The physical and mental health of a large military cohort: baseline functional health status of the Millennium Cohort

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background:</p> <p>The US military is currently involved in large, lengthy, and complex combat operations around the world. Effective military operations require optimal health of deployed service members, and both mental and physical health can be affected by military operations.</p> <p>Methods:</p> <p>Baseline data were collected from 77,047 US service members during 2001–2003 as part of a large, longitudinal, population-based military health study (the Millennium Cohort Study). The authors calculated unadjusted, adjusted, and weighted means for the Medical Outcomes Study Short Form 36-item Survey for Veterans physical (PCS) and mental component summary (MCS) scores over a variety of demographic and military characteristics at baseline.</p> <p>Results:</p> <p>The unadjusted mean PCS and MCS scores for this study were 53.4 (95% confidence interval: 53.3–53.4) and 52.8 (95% confidence interval: 52.7–52.9). Average PCS and MCS scores were slightly more favorable in this military sample compared to those of the US general population of the same age and sex. Factors independently associated with more favorable health status included male gender, being married, higher educational attainment, higher military rank, and Air Force service. Combat specialists had similar health status compared to other military occupations. Having been deployed to Southwest Asia, Bosnia, or Kosovo between 1998 and 2000 was not associated with diminished health status.</p> <p>Conclusion:</p> <p>The baseline health status of this large population-based military cohort is better than that of the US general population of the same age and sex distribution over the same time period, especially in older age groups. Deployment experiences during the period of 1998–2001 were not associated with decreased health status. These data will serve as a useful reference for other military health studies and for future longitudinal analyses.</p

Public perception and coastal pollution at identified beaches in south Wales

Considerable controversy exists in the world with respect to coastal quality. A multidisciplinary project was initiated to examine the health effects of bathing in sewage contaminated coastal waters, using a popular beach resort, Whitmore Bay, close to the cities of South Wales; and to explore ways of measuring public perception of coastal pollution at selected beaches in South Wales including Whitmore Bay, Langland Bay and Cefn Sidan. The research also investigated the regulatory framework responsible for the sustainability of coastal tourism and the effectiveness of beach award flags as marketing tools in the promotion of resorts. Current legislation addresses coastal pollution in terms of physical health criteria with little regard given to aesthetic quality of sea/landscape and psychological well-being of the beach user. It is necessary to overcome the dichotomised approach to beach management by crossing the boundaries between the physical and social sciences in order to take an holistic view of the coastal scene, accounting for environmental, political, economic and social aspects. An epidemiological/microbiological investigation was conducted at Whitmore Bay during the summer of 1995. Statistical modelling. using Linear Logisitic Regression, indicated swimmers to significantly increase their chance of contracting an illness in comparison to non-swimmers and also identifed non-water related factors to have a confounding effect; no interaction was observed. These findings were in congruence with other major studies. Beach questionnaires were distributed to elicit information on the activities, health and socio-demographic characteristics of the subjects during the day of the survey (n=1276). A telephone interview schedule was utilised 10 days post the beach survey to investigate the differential in illness rates between the cases and controls (n=585). Water sampling was carried out on the days of the health risk survey. Although, high counts of both Ecoli and faecal streptococci were recorded, reaching an average of 3400 and 440 per 100ml respectively, no dose response relationship was observed between morbidity rates and bacterial indicator density. A semi-structured questionnaire was employed to obtain data on beach user perception to coastal pollution and beach award schemes for both the 1995 and 1996 surveys. The 1995 questionnaire served a dual approach running simultaneously with the epidemiological-microbiological analysis (n=1276). The 1996 survey questionnaire was developed from the original 1995 questionnaire. and distributed at an additional two beaches in South Wales, Langland Bay and Cefn Sidan, (n=821). Results of both surveys showed that beach users were acutely aware of coastal pollution both land based and marine and suggested that public awareness of the different beach award schemes is low. Of the different types of award systems included on the questionnaire, the European Blue Flag Award gained highest recognition (26-30%), but even those that identified with it often had a misunderstanding of its true meaning. If consumers misinterpret the meaning of the flag which flies on a designated beach. then the designation of the beach will do little to offset consumers' concerns about health risks

The bathing water directive and beach management at Silversands, Scotland, and La Herradura, Spain: constructing bathing areas and rationalising management practices

This thesis examines the production of bathing beaches with reference to the 1976 European Bathing Water Directive and contemporary trends in environmental policy discourse. The Directive, although currently under revision, seeks to protect bathers by setting mandatory seawater quality standards for designated bathing areas. In contrast to studies in environmental policy, which tend to assess the extent or effectiveness of implementation, the thesis seeks to understand beach management by investigating how bathing areas in Scotland and Spain are connected to the Bathing Water Directive by practices ofbathing area usage and management.The thesis argues that practices of bathing area management - such as beach flags and litter collections - and practices of bathing area usage - such as kayaking and dog-walking - are important in producing what has become known as a 'bathing area'. Engaging with current debates on constructivism, the thesis demonstrates how different social constructions of a bathing area are created and coexist. Beach management is shown to be rationalised according to particular ideas of beach cleanliness, order and best practiceEmpirical research concentrates upon two fieldstudy sites: Silversands in Scotland and La Elerradura in Spain. Particular attention is paid to beach awards, marine litter collections, and scientific processes of bathing water measurement. The thesis is methodologically based on interviews with beach users, beach managers, environmental regulators, politicians and representatives of coastal conservation charities. Ethnographic notes, participatory research methods and discursive analysis of policy documents are all used to contribute to the empirical evidence.The thesis investigates the materiality of beach flags to show how different interpretations of cleanliness are promoted and represented. It explores how knowledge of bathing areas is created through water quality measurement, litter surveying and personal experience. This knowledge of bathing areas is shown to be dependent on traditional science-based expertise. The thesis claims that expertise is currently used to distance many beach users from expressing their knowledge of potential bathing risks. While revisions to the Bathing Water Directive emphasise public inclusion, the thesis concludes that current practices of bathing area management are not participatory. Findings contribute to a body of work interested in critical evaluation of environmental policy

A Practical Carbonation Model for Service Life Design of Reinforced Concrete Structures

The increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration due to global warming has a direct impact on the amount of carbonating concrete structures. For the past years, numerous studies have been done in South Africa on the subject and models developed to predict carbonation in concrete structures. Despite the large amount of resources and research effort put into developing these models, the translation from theory to practice represents a great challenge for design engineers in the field of durability design. This study presents a design tool based on existing models for use in practical applications. The proposed design tool assists in computing the service life of carbonating concrete structures and provides reliability values associated with the service life. It accounts for different binder compositions and binder types, as well as different locations and environmental land uses in South Africa. The validation of the design tool was done by comparing the service life prediction results to existing models, which generally showed good agreement. The developed design tool can be applied for predicting the long-term performance of new RC structures as well as improving the basis for quality assessment of existing, newly built RC structures. For the design of new structures, the designer is required to make certain assumptions concerning the information to be used for the simulation. These include values for the binder type, binder content, OPI, cover depth, land use and exposure parameters. For the quality control of new structures, the way in which the model parameters are obtained differs from that of new structures. As the structure already exists, both the concrete quality, cover depth and environmental loading can be measured directly on the structure with appropriate testing procedures. The outcome of applying the design tool for the analysis of concrete produced for the Gauteng Freeway Improvement project (GFIP) is also presented, with a case study of precast and in-situ structures chosen for the analysis

Financial management in a joint field environment

MBA Professional ReportThis MBA professional report highlights the FM challenges that comptroller's encounter in the joint field environment, identifies sources of payment inefficiencies and recommends solutions to reduce those inefficiencies, thus addressing the issue of improving foreign contract payments by comptrollers in the field. Problem disbursements during Operation Desert Storm yielded $54 million dollars in mismanaged funds for the U.S. Army alone. With the continued emphasis on joint operations, the comptroller must effectively manage funds obligated to various Department of Defense (DoD) activities. The research involved in this endeavor includes doctrine and policy review, interviews with various DoD comptrollers and a case study of exercise Cobra Gold 2002 budget execution and contractual payments at the joint organization level. Cobra Gold is an excellent example of a large-scale joint and combined operation in a foreign country; it provides a great opportunity to analyze the research question. This professional report concludes that field comptrollers cannot adequately meet fiscal responsibilities without comparable garrison IT connectivity and recommends that all of the U.S. services procure systems that are fully interoperable to best support the warfighter. This report is primarily intended for field comptrollers with limited joint field experience to make them aware of the uniqueness that exists in joint operations.http://archive.org/details/financialmanagem109459910Captain, United States Marine CorpsLieutenant, United States NavyApproved for public release; distribution is unlimited

Strengthening ‘community’? an ethnographic and auto/biographical study of Sure Start Greendale

This is an ethnographic, auto/biographical study of Sure Start Greendale which is situated on the outskirts of a seaside town in the south east of England. I undertook the research while I was Director of the programme. The thesis is written from the perspective of key participants in the programme, as well as my own learning biography, background in health visiting and practice as leader of a new high profile government initiative called Sure Start. It is highly reflexive and written in a narrative genre. Sure Start aims to give young children living in communities similar to Greendale a better start in life by creating opportunities for them and their parents and by eradicating child poverty. This research explores, through auto/biographical and focus group interviews with parents, community workers and representatives from partner agencies, perspectives of the Greendale area prior to Sure Start, the impact of the Sure Start programme and the new building, and their notions of community prior to and post the establishment of the Sure Start programme. The voices of parents, community workers and partner agencies are heard through an interpretative, analytical approach in a process of shared learning. Issues relating to insider research are discussed in detail. Auto/biographical interviews indicate the challenges of partnership working, the impact of poverty on children and their parents, and the complex ways in which Sure Start helped to renew a sense of community. The main finding of the research was that the Sure Start Greendale programme was able to engage to varying degrees a suspicious and sceptical community and support parents to access services and develop relationships with other parents. Sure Start Greendale was the enabler of communication in the estate and the community workers played a major role in building social capital and reducing social isolation. This research is important as it is the only ethnographic, auto/biographical, insider researcher’s account of a Sure Start Programme, covering a period of eight years. The study adds to the body of knowledge about Greendale and similar communities and factors that assist community renewal

Digital Technologies for the Sustainable Development of the Accessible Underwater Cultural Heritage Sites

In recent years, the development in digital technologies such as Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) has evolved rapidly. These technologies are currently in the process of creating driving change in the Cultural and Creative Industries (CCIs), representing innovative means to share information, facilitating access and increasing the value and public awareness on Cultural and Natural Heritage. This is particularly relevant for underwater environments, where the most interesting cultural and naturalistic sites are accessible only to scuba divers, or not accessible at all, due to depth and/or environmental constraints. In addition, in underwater sites, guided diving tours are carried out by professionals that usually describe the area to be visited during the predive briefings; such step is needed due to the impossibility of underwater verbal communication without dedicated equipment, a practice very rarely adopted for recreational diving. So, these difficulties make it almost impossible to replicate under the sea, the guided tour approach that is usually offered in on-land museums. Considering such limitations, several technological applications are emerging to increase the accessibility underwater and enrich users' experience both for divers and nondivers. This work aims to identify the potential of underwater sites (either cultural or natural) to support the development of sustainable tourism (economic, environmental, cultural and social) in the Mediterranean. Moreover, it focuses on supplying local/regional authorities and stakeholders with a multidisciplinary plan for managing Underwater Museums and Knowledge Centres, by promoting innovation in the diving industry and improving users'/tourists' experience through value-added services and cutting-edge technologies

Tsunami hazards in the Catalan Coast, a low-intensity seismic activity area

The final publication is available at Springer via http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11069-017-2918-zThe potential impacts of tsunamis along the Catalan Coast (NW Mediterranean) are analysed using numerical modelling. The region is characterized by moderate to low seismic activity and by moderate- to low-magnitude earthquakes. However, the occurrence of historical strong earthquakes and the location of several active offshore faults in front of the coast suggest that the possibility of an earthquake-triggered tsunami is not negligible although of low probability. Up to five faults have been identified to generate tsunamis, being the highest associated possible seismic magnitudes of up to 7.6. Coastal flooding and port agitation are characterized using the Worst-case Credible Tsunami Scenario Analysis approach. The results show a multiple fault source contribution to tsunami hazard. The shelf dimensions and the existence of submerged canyons control the tsunami propagation. In wide shelves, waves travelling offshore may become trapped by refraction causing the wave energy to reach the coastline at some distance from the origin. The free surface water elevation increases at the head of the canyons due to the sharp depth gradients. The effects of potential tsunamis would be very harmful in low-lying coastal stretches, such as deltas, with a high population concentration, assets and infrastructures. The Ebro delta appears to be the most exposed coast, and about the 20% of the delta surface is prone to flooding due to its extremely low-lying nature. The activity at Barcelona port will be severely affected by inflow backflow current at the entrance of up to 2 m/s.Peer ReviewedPostprint (author's final draft