Search

Epidemiologic studies of radiation-exposed populations form the basis for human safety standards. They also help shape public health policy and evidence-based health practices by identifying and quantifying health risks of exposure in defined populations. For more than a century, epidemiologists have studied the consequences of radiation exposures, yet the health effects of low levels delivered at a low-dose rate remain equivocal. The Million Person Study (MPS) of U.S. Radiation Workers and Veterans was designed to examine health effects following chronic exposures in contrast with brief exposures as experienced by the Japanese atomic bomb survivors. Radiation associations for rare cancers, intakes of radionuclides, and differences between men and women are being evaluated, as well as noncancers such as cardiovascular disease and conditions such as dementia and cognitive function. The first international symposium, held November 6, 2020, provided a broad overview of the MPS. Representatives from four U.S. government agencies addressed the importance of this research for their respective missions: U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD), and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). The major components of the MPS were discussed and recent findings summarized. The importance of radiation dosimetry, an essential feature of each MPS investigation, was emphasized. The seven components of the MPS are DOE workers, nuclear weapons test participants, nuclear power plant workers, industrial radiographers, medical radiation workers, nuclear submariners, other U.S. Navy personnel, and radium dial painters. The MPS cohorts include tens of thousands of workers with elevated intakes of alpha particle emitters for which organ-specific doses are determined. Findings to date for chronic radiation exposure suggest that leukemia risk is lower than after acute exposure; lung cancer risk is much lower and there is little difference in risks between men and women; an increase in ischemic heart disease is yet to be seen; esophageal cancer is frequently elevated but not myelodysplastic syndrome; and Parkinson's disease may be associated with radiation exposure. The MPS has provided provocative insights into the possible range of health effects following low-level chronic radiation exposure. When the 34 MPS cohorts are completed and combined, a powerful evaluation of radiation-effects will be possible. This final article in the MPS special issue summarizes the findings to date and the possibilities for the future. A National Center for Radiation Epidemiology and Biology is envisioned. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements (NCRP) is coordinating an expansive epidemiologic effort entitled the Million Person Study of Low-Dose Radiation Health Effects (MPS). Medical workers constitute the largest occupational radiation-exposed group whose doses are typically received gradually over time. A unique opportunity exists to establish an Institutional Review Board/Privacy Board (IRB/PB) approved, retrospective feasibility sub-cohort of diseased Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK) medical radiation workers to reconstruct occupational/work history, estimate organ-specific radiation absorbed doses, and review existing publicly available records for mortality from cancer (including leukemia) and other diseases. Special emphasis will be placed on dose reconstruction approaches as a means to provide valid organ dose estimates that are as accurate and precise as possible based on the available data, and to allow proper evaluation of accompanying uncertainties. Such a study that includes validated dose measurements and information on radiation exposure conditions would significantly reduce dose uncertainties and provided greatly improved information on chronic low-dose risks. The feasibility sub-cohort will include deceased radiation workers from MSK who worked during the nearly seventy-year timeframe from 1946 through 2010 and were provided individual personal radiation dosimetry monitors. A feasibility assessment focused on obtaining records for about 25–30,000 workers, with over 124,000 annual doses, including personnel/work histories, specific dosimetry data, and appropriate information for epidemiologic mortality tracing will be conducted. MSK radiation dosimetry measurements have followed stringent protocols complying with strict worker protection standards in order to provide accurate dose information for radiation workers that include detailed records of work practices (including specific task exposure conditions, radiation type, energy, geometry, personal protective equipment usage, badge position, and missed doses), as well as recorded measurements. These dose measurements have been ascertained through a variety of techniques that have evolved over the years, from film badges to thermoluminescent dosimetry technology to optically stimulated luminescent methodologies. It is expected that individual total doses for the sub-cohort will have a broad range from <10 mSv to > =1000 mSv. MSK has pioneered the use of novel radiation diagnostic and therapeutic approaches over time (including initial work with x-rays, radium, and radon), with workplace safety in mind, resulting in a variety of radiation worker exposure scenarios. The results of this feasibility sub-cohort of deceased radiation workers, and associated lessons learned may potentially be applied to an expanded multicenter study of about 170,000 medical radiation worker component of the MPS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Positive psychology is an important new trend in the field of psychology that may have significant implications for academic libraries. Like the field of psychology, academic librarianship has traditionally focused a substantial amount of attention on problems within the field and on how to solve them. Positive psychology offers a viable alternative by focusing on the strengths and potential of librarians rather than weaknesses. Taking a positive approach to librarianship and fostering a positive culture within academic libraries may result in a variety of benefits to the organization including improved attendance, productivity, and retention of staff. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The coefficient of restitution (COR) is one of the most important standards in all bat-and-ball sports to study the ball suitability and bouncing characteristics. Currently, a demand exists for an improved analytical model for computing the COR, particularly when a new material is introduced. A viscoelastic ball known as a sliotar is taken from the Irish bat-and-ball sport of hurling and used in this paper as a case study. For the theoretical approach, a modified Maxwell's viscoelastic model was used to derive an analytical formula to predict the COR. The developed formula confirms that the damping ratio and the dependency of the COR on the impact speed are the most dominant factors. A 3-dimensional finite element (FE) model was developed to simulate the sliotar impact test to estimate the COR, and to provide a simple tool for further studies on the sliotar. A high-speed camera was used to film the impact event to validate the models' behavior. The close correlation of 9% and 5% between the experimental and the developed analytical and FE models, respectively, indicates that the developed models can successfully identify the COR of the ball in the game of hurling and similar bat-and-ball sports. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Information on the Association for Library Collections and Technical Services (ALCTS) Collection Development and Electronic Resources Committee program "Collecting for Digital Repositories: New Ways to Disseminate and Share Information," at the American Library Association Annual Conference in July 2009. The growth of institutional repositories, types of tools for managing repositories, and permission policies governing repositories are discussed.

Significant collection development decisions are increasingly made in a group context. Despite this trend, surprisingly little research can be found in the library literature that addresses the psychological and psychosocial aspects of group interaction and their relation to the decision making process. In contrast, the field of psychology contains numerous studies of the role of group interaction in the decision making process. This article examines the psychological research on group decision making and explores how group psychology influences decision making and what the implications might be for collection development. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Objective and Participants: The authors examined the prevalence of mental health needs in international graduate students, their knowledge of mental health services, and their use of on-campus and off-campus counseling services. Methods: All registered graduate students in the Spring 2004 semester received an e-mail invitation to participate in a Web survey. Of the 3,121 completed surveys, 551 completed surveys were from international graduate students. Results: Approximately 44% of international graduate students responded that they had had an emotional or stress-related problem that significantly affected their well-being or academic performance within the past year. International students who reported a more functional relationship with their advisors were less likely to report having an emotional or stress-related problem in the past year and using counseling services. International students who reported higher financial confidence were also less likely to use counseling services. Conclusions: There is an unmet mental health need among international graduate students. Special mental health outreach efforts should be directed at international graduate students, with particular attention on the relationship between students and their advisors and on adequate financial support for students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the growth of the World Wide Web has conic a proliferation of online reference sources. Some of these are electronic versions of already existing paper sources, while others have no paper counterpart. Many of the best reference resources found of the Web are subscription-based, but a surprising number of quality resources are available free. The vastness of the Web makes it difficult to provide a comprehensive and exhaustive survey of all the resources that are currently available. This article attempts to identify sonic of the most significant resources across the social sciences. it includes six disciplines: anthropology, communications, history, political science, and sociology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Examines the role of psychotherapists in handling difficult clients. Ways of coping with countertransference reactions; Kinds of vicarious traumatization in professional; Promotion of optimal functioning.

Aggregator packages have become increasingly important to library collections in recent years. This study investigates how these packages have affected the collection management process in academic libraries. Among the aspects considered are the role of consortia, how aggregator packages have changed the role of the collection manager and selectors, and how they have influenced collections and how collections are used. The disadvantages as well as the advantages of aggregator packages are considered, and suggestions for how aggregators can improve packages are offered. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Discusses steps to nurture optimal relationships through cooperation at the reference desk that will result in a rewarding experience for both librarians and users. Implications of double coverage at the reference desk in libraries; Competitive desk behaviors; Interventions to foster cooperation.

Suggests ways in which reference librarians can help alleviate feelings of discomfort around computers or technostress common among adult learners who grew up in pre-computer era. Signs and symptoms of technostress; Interventions to alleviate technostress.

Examines the state of electronic journals indexing in the social sciences and its prospects as a mainstream tool for research in the United States. Advantages over paper serials; Drawbacks; Demand for articles and the lack of visibility; Elements that should be included in electronic citation; Summary of indexing and abstracting activity in exclusively electronic journals.

As a result of the ever increasing number of reference works published in the field of psychology, there is a growing need to determine which recent publications are noteworthy. Traditional paper review sources are inadequate, because of the time lag in publishing. In an effort to identify noteworthy reference titles, a search was conducted in the OCLC Worldcat database. By using the limit function to limit the results to reference works published after 1994, a list of recent reference works in psychology was generated. These titles were then examined individually, to determine the more notable ones worth acquiring. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Although many libraries are aware of electronic computer networks like the Internet and Bitnet, few realize the wealth of resources available in the field of psychology. Among the resources to be found are discussions of cutting-edge research, notices of seminars, conferences, employment, reviews, abstracts and bibliographies. To date, very little has been written about these resources, perhaps because tracking them down and monitoring them can be difficult and time-consuming. This study attmepts to identify and evaluate the principle resources currently available in psychology on electronic networks. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The explosive growth of clinical psychology literature has made it difficult for anyone to get a comprehensive overview of the field. Clinical psychology handbooks help alleviate this problem by providing a thorough survey of the discipline. Despite their utility for both students and librarians, no literature reviews of handbooks in clinical psychology currently exist. The present study seeks to fill this gap by selectively reviewing handbooks currently available, as well as a few "classics." [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]