal wood. Similar trends in chemical composition were observed between the compression wood and related opposite wood in branches, knots and young wood of Pinus radiata. A number of chemical parameters changed linearly with compression wood severity. They were: the amount of lignin and galactose, the galactose/glucose ratio and p-hydroxyphenyl content in lignin. Parameters based on the p-hydroxyphenyl unit content in lignin, the H/G releasable β-ether ratio, releasable p-hydroxyphenyl β-ether units and uncondensed p-hydroxyphenyl C9 units are most suitable indicators of compression wood severity as they spanned a larger range relative to the normal wood levels and were not influenced by the morphological origin of wood samples. Chemical methods for quantifying compression wood severity should focus on the detection and measurement of these parameters. Galactan present in Pinus radiata compression wood was isolated and characterised. Structural investigation by methylation analysis and NMR spectroscopy revealed that this galactan was largely composed of (1→4)-linked β-D-galactopyranose residues. No evidence was found to indicate the presence of any branches. Characterisation of lignin in cell wall fractions of Pinus radiata normal wood revealed that middle lamella lignin has a higher lignin content, a lower amount of releasable β-ethers and a more condensed lignin than the secondary wall lignin. Levels of releasable p-hydroxyphenyl units were not higher in middle lamella lignin. A new method based on thioacidolysis and 31P quantitative NMR spectroscopy for estimation of the degree of lignin condensation of the phenolic and etherified C9 units in in situ wood lignin is described. Using this method it was found that phenolic C9 units in in situ lignin were considerably less condensed than etherified C9 units in both compression wood and normal wood.

<p>Ett problem som många människor lever med i dagens samhälle är missbruk av alkohol eller droger. Inom socialtjänsten i Sverige används olika bedömningsmetoder för att fastställa klienters problem och hjälpbehov. En av dessa metoder är Addiction Severity Index (ASI) som rekommenderas av Socialstyrelsen i Nationella riktlinjer för missbruks- och beroendevården och som är en del i en överenskommelse i RIM-projektet i Uppsala län. Tidigare studier har visat att socialarbetare har en positiv attityd till ASI men trots det används metoden inte fullt ut eller i så stor utsträckning som kan förväntas.Syftet i föreliggande uppsats var att undersöka hur personal inom socialtjänsten implementerade ASI, det vill säga hur de använde och värderade metoden i verksamheten. Studiedesign var fallstudie i vilken intervjuer utfördes med 10 socialsekreterare i Enköping och Uppsala. Analysen utgick ifrån analysmodellen kan, förstår, vill och de huvudkategorier som lyftes fram med hjälp av denna var Hur – socialsekreterarnas användning av ASI, Kan – åtgärder för användning av ASI, Förstår – socialsekreterarnas förståelse för ASI, Vill – socialsekreterarnas vilja att använda ASI.Studien visade att socialsekreterarna använde ASI i utredningsarbetet. I verksamheten vidtogs det åtgärder för att socialsekreterarna skulle kunna använda ASI. De hade kunskaper både om varför och hur de skulle använda metoden, de hade tillgång till olika resurser och tycktes vilja använda metoden. Trots den positiva inställning som socialsekreterarna tycktes ha till ASI implementerade de inte metoden enligt uppsatta mål.</p>

Ett problem som många människor lever med i dagens samhälle är missbruk av alkohol eller droger. Inom socialtjänsten i Sverige används olika bedömningsmetoder för att fastställa klienters problem och hjälpbehov. En av dessa metoder är Addiction Severity Index (ASI) som rekommenderas av Socialstyrelsen i Nationella riktlinjer för missbruks- och beroendevården och som är en del i en överenskommelse i RIM-projektet i Uppsala län. Tidigare studier har visat att socialarbetare har en positiv attityd till ASI men trots det används metoden inte fullt ut eller i så stor utsträckning som kan förväntas.Syftet i föreliggande uppsats var att undersöka hur personal inom socialtjänsten implementerade ASI, det vill säga hur de använde och värderade metoden i verksamheten. Studiedesign var fallstudie i vilken intervjuer utfördes med 10 socialsekreterare i Enköping och Uppsala. Analysen utgick ifrån analysmodellen kan, förstår, vill och de huvudkategorier som lyftes fram med hjälp av denna var Hur – socialsekreterarnas användning av ASI, Kan – åtgärder för användning av ASI, Förstår – socialsekreterarnas förståelse för ASI, Vill – socialsekreterarnas vilja att använda ASI.Studien visade att socialsekreterarna använde ASI i utredningsarbetet. I verksamheten vidtogs det åtgärder för att socialsekreterarna skulle kunna använda ASI. De hade kunskaper både om varför och hur de skulle använda metoden, de hade tillgång till olika resurser och tycktes vilja använda metoden. Trots den positiva inställning som socialsekreterarna tycktes ha till ASI implementerade de inte metoden enligt uppsatta mål.

This study compared the effects of fire severity and salvage logging on early successional vegetation in the mixedwood boreal forest upland of Saskatchewan. The effects of salvage logging on post-fire forest stands are poorly understood. Few studies have investigated the short-term effects of salvage logging on the regeneration of boreal plant species or the long-term impact on overall forest composition and diversity. This study examines salvage logged and wildfire leave stands across three burn severity classes (no burn, low/moderate burn, and high burn) over two time periods (1 year post-fire and 10 years post-fire). The results indicate that salvage logging has a significant impact on the early regeneration of burned mixedwood boreal plant communities with the effect still evident in forest stands ten years post-fire. Salvage logging has long-lasting residual effects on boreal forest plant community development. Salvage logging one year post-fire reduced the number, diversity, and abundance of species within each of the burn severities, creating a less abundant and simplified plant community. It was also shown that salvage logging one year post-fire tended to create more homogenous plant communities similar to those communities typical of areas of moderate burn severity, constraining the effects of burn severity and decreasing the range of the vegetation communities. These findings are less pronounced, but still evident, within salvage logged stands ten years post-fire as three regrowth cover types have developed, characterised by no disturbance, moderate disturbance either by fire or salvage logging, and severe disturbance. The convergence of plant community characteristics between burn severity classes across logging treatments suggests that the effects of salvage logging do not have long lasting effects within areas of high burn severity.

This study compared the effects of fire severity and salvage logging on early successional vegetation in the mixedwood boreal forest upland of Saskatchewan. The effects of salvage logging on post-fire forest stands are poorly understood. Few studies have investigated the short-term effects of salvage logging on the regeneration of boreal plant species or the long-term impact on overall forest composition and diversity. This study examines salvage logged and wildfire leave stands across three burn severity classes (no burn, low/moderate burn, and high burn) over two time periods (1 year post-fire and 10 years post-fire). The results indicate that salvage logging has a significant impact on the early regeneration of burned mixedwood boreal plant communities with the effect still evident in forest stands ten years post-fire. Salvage logging has long-lasting residual effects on boreal forest plant community development. Salvage logging one year post-fire reduced the number, diversity, and abundance of species within each of the burn severities, creating a less abundant and simplified plant community. It was also shown that salvage logging one year post-fire tended to create more homogenous plant communities similar to those communities typical of areas of moderate burn severity, constraining the effects of burn severity and decreasing the range of the vegetation communities. These findings are less pronounced, but still evident, within salvage logged stands ten years post-fire as three regrowth cover types have developed, characterised by no disturbance, moderate disturbance either by fire or salvage logging, and severe disturbance. The convergence of plant community characteristics between burn severity classes across logging treatments suggests that the effects of salvage logging do not have long lasting effects within areas of high burn severity.

Issues related to global warming and weather changes have forced people start to pay attention to energy saving. We expect that Smart Home Energy Management (SHEM) would be an important development over the next decade. In some environments cost is important, in other environments living quality is important and in other environments a tradeoff between cost and living quality is important. SHEM means being able to manage electrical loads so as to meet different purposes in homes. In this thesis, we develop a SHEM to curtail some electrical loads at peak time to meet predefined circuit level demand limits while minimizing the effect on users¡¦ living quality. The core of our SHEM is an electrical control loop which is developed based on heuristic modifications through lots of case studies and trials. To this end, we study several utilization characteristics of household loads including air conditioning, water heaters clothes dryers, and electric vehicles and model their behaviors through computer simulations. Finally, we implement the whole ideal of our SHEM in LabVIEW (Laboratory Virtual Instrument Engineering Workbench). Several simulations are conducted to verify the robustness and efficiency of our SHEM. keyword : Quick Charge,Load Priority,Convience Preference,Severity Indices,Duration Indices.

Numerous studies have documented the application of crash severity models to explore the relationship between crash severity and its contributing factors. These studies have shown that a large amount of work was conducted on this topic and usually focused on different types of models. However, only a limited amount of research has compared the performance of different crash severity models. Additionally, three major issues related to the modeling process for crash severity analysis have not been sufficiently explored: sample size, model misspecification and underreporting in crash data. Therefore, in this research, three commonly used traffic crash severity models: multinomial logit model (MNL), ordered probit model (OP) and mixed logit model (ML) were studied in terms of the effects of sample size, model misspecification and underreporting in crash data, via a Monte-Carlo approach using simulated and observed crash data. The results of sample size effects on the three models are consistent with prior expectations in that small sample sizes significantly affect the development of crash severity models, no matter which model type is used. Furthermore, among the three models, the ML model was found to require the largest sample size, while the OP model required the lowest sample size. The sample size requirement for the MNL model is intermediate to the other two models. In addition, when the sample size is sufficient, the results of model misspecification analysis lead to the following suggestions: in order to decrease the bias and variability of estimated parameters, logit models should be selected over probit models. Meanwhile, it was suggested to select more general and flexible model such as those allowing randomness in the parameters, i.e., the ML model. Another important finding was that the analysis of the underreported data for the three models showed that none of the three models was immune to this underreporting issue. In order to minimize the bias and reduce the variability of the model, fatal crashes should be set as the baseline severity for the MNL and ML models while, for the OP models, the rank for the crash severity should be set from fatal to property-damage-only (PDO) in a descending order. Furthermore, when the full or partial information about the unreported rates for each severity level is known, treating crash data as outcome-based samples in model estimation, via the Weighted Exogenous Sample Maximum Likelihood Estimator (WESMLE), dramatically improve the estimation for all three models compared to the result produced from the Maximum Likelihood estimator (MLE).