Is pesticide exposure a cause of obstructive airways disease?

Peer reviewedPublisher PD

A coupled hydrology-biogeochemistry model to simulate dissolved organic carbon exports from a permafrost influenced catchment

Funded by Natural Environment Research Council. Grant Number: NE/K000268/1 Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of CanadaPeer reviewedPublisher PD

Characterization of the in situ magnetic architecture of oceanic crust (Hess Deep) using near-source vector magnetic data

Marine magnetic anomalies are a powerful tool for detecting geomagnetic polarity reversals, lithological boundaries, topographic contrasts, and alteration fronts in the oceanic lithosphere. Our aim here is to detect lithological contacts in fast-spreading lower crust and shallow mantle by characterizing magnetic anomalies and investigating their origins. We conducted a high-resolution, near-bottom, vector magnetic survey of crust exposed in the Hess Deep “tectonic window” using the remotely operated vehicle (ROV) Isis during RRS James Cook cruise JC21 in 2008. Hess Deep is located at the western tip of the propagating rift of the Cocos-Nazca plate boundary near the East Pacific Rise (EPR) (2°15′N, 101°30′W). ROV Isis collected high-resolution bathymetry and near-bottom magnetic data as well as seafloor samples to determine the in situ lithostratigraphy and internal structure of a section of EPR lower crust and mantle exposed on the steep (~20°dipping) south facing slope just north of the Hess Deep nadir. Ten magnetic profiles were collected up the slope using a three-axis fluxgate magnetometer mounted on ROV Isis. We develop and extend the vertical magnetic profile (VMP) approach of Tivey (1996) by incorporating, for the first time, a three-dimensional vector analysis, leading to what we here termed as “vector vertical magnetic profiling” approach. We calculate the source magnetization distribution, the deviation from two dimensionality, and the strike of magnetic boundaries using both the total field Fourier-transform inversion approach and a modified differential vector magnetic analysis. Overall, coherent, long-wavelength total field anomalies are present with a strong magnetization contrast between the upper and lower parts of the slope. The total field anomalies indicate a coherently magnetized source at depth. The upper part of the slope is weakly magnetized and magnetic structure follows the underlying slope morphology, including a “bench” and lobe-shaped steps, imaged by microbathymetry. The lower part of the slope is strongly magnetized, with a gradual reduction in amplitude from east to west across the slope. Surface morphology and recent drilling results indicate that the slope has been affected by mass wasting, but the observation of internally coherent magnetization distributions within the upper and lower slopes suggest that the disturbance is surficial. We attribute the spatial differences in magnetization distribution to the combination of changes in in situ lithology and depth to the source. These survey lines document the first magnetic profiles that capture the gabbro-ultramafic and possibly dike-gabbro boundaries in fast-spreading lower crust

GABAA receptor subtype involvement in addictive behaviour

GABAA receptors form the major class of inhibitory neurotransmitter receptors in the mammalian brain. This review sets out to summarise the evidence that variations in genes encoding GABAA receptor isoforms are associated with aspects of addictive behaviour in humans, while animal models of addictive behaviour also implicate certain subtypes of GABAA receptor. In addition to outlining the evidence for the involvement of specific subtypes in addiction, we summarise the particular contributions of these isoforms in control over the functioning of brain circuits, especially the mesolimbic system, and make a first attempt to bring together evidence from several fields to understanding potential involvement of GABAA Receptor Subtypes in addictive behaviour. While the weight of the published literature is on alcohol dependency, the underlying principles outlined are relevant across a number of different aspects of addictive behaviour

Stress at Work, Gendered Dys-appearance and the Broken Body in Policing

This paper explores how stress as a gendered mode of perception is characterized by processes that call the body to attention in ambiguous and incomplete ways ? an experience Leder (1990) terms bodily dys-appearance. Extending Leder?s work through an engagement with feminist accounts of embodiment, we show how stress, as constituted through a corporeal demand to pay attention to pain or discomfort, becomes negated or misrecognized through the sociocultural, organizational or occupational privileging of normative masculinity. Our analysis of twenty in-depth interviews with female police managers in England during 2011 explores the dys-appearance of stress in the context of policing, and the professional and bodily consequences of negotiating stress as a gendered mode of perception. This suggests the compulsion to make sense of bodily sensations cannot be separated from the systems, structures and ways of understanding that privilege masculinized knowledge claims. Questioning these claims may allow for a plurality of stress experiences to be recognized beyond patriarchal ways of organizing, and give voice to other body episodes that elude articulation or representation within normative organizational practices

The neurotoxicity of paint solvents

Objectives- To investigate the relationship between neuropsychological symptoms, as measured by questionnaire, and formal measurements of neurological and psychological function.  To investigate the relationship between neuropsychological symptoms and solvent exposure estimates.  To test the hypothesis that neuropsychological disorder in solvent exposed workers is more likely to those with genetic predisposition. Methods - A nested case-control study was carried out in a cohort of former dockyard painters and community controls.  The 78 painters and 42 community controls had previously participated in a postal study that had shown an excess of neuropsychological symptoms amongst painters.  The 120 participants in the nested - case control study underwent detailed neuropsychological testing, colour vision testing, estimation of solvent exposure indices and genetic testing for GSTM1, GSTT1, NAT1 and NAT2 enzyme polymorphisms. Results -  A case-control analysis of 68 patients failed to demonstrate significant differences in neuropsychological function between symptomatic and asymptomatic painters as measured by the Q16.  Subsequent regression analyses of all 120 subjects showed a range of neuropsychological deficits with an exposure response relationship.  There was no convincing evidence of risk modification by any of the enzyme polymorphisms studied.  During the study a pattern of deficits was recognised, sufficient to constitute a syndrome of impaired colour vision, cognitive impairment impaired vibration perception and resting tremor. Conclusions - Exposure to mixed solvents is associated with neuropsychological impairment, the risk increasing with increasing intensity of exposure.  The risk of impairment was not altered in this study by the presence of different enzyme polymorphisms.EThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceGBUnited Kingdo

Sharps injuries among medical students

Background: Medical students may be at risk of sharps injuries for several reasons. These exposures can transmit a range of blood-borne pathogens including hepatitis B, hepatitis C and human immunodeficiency virus. Aims: To evaluate medical students’ knowledge regarding the prevention and management of sharps injuries and their experience of such exposures in the calendar year 2007. Methods: A cross-sectional, web-based, survey of fourth and fifth year medical students enrolled at the University of Aberdeen in Scotland. All students were at the mid-point of their year of study. An invitation e-mail and two electronic reminders were sent, on specified days, to the study population. These contained a summary of the study and the link to the anonymous questionnaire. Results: Of the 395 medical students e-mailed, 238 (60%) responded. When compared with fourth year medical students, final year students had higher mean knowledge scores for sharps injury management (P < 0.01). Of total, 18% reported resheathing used needles and 31% reported disposing of sharps for others, indicating poor compliance with standard precautions. In the event of an injury, 29% stated that they would scrub the wound. Only 44% were familiar with policies for reporting exposures. In all, 11% of students had experienced at least one contaminated sharps injury in 2007 and, of those, 40% had reported the most recent incident. Conclusions: Medical students are at risk of sharps injuries and their knowledge regarding the prevention and management of these exposures is limited: training on these issues should be increased

Oxford handbook of occupational health / second edition

xxviii, 915 pages ; 18 c