Effect of an eight week smoking ban on women at US navy recruit training command

OBJECTIVE: To examine the effect of a unique organisational smoking ban on female United States Navy recruits, a population with historically high smoking rates. SETTING AND DESIGN: Study participants were female recruits (n = 5503) entering the Navy recruit training command between March 1996 and March 1997 (12 consecutive months). Participants completed smoking surveys at entry to recruit training (baseline) and again at graduation from training after exposure to an eight week, 24 hour a day smoking ban. Effects of the ban on baseline to graduation changes in perceptions of being a smoker were examined, and relapse rates among baseline ever smokers was assessed three months after leaving recruit training. RESULTS: Among all recruits, 41.4% reported being smokers at entry (that is, reported any smoking in the 30 days before entering recruit training). As a result of the ban, there was a significant reduction (from about 41% to 25%, p < 0.001) in the percentage of all women recruits who reported themselves as smokers, a much larger change than expected had no ban been in place. Relapse at the three month follow up varied according to the type of smoker at entry into the Navy, with rates ranging from 89% relapse among baseline daily smokers to 31% among baseline experimenters. CONCLUSIONS: Findings suggest that the ban provides some smokers who desire to quit with an external impetus and support to do so. However, high relapse rates indicate that more than an organisationally mandated smoking ban during recruit training is needed to help younger smokers, more regular smokers, and those who intend to continue smoking to quit after joining the Navy.     

Mercury in soils, lakes, and fish in Voyageurs National Park (Minnesota): importance of atmospheric deposition and ecosystem factors

Concentrations of methylmercury in game fish from many interior lakes in Voyageurs National Park (MN, U.S.A.) substantially exceed criteria for the protection of human health. We assessed the importance of atmospheric and geologic sources of mercuryto interior lakes and watersheds within the Park and identified ecosystem factors associated with variation in methylmercury contamination of lacustrine food webs. Geologic sources of mercury were small, based on analyses of underlying bedrock and C-horizon soils, and nearly all mercury in the 0- and A-horizon soils was derived from atmospheric deposition. Analyses of dated sediment cores from five lakes showed that most (63% +/- 13%) of the mercury accumulated in lake sediments during the 1900s was from anthropogenic sources. Contamination of food webs was assessed by analysis of whole, 1-year-old yellow perch (Perca flavescens), a regionally important prey fish. The concentrations of total mercury in yellow perch and of methylmercury in lake water varied substantially among lakes, reflecting the influence of ecosystem processes and variables that affect the microbial production and abundance of methylmercury. Models developed with the information-theoretic approach (Akaike Information Criteria) identified lake water pH, dissolved sulfate, and total organic carbon (an indicator of wetland influence) as factors influencing methylmercury concentrations in lake water and fish. We conclude that nearly all of the mercury in fish in this seemingly pristine     

外国公司如何构建客户忠诚度工程

客户的忠诚度也许是管理学中最重要、也最棘手的课题之一. 最近的一项埃森哲客户忠诚度研究表明,忠诚的客户将掏出更多的钱--81%的客户称会继续在他们所忠诚的企业购买商品或服务,约一半人称他们会在所忠诚的企业购买更多的商品,或对促销商品有所反应.     

安全性高,刺激性低的防晒产品（英）

防晒产品在市场上销量的增加表明消费者防晒保护意识的增强，但防晒产品引起的皮肤过敏反应也在增多。防晒品的安全性无论是对生产厂家还是对消费者来说都是至关重要的。因此，防晒品的配方设计师们当前的主要目标是最大限度地提高防晒活性成分的功效，研究开发出安全性高、刺激性低的防晒制品。     

Improving Infection Resistance in Tissue Engineered Scaffolds for Tensile Applications Using Vancomycin-Embedded Melt Electrowritten Scaffolds

It is important to consider mechanical, biological, and antibacterial properties of scaffolds when used for tissue engineering applications. This study presents a method to create complex “wavy” architecture polycaprolactone (PCL) scaffolds toward the development of tissue engineered ligament and tendon tissue substitutes, fabricated using melt electrowriting (MEW) and loaded with vancomycin (5, 10, and 25% w/w). Scaffolds are characterized for both mechanical and biological properties. Loading PCL scaffolds with vancomycin with modified solvent evaporation technique achieves a high loading efficiency of maximum 18% w/w and high encapsulation efficiency with over 89%. Vancomycin loaded PCL scaffolds with all three doses (5, 10, and 25% w/w) display antibacterial activity against Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) up to 14 days of release. Initial burst followed by a sustained release is observed on all three vancomycin loaded scaffolds for up to 28 days. Importantly, in addition to antibacterial properties, vancomycin-loaded PCL scaffolds also display improved mechanical properties compared to traditional crosshatch design MEW scaffolds and are noncytotoxic at all concentrations as demonstrated by live-dead staining, cell attachment and proliferation assays indicating its potential as an effective treatment option for tissue regeneration in rotator cuff injuries or other tissues undergoing tensile biomechanical loading.