자연주의적 탐구조사(Naturalistic Inquiry)

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) provides access to information on a variety of topics related to the environment and strives to inform citizens of health risks. The EPA also has an extensive library network that consists of 26 libraries throughout the United States, which provide access to a plethora of information to EPA employees, scientists, and researchers. The EPA implemented a reorganization project to digitize their materials so they would be more accessible to a wider range of users, but this plan was drastically accelerated when the EPA was threatened with a budget cut. It chose to close and reduce the hours and services of some of their libraries. As a result, the agency was accused of denying users the “right to know” by making information unavailable, not providing an adequate strategic plan, and discarding vital materials. This case study explores the background of the digitization project, the practices implemented, and the critiques of the project.

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The Environmental Protection Agency

QUITE apart from the academic consideration that vital and medical statistics now form an obligatory part of the education of students seeking the University of London's diploma in public health, the demand for information about the methods of vital and medical statistics is increasing. The most casual reader of the newspapers is now aware that population problems are of serious practical importance and that the publications of the General Register Office cannot be ignored. It is scarcely an exaggeration to say that the recently issued preliminary report on the census of 1931 is one of the most sensational documents which has appeared for years, and that he who reads it intelligently will understand what is meant by saying that civilisation is in the melting pot. An Introduction to Medical Statistics. By Hilda M. Woods William T. Russell. Pp. x + 125. (London: P. S. King and Son, Ltd., 1931.) 7s. 6d.

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An Introduction to Medical Statistics

Poverty in the United Kingdom

Green exercise is activity in the presence of nature. Evidence shows it leads to positive short and long-term health outcomes. This multistudy analysis assessed the best regime of dose(s) of acute exposure to green exercise required to improve self-esteem and mood (indicators of mental health). The research used meta-analysis methodology to analyze 10 UK studies involving 1252 participants. Outcomes were identified through a priori subgroup analyses, and dose−responses were assessed for exercise intensity and exposure duration. Other subgroup analyses included gender, age group, starting health status, and type of habitat. The overall effect size for improved self-esteem was d = 0.46 (CI 0.34−0.59, p < 0.00001) and for mood d = 0.54 (CI 0.38−0.69, p < 0.00001). Dose responses for both intensity and duration showed large benefits from short engagements in green exercise, and then diminishing but still positive returns. Every green environment improved both self-esteem and mood; the presence of water genera...

What is the Best Dose of Nature and Green Exercise for Improving Mental Health? A Multi-Study Analysis

Most apparel sizing systems are based on one or two body dimensions and rely on assumptions about proportional body relationships to project other dimensions necessary to design the garment pattern. Garments from these systems will not fit a population with large variations in body proportions. Using nonlinear optimization methods and anthropometric data of US Army women three multidimensional sizing systems were derived that are designed to provide improved fit for women from the USA, a population with much variation. These systems range from an optimized linear system with a regular grade to an unconstrained optimized system with a grade break at each size. The optimized sizing systems compare favorably with D5585‐94 in their ability to accommodate variation in the population based on a mathematical test of the aggregate loss of each system. Issues related to pattern grading, size selection, and calculation of stock keeping units are discussed.

An investigation of the structure of sizing systems: A comparison of three multidimensional optimized sizing systems generated from anthropometric data with the ASTM standard D5585‐94

A novel approach for the construction of apparel sizing systems is formulated. As a first step to this process, efficient sizing systems are defined based on a mathematical model of garment fit. Nonlinear optimisation techniques are then used to derive a set of possible sizing systems using multidimensional information from anthropometric data. The method is illustrated by developing a sizing system designed for a dress shirt of a military uniform using anthropometric data from the US Army. Results of this analysis show that endogenous size assignment and selection of disaccommodated individuals, together with relaxation of the requirement of a 'stepwise' size structure, results in substantial improvements in fit over an existing sizing system. The proposed methodology enables the development of sizing systems that can either increase accommodation of the population, reduce the number of sizes in the system, or improve overall fit in accommodated individuals.

An optimisation approach to apparel sizing

This article presents a framework for considering the relevance of the physical environment to obesity. The authors adopt the notion that the “environment” constitutes the space outside the person and therefore broaden the common conceptualization of the “environment” to encompass a full spectrum from small-scale design elements to large-scale community infrastructure. An energy balance approach is also adopted. The energy balance perspective recognizes the equilibrium of food consumption and energy expenditure, rather than focusing solely on one or the other side of the equation. The authors consider how environmental characteristics present either barriers (that hinder), or supports (that promote) healthy habits. Thus, they describe a range of obesity-related environmental themes that provide opportunities for innovative collaborative research between environmental psychologists and colleagues in fields ranging from apparel design to landscape architecture. Last, conceptual and methodological considerat...

Environment, Design, and Obesity Opportunities for Interdisciplinary Collaborative Research

Sophisticated new technologies are available to the apparel industry to create automated custom-fitted clothing; research and development of necessary data and proceduresfor implementing these prog...

A Study of Automated Custom Fit: Readiness of the Technology for the Apparel Industry

This paper describes how size-specific analyses of body scan data of an apparel company's target market can provide information that can be used to adjust ready-to-wear sizing to improve apparel fit. We describe a variety of size-based statistical and visual analysis methods that can be applied to target market body scan data. These analyses begin to describe and address the variety of body shapes and measurements that exist within a sizing system and identify potential design adjustments that could be made in order to increase the percent of acceptable fit within each size category for a target market. Read entire article: http://www.tx.ncsu.edu/jtatm/volume4issue3/articles/Loker/Loker_full_136_05.pdf

Susan P. Ashdown

Papers

An investigation of the structure of sizing systems: A comparison of three multidimensional optimized sizing systems generated from anthropometric data with the ASTM standard D5585‐94

An optimisation approach to apparel sizing

Environment, Design, and Obesity Opportunities for Interdisciplinary Collaborative Research

A Study of Automated Custom Fit: Readiness of the Technology for the Apparel Industry

Size-specific Analysis of Body Scan Data to Improve Apparel Fit