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OBJECTIVES: To explore differences in cerebral oxygen reserves during sleep in old and young adults. DESIGN: Descriptive cross-sectional study. SETTING: General clinical research center. PARTICIPANTS: Nine old (aged 65–84) and 10 young (aged 21–39) adults. MEASUREMENTS: Subjects were monitored during the first nightly sleep cycle using standard polysomnography, including measures of arterial oxyhemoglobin saturation (SaO2). Changes in regional cerebral oxyhemoglobin saturation (rcSO2) were used to estimate cerebral oxygen reserves. General linear models were used to test group differences in the change in SaO2 and rcSO2 during sleep.

Consistent and validated data sets of satellite-borne radiances and of a large variety of products describing the characteristics of terrestrial cloud and radiation fields have been produced within the International Satellite Cloud Climatology Project (ISCCP) covering the years 1983 through to 2003. A subset (annual and seasonal averages of the 5 year period 1991 to 1995) is used in this paper to discuss in greater detail the effect of clouds on the radiation fields at the upper and lower boundary of the atmosphere and in particular on the loss and gain (vertical divergence) of radiant energy by the atmosphere itself. Although this subset covers the effects of the Pinatubo eruption (June 1991) and of the strong El Nino event in 1992–93, which indeed caused ‘anomalies in the average aerosol and cloud fields in the tropics and subtropics’. However, our regional averages of the radiation budget at the top of the atmosphere and at ground over a period of 5 years should be within 2–5 W m−2 of longer term averages. We find very interesting spatial patterns in the global distributions of all quantities, which can be explained in part by various cloud field characteristics and by the continental surface characteristics. Most are known from similar studies with radiation budget measurements. Possibly for the first time, we show global fields of the vertical flux divergence of solar and terrestrial radiation within the atmosphere and of the effects of clouds. Both polar regions, various portions of China and the areas of persistent subtropical maritime stratocumulus fields over the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans and of cloud fields associated with the intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ) offer specific features for further analyses. This ISCCP data set seems to underestimate the absorption of solar radiation in the tropical and subtropical atmosphere by about 10 to 20 W m−2. There is a disagreement of about 30 W m−2 in global averages of the gain and loss of solar and terrestrial radiation in the atmosphere between this and two other independent data sets, which needs thorough investigation, since such data are required to validate the radiation budgets within circulation and climate models and for other climate studies. Such an assessment of radiation budget data is now under way within the auspices of the World Climate Research Programme. Copyright © 2005 Royal Meteorological Society

In sample surveys, certain methods are used to improve the precision and control the costs of survey data collection. Among these methods are stratification, multistage sampling, clustering, and unequal probabilities of selection. These methods introduce a complexity to the analysis, which must be accounted for in order to produce unbiased estimates and their associated levels of precision. Not accounting for a complex sample design in the variance estimates can result in artificially small standard errors. This article provides a brief introduction to the impact these design complexities have on the sampling variance, and summarizes the characteristics and availability of software to carry out analysis on sample survey data while accounting for the design. Keywords: survey; software; complex sample; sampling variance; variance estimation; Taylor series; replication methods

The self-reported health-promoting life-style (HPL) of 130 well adults in a primary care clinical population was examined in relation to the cognitive/perceptual and sociodemographic factors hypothesized in Pender's Health Promotion Model (1987) to predict this behavior. Subjects were randomly drawn from the clients of a group nurse practitioner practice emphasizing health maintenance. Data were collected by mailed survey (response rate, 59%) with one telephone prompt. The mean age of the subjects was 39.7 years; 72.3% were female; 51.2% were married; 47.7% had college degrees; and 67.4% were white. Blacks were underrepresented in the sample compared to the practice population (chi = 7.56, p = .006). Using multiple regression, the definition of health, importance of health, health locus of control, age, gender, marital status, race, education, income, and rural/urban residence were studied to determine their effects on health-promoting behavior. Results generally supported the Pender Model. Defining health eudiamonistically, that is, as exuberant well-being (rather than adaptive, functional, or absence of disease), predicted HPL. Ranking health above other values such as achievement and harmony had no effect; chance health locus of control had a negative relationship. In the final regression model, predictors of HPL were eudiamonistic conception of health and college education (p = .0001, R2 = 17). Based on this data, considerations of a clients' health conception when framing health-promotion messages is warranted in this population.

In a randomized clinical trial a comparison was made of two BSE teaching interventions delivered by primary providers during office visits in a group nursing faculty practice. Patients who reported no regular BSE (n = 121) received either individualized teaching focused on reducing perceived barriers and reinforcing benefits of BSE, or routine teaching limited to usual instruction in BSE technique. Patients reporting frequent/monthly BSE during the past year were comparison subjects (n = 81). Self-reported data on BSE behavior were obtained in questionnaires administered before the interventions and via telephone interviews three months after the visit. Analysis using chi square showed that, contrary to expectation, individualized and routine teaching were equally effective: 61.4% of the individually taught and 63.5% of the routinely taught reported frequent or monthly practice at followup. Both groups were significantly more confident in technique and ability to detect change in the breast. The previously non-practicing women remained significantly less likely than comparison subjects to be performing BSE monthly at followup. The perceived benefit of BSE giving peace of mind predicted non-practicers most likely to change.