Human responses to demanding mental and physical work

Research into relationships between physiological activity and behaviour in humans has mainly considered performance at light work tasks. Furthermore, models of integrated activity have often been formulated around hypotheses of the arousal type, which were not particularly explicit about the interaction of the variables observed. [Continues.

From MORAL PANIC to MORAL ACTION: Social Policy and Violence in Human Services

The management of high-risk behaviours from consumers of human services remains a controversial area of practice. Within this broader agenda the use of physical restraint has emerged as a key, if implicit, dilemma for social policy agendas on both sides of the Atlantic. The nature of acceptable methods is the focus of contending perspectives and belief systems. This paper will examine the beliefs and paradigms which sustain the current absence of effective regulation of physical restraint, and suggest that the impact of specific attributional and explanatory paradigms effectively maintains the current social policy vacuum on acceptable approaches and the continuing use of high risk methods. Achieving safer practice in behavioural management requires a paradigm shift which involves the recognition and rejection of the current individualising paradigm in favour of a broader, holistic approach in which the significance of contextual service factors are recognised and addressed and the use of high tariff restraint techniques rigorously monitored and restricted

Associations between cardiorespiratory fitness and the metabolic syndrome in British men

Background Age and body mass index (BMI) are positively associated with the development of the metabolic syndrome (MetS). Cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) can attenuate BMI-related increases in prevalence of MetS, but the nature of this association across different age strata has not been fully investigated. Aim To identify the association between CRF and MetS prevalence across age strata (20–69 years) and determine whether associations are independent of BMI. Methods CRF was estimated from incremental treadmill exercise in British men attending preventative health screening. Participants were placed in four age strata (20–39, 40–49, 50–59 and 60–69 years) and classified as fit or unfit using age-related cut-offs. The presence of MetS was defined using the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III criteria. Results 9666 asymptomatic men (48.7±8.4 years) were enrolled. The prevalence of MetS was 25.5% in all men and ranged from 17.1% in those aged 20–39 years to 30.6% in those aged 60–69 years. Fit men's likelihood of meeting the criteria for MetS was half (OR=0.51, 95% CI 0.46 to 0.57) that of unfit men. The likelihood of MetS was 32–53% lower across age strata in fit, compared with unfit men. Adjustment for BMI attenuated the association, though it remained significant in men aged 20–49 years. Conclusions The cardiometabolic benefits of CRF are independent of BMI particularly in men <50 years. Public health messages should emphasise the important role of CRF alongside weight management for enhancing cardiometabolic health

Facilitating employer engagement through negotiated work based learning: A case study from the University of Chester

This report discusses the development of a work based learning framework at the University of Chester and identifies its key features, particulary in relation to employer engagagement

“Killer Joules”: spores of Bipolaris sorokiniana and fusarium species are susceptible to microwave radiation

Cereal production in Australia is severely impacted by diseases such as Fusarium crown rot (caused predominantly by Fusarium pseudograminearum) and common root rot (caused by Bipolaris sorokiniana). These diseases are particularly difficult to manage because inoculum can survive at least three years within cereal stubble, or four years in soil in the case of B. sorokiniana. Microwave radiation may be able to reduce or eliminate inoculum within stubble and soil. Several cereal pathogens have been previously shown to be susceptible to microwave radiation, but the energy requirements to achieve a significant decrease in pathogen populations were not defined. Laboratory based microwave dose-response experiments on conidia of B. sorokiniana and macroconidia of F. pseudograminearum and F. cerealis revealed that all three pathogens are susceptible to microwave radiation, with lethal dose (LD) thresholds estimated for each pathogen. Bipolaris sorokiniana conidia required 103.8 Jg− 1 and 236.6 Jg− 1 of microwave radiation energy for LD50 and LD99, respectively, whilst F. pseudograminearum required 78.4 Jg− 1 and 300.8 Jg− 1 and F. cerealis required 95.3 Jg− 1 and 152.7 Jg− 1 for LD50 and LD99, respectively. These results were derived from experiments whereby samples were microwaved for up to 10 s using a domestic 1100 W microwave oven. These timing and energy requirements serve as a starting point to define requirements for further development of microwave radiation treatments under field conditions

Architectural and Sculptured Stonework

Catalogue and analysis of medieval stone sculpture held by museu

Excess urinary iodine concentration and thyroid dysfunction among school age children of eastern Nepal: a matter of concern.

OBJECTIVES:Deficiency as well as excess dietary iodine is associated with several thyroid disorders including Grave's disease and goitre. Previously, cross sectional studies conducted among school children in Nepal showed high prevalence of iodine deficiency. In contrast, recently, few studies have revealed emerging trends of excess urinary iodine concentration in children. This paper, reports excess urinary iodine excretion and thyroid dysfunction among school age children from eastern Nepal. RESULTS:It was a community based cross sectional study in which we measured urinary iodine excretion levels among school age children at baseline and after educational program. The educational program consisted of audio-visual and pamphlets on thyroid health. We also screened them for thyroid function status by physical examination and measuring serum thyroid hormones. Our results show that 34.4% of the children had excess urinary iodine concentration above the WHO recommended levels. Overall, 3.2% of the children were identified to have thyroid dysfunction. Urinary iodine concentration was significantly different between types of salt used and between salt iodine content categories