Objective: To evaluate the association between depression and sugary drink intake using participant data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Survey (BRFSS). Design: Cross-sectional data from the 2012 and 2013 BRFSS were examined (N=44,603). Depression was based on self-report of symptoms within the past 30 days. Covariates included age, sex, race, employment status, body mass index (BMI), education level, and exercise in the past 30 days. Setting: Data from a national telephone survey (BRFSS) were used to assess risk factors associated with health of the participants. Subjects: Participants in the 2012 and 2013 BRFSS were included in this analysis (N=44,603). Results: Adjusting for confounders, the odds of depression increased by 5% for every sugary drink consumed (odds ratio (OR)=1.06, 95% confidence interval (CI)=1.02-1.10). Depression was also associated with race, with non-Hispanic blacks being 60% more likely to be depressed than non-Hispanic whites. Unemployment and having a high school or less education were independently associated with depression. The association of depression and consumption of sugar sweetened beverages was stronger among women than men. Conclusion: This study indicates that consuming sugary drinks are associated with an increased odds of depression. These findings support advocacy efforts for an overall healthy lifestyle. In addition, future research should evaluate this association using a cohort design in order to establish the temporality of this association.

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This paper presents an overview of the design of the first full-scale prototype of the Atlas flight simulator motion platform for pilot training. The Atlas concept was introduced in 2005, and is unique such that orientation is decoupled from positioning, and unlimited rotations are possible about any axis of the mechanism. Detail design and manufacturing are complete, and assembly is in progress. Central to the design is three Mecanum wheels in an equilateral arrangement, which impart angular displacements to a sphere that houses the cockpit, thereby providing rotational actuation. Since the Atlas sphere rests on these Mecanum wheels, there are no joints or levers constraining its motion, allowing full 360 • rotation about all axes, yielding an unbounded orientation workspace that is singularity free. In this paper, the current state of the design and assembly regarding actuation, the spherical S-glass shell, and modelling for motion control are discussed.

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