Feasibility and Initial Efficacy Evaluation of a Community-Based Cognitive-Behavioral Lifestyle Intervention to Prevent Excessive Weight Gain During Pregnancy in Latina Women

About 48 % of US women gain more weight during pregnancy than recommended by the Institute of Medicine (IOM). Excessive gestational weight gain is a major risk factor for obesity in both women and offspring over their lifetimes, and should be avoided. This study was designed to test the feasibility and initial efficacy of a prenatal behavioral intervention in a sample of low-income, predominantly Latina women. The intervention was delivered in groups of 8–10 women in a community recreation center, and structured to reduce the proportion of women who gained weight in excess of IOM guidelines. Recruitment targets were met in 3 months: 135 pregnant women (>10 and <28 weeks) were randomly assigned to receive a 12-week intervention (n = 68) or usual care (n = 67). Retention rate was 81 %. On average, women attended 4 of 12 group sessions, and each session had 4 of the 8–10 assigned participants in attendance. Initial efficacy analyses were based on 87 women. Compared to usual care, fewer normal-weight women in the intervention exceeded IOM recommendations (47.1 % usual care vs. 6.7 % intervention; absolute difference 40.4 %; p = .036). Recommendations for recruitment, retention, and delivery are discussed. A community-based cognitive-behavioral lifestyle intervention during pregnancy was feasible in a hard-to-reach, high-risk population of low-income Latina women, and showed efficacy in preventing excessive gestational weight gain. Due to frequently changing work schedules, strategies are needed to either increase attendance at group sessions (e.g., within a group prenatal care format) or to build core skills necessary for behavior change through other modalities. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s10995-015-1698-x) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users

Influence of organization structure on diversification strategy and performance of an organization Critical literature review

The contentious debate by management scholars and researchers on whether strategy influences structure or if it is structure that influences strategy has been going on for some time now. We endeavored to conduct an extensive desk review aimed at establishing if indeed there is any interrelationship between organizational structure and diversification strategy or if organization structure does influence diversification strategy and performance of an organization. Different subsections of this paper present theoretical and in some instances empirical findings by other scholars and researchers on theories relating to organization structure, diversification strategy and organizational performance. From the discussed theories and research findings, the paper concludes that there exists an interdependent relationship between organization structure and diversification strategy which ultimately impacts on the performance of an organization

Evaluation of the late life disability instrument in the lifestyle interventions and independence for elders pilot (LIFE-P) study

Background: The late life disability instrument (LLDI) was developed to assess limitations in instrumental and management roles using a small and restricted sample. In this paper we examine the measurement properties of the LLDI using data from the Lifestyle Interventions and Independence for Elders Pilot (LIFE-P) study.Methods: LIFE-P participants, aged 70-89 years, were at elevated risk of disability. The 424 participants were enrolled at the Cooper Institute, Stanford University, University of Pittsburgh, and Wake Forest University. Physical activity and successful aging health education interventions were compared after 12-months of follow-up. Using factor analysis, we determined whether the LLDI's factor structure was comparable with that reported previously. We further examined how each item related to measured disability using item response theory (IRT).Results: The factor structure for the limitation domain within the LLDI in the LIFE-P study did not corroborate previous findings. However, the factor structure using the abbreviated version was supported. Social and personal role factors were identified. IRT analysis revealed that each item in the social role factor provided a similar level of information, whereas the items in the personal role factor tended to provide different levels of information.Conclusions: Within the context of community-based clinical intervention research in aged populations, an abbreviated version of the LLDI performed better than the full 16-item version. In addition, the personal subscale would benefit from additional research using IRT.Trial registration: The protocol of LIFE-P is consistent with the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki and is registered at http://www.ClinicalTrials.gov (registration # NCT00116194). © 2010 Hsu et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd

Alien Registration- Katula, Michael J. (Lewiston, Androscoggin County)

https://digitalmaine.com/alien_docs/27075/thumbnail.jp

Study the prying effect on bolted base-plate connections

The paper presents the details and results of an experimental study on bolted base-plate joints of industrial type steel building frames. The investigated joints are commonly used in industrial buildings.The aim of the research was to determine the failure mode and load bearing capacity of the base-plate joints with different base-plate thicknesses and by different anchorage length. In the experimental programme 14 full scale specimens were tested and covered three different end-plate thicknesses. The steel grade of the test specimens was S355, the bolt diameter M20, whereas the bolt grade was 5.6. The tested joint arrangement was the same during the test series, with exception the base-plate thickness (tbp = 16 ~ 20 ~ 24 mm). The specimens were investigated under pure bending conditions using a four-point-bending arrangement, in which the test specimens were changed. In all tests the typical displacements were measured by inductive transducers under the loads and in the cross-section of the tested joint. The bolt force distribution was registered by special load cells. The measured data were presented and evaluated by momentbolt- row force and moment-deflection diagrams. From the results the typical failure modes and the joint behaviour were specified and presented. Furthermore the influence of the pretensioning of the bolts on the behaviour of bolted joints and the evolving of the prying effect were analyzed

Spawning Behavior in Hemitremia flammea (Actinopterygii: Cyprinidae)

Spawning behavior in Hemitremia flammea (Flame chub) is described from observations made in the field and laboratory. Spawning in the field occurred over clean gravel (size range=18-25 mm) at water temperatures from 12.8-14.4 C. Spawning in the laboratory occurred over clean gravel (11.3 mm) at water temperatures from 18.3-20 C. Males often pursued females and nudged their vents with their snouts. When the female settled to the substrate, a male moved forward and aligned himself alongside her body. Then the female moved slightly forward accompanied by the male and the pair vibrated their caudal peduncles and tails. The spawn ended as the male quickly flexed his caudal peduncle and caudal fin laterally toward the quivering caudal peduncle and caudal fin of the female. The male’s flexed caudal area did not cross over but contacted the side of the female’s quivering caudal peduncle, which sometimes became arched slightly upwards. Aspects of spawning behavior (males pursuing and nudging vents of females, females selecting sites for spawning, pair alignment, males vibrating caudal fin and peduncle) in H. flammea is similar to that described for Couesius plumbeus but differs significantly from that of Semotilus atromaculatus, a species in the hypothesized sister group of H. flammea

Association of Accelerometry-Measured Physical Activity and Cardiovascular Events in Mobility-Limited Older Adults: The LIFE (Lifestyle Interventions and Independence for Elders) Study.

BACKGROUND:Data are sparse regarding the value of physical activity (PA) surveillance among older adults-particularly among those with mobility limitations. The objective of this study was to examine longitudinal associations between objectively measured daily PA and the incidence of cardiovascular events among older adults in the LIFE (Lifestyle Interventions and Independence for Elders) study. METHODS AND RESULTS:Cardiovascular events were adjudicated based on medical records review, and cardiovascular risk factors were controlled for in the analysis. Home-based activity data were collected by hip-worn accelerometers at baseline and at 6, 12, and 24&nbsp;months postrandomization to either a physical activity or health education intervention. LIFE study participants (n=1590; age 78.9±5.2 [SD] years; 67.2% women) at baseline had an 11% lower incidence of experiencing a subsequent cardiovascular event per 500&nbsp;steps taken per day based on activity data (hazard ratio, 0.89; 95% confidence interval, 0.84-0.96; P=0.001). At baseline, every 30&nbsp;minutes spent performing activities ≥500&nbsp;counts per minute (hazard ratio, 0.75; confidence interval, 0.65-0.89 [P=0.001]) were also associated with a lower incidence of cardiovascular events. Throughout follow-up (6, 12, and 24&nbsp;months), both the number of steps per day (per 500&nbsp;steps; hazard ratio, 0.90, confidence interval, 0.85-0.96 [P=0.001]) and duration of activity ≥500&nbsp;counts per minute (per 30&nbsp;minutes; hazard ratio, 0.76; confidence interval, 0.63-0.90 [P=0.002]) were significantly associated with lower cardiovascular event rates. CONCLUSIONS:Objective measurements of physical activity via accelerometry were associated with cardiovascular events among older adults with limited mobility (summary score &gt;10 on the Short Physical Performance Battery) both using baseline and longitudinal data. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION:URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT01072500

Global Approach on the Shear and Cross Tension Strength of Resistance Spot Welded Thin Steel Sheets

Several correlations from the professional literature describing the shear and cross tension strength (STS and CTS) of resistance spot welded (RSWed) thin steel sheets were investigated. Some of them need chemical composition or weld nuggets strength hardness as input parameters, making them hardly applicable in the planning stage of the joints. Using STS and CTS data collected from over 250 papers, selected correlations were tested, whether they are applicable to predict the STS and CTS of the RSWed joints at the planning stage to help designers plan their static-loaded welds strength. Most correlations had limitations in the applicable base materials' tensile strength range. Therefore, new equations for STS and CTS are proposed, which can be used to plan in the 300–18900 MPa base metals tensile strength range for similar and dissimilar RSWed joints of thin steel sheets

Prediction of the Shear Tension Strength of Resistance Spot Welded Thin Steel Sheets from High- to Ultrahigh Strength Range

The tensile strength of newly developed ultra-high strength steel grades is now above 1800 MPa, and even new steel grades are currently in development. One typical welding process to join thin steels sheets is resistance spot welding (RSW). Some standardized and not standardized formulas predict the minimal shear tension strength (STS) of RSWed joints, but those formulas are less and less accurate with the higher base materials strength. Therefore, in our current research, we investigated a significant amount of STS data of the professional literature and our own experiments and recommended a new formula to predict the STS of RSWed high strength steel joints. The proposed correlation gives a better prediction than the other formulas, not only in the ultra-high strength steel range but also in the lower steel strength domain

Numerical Modelling of a Novel Joint System for Grid Shells with T Cross-sections

A novel joint system developed for single-layered steel grid shells with T cross-sections is presented in this paper. The joint system is bolted to facilitate quick and easy on-site assembly. First, a solid finite element model was built to investigate the behaviour of the developed joint system. The moment-rotation characteristics of the joint system were determined and the joint strength and stiffness was investigated. Key parameters influencing the behaviour of the joint were studied, such as bolt diameter, pretension, component geometry and normal force. As a second step, free-form roof structures with a span of 40÷80 meters were chosen and analysed with the developed joints. The previously obtained moment-rotation results were used as spring moment-rotation characteristics in beam finite element models. The load bearing capacity of the structures were determined. The results were compared to that of grid shells with rigid joints, and it was shown that the joint system is stiff enough