A systematic review of the current evidence regarding interventions for anxiety, PTSD, sleepiness and fatigue in the law enforcement workplace

© 2019 National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health. Law enforcement is inherently stressful, and police officers are particularly vulnerable to mental and physical disorders. As such, researchers are currently assessing intervention strategies that may combat or manage these psychological, physical and mental issues. To review most recent information regarding anxiety, PTSD, and sleepiness and fatigue and identify the interventions and treatments proposed to overcome work related stressors and associated mental illnesses inflicting law enforcement officers. The EMBASE, OVID MEDLINE and PsycINFO databases were canvassed for articles investigating anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, sleepiness, and fatigue. Initial article selections were made based on title, whilst final inclusion was informed by a full critical appraisal with respect to the primary and secondary effects. The systematic search returned 363 records, of which 183 were unique. Following screening, 43 records were included in the final review. The included literature assessed the efficacy of several interventions, and provided a number of recommendations regarding interventions, and policy. Moreover, literature indicates that police officers benefit from interventions targeting work-related stress and potential psychological disorders, if these interventions are continuous. Furthermore, larger controlled studies are required to further elucidate the benefits of psychosocial intervention in law enforcement

A critical role for ATF2 transcription factor in the regulation of E-selectin expression in response to non-endotoxin components of Neisseria meningitidis

Vascular injury is a serious complication of sepsis due to the gram-negative bacterium Neisseria meningitidis. One of the critical early steps in initiating this injury is via the interaction of leucocytes, particularly neutrophils, with adhesion molecules expressed on inflamed endothelium. We have previously demonstrated that both lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and non-LPS components of meningococci can induce very high levels of expression of the vascular endothelial cell adhesion molecule E-selectin, which is critical for early tethering and capture of neutrophils onto endothelium under flow. Using an LPS-deficient strain of meningococcus, we showed that very high levels of expression can be induced in primary endothelial cells, even in the context of weak activation of the major host signal transduction factor [nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB)]. In this study, we show that the particular propensity for N. meningitidis to induce high levels of expression is regulated at a transcriptional level, and demonstrate a significant role for phosphorylation of the ATF2 transcription factor, likely via mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinases, on the activity of the E-selectin promoter. Furthermore, inhibition of E-selectin expression in response to the lpxA- strain by a p38 inhibitor indicates a significant role of a p38-dependent MAPK signalling pathway in ATF2 activation. Collectively, these data highlight the role that LPS and other bacterial components have in modulating endothelial function and their involvement in the pathogenesis of meningococcal sepsis. Better understanding of these multiple mechanisms induced by complex stimuli such as bacteria, and the specific inflammatory pathways they activate, may lead to improved, focused interventions in both meningococcal and potentially bacterial sepsis more generally

Rating and ranking the role of bibliometrics and webometrics in nursing and midwifery

Background. Bibliometrics are an essential aspect of measuring academic and organizational performance. Aim. This review seeks to describe methods for measuring bibliometrics, identify the strengths and limitations of methodologies, outline strategies for interpretation, summarise evaluation of nursing and midwifery performance, identify implications for metric of evaluation, and specify the implications for nursing and midwifery and implications of social networking for bibliometrics and measures of individual performance. Method. A review of electronic databases CINAHL, Medline, and Scopus was undertaken using search terms such as bibliometrics, nursing, and midwifery. The reference lists of retrieved articles and Internet sources and social media platforms were also examined. Results. A number of well-established, formal ways of assessment have been identified, including h- and c-indices. Changes in publication practices and the use of the Internet have challenged traditional metrics of influence. Moreover, measuring impact beyond citation metrics is an increasing focus, with social media representing newer ways of establishing performance and impact. Conclusions. Even though a number of measures exist, no single bibliometric measure is perfect. Therefore, multiple approaches to evaluation are recommended. However, bibliometric approaches should not be the only measures upon which academic and scholarly performance are evaluated. © 2014 Patricia M. Davidson et al

Extreme stretching of high G:D ratio carbon nanotube fibers using super-acid

Few-wall carbon nanotube (CNT) textiles with unparalleled graphitic perfection and a solitary, prominent radial breathing mode (RBM) associated with metallic chirality have been mechanically stretched in chlorosulfonic acid (CSA) to a degree so far unseen in CNT textiles (150–250% of original length) with notably little tension required. This dramatically enhanced their microstructural alignment and density and, after most of the residual CSA was removed by a vacuum bake, the de-doped fiber's electrical conductivity was found to be 45% greater than single-crystal graphite – a significant milestone for CNT conductor development towards graphitic intercalation compounds (GICs) and traditional metals. Correlation tables and validated, multivariate statistical models show that conductivity is overwhelmingly linked to stretching degree, although eventually saturates near single-crystal graphite levels, implying the existence of a maximum undoped conductivity. The degree of stretching within CSA is correlated with the original mechanical properties (tenacity, elongation-to-break, and linear density); the Raman G’:G ratio and the upper-end oxidation temperature in thermogravimetric analysis also predict the best results. Less graphenically pristine CNT materials stretch to a lower degree in CSA, similar to previous reports. This study highlights the importance of post-synthesis processing to achieve superior performance in carbon nanotube textile materials

Evaluating a novel extended scope of occupational therapy service aimed at hospital avoidance in Tasmania, Australia, from the perspective of stakeholders

The Australian state of Tasmania has seen a spike in Emergency Department presentations in recent years, particularly among the elderly. A novel extended scope occupational therapy (ESOT) service was implemented by the Tasmanian Health Service, aimed at supporting hospital avoidance. Clients were referred to the ESOT service by other services after being assessed as having a high risk of imminent hospital presentation. Occupational Therapists provided short-term interventions related to falls, mobility, nutrition, and initiated onward referrals to other services. A convergent parallel mixed methods design was used to evaluate the ESOT service. Quantitative data from routinely collected administrative records and a purpose-built survey of referring clinicians were used alongside qualitative data from semi-structured interviews with clients/carers, to enable the triangulation of data. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics, while qualitative data collected in interviews were thematically analysed. A total of 104 extended scope interventions were provided to 100 clients. Most clients were able to stay at home. Qualitative data revealed that mobility, support, and facilitating access to support services were factors which added value to the client and carer experience. In conclusion, the ESOT program contributed to potentially avoiding hospital admissions and to improving the quality of life of participating clients

Targeted capture and sequencing of Orientia tsutsugamushi genomes from chiggers and humans

Scrub typhus is a febrile disease caused by Orientia tsutsugamushi, transmitted by larval stage Trombiculid mites (chiggers), whose primary hosts are small mammals. The phylogenomics of O. tsutsugamushi in chiggers, small mammals and humans remains poorly understood. To combat the limitations imposed by the low relative quantities of pathogen DNA in typical O. tsutsugamushi clinical and ecological samples, along with the technical, safety and cost limitations of cell culture, a novel probe-based target enrichment sequencing protocol was developed. The method was designed to capture variation among conserved genes and facilitate phylogenomic analysis at the scale of population samples. A whole-genome amplification step was incorporated to enhance the efficiency of sequencing by reducing duplication rates. This resulted in on-target capture rates of up to 93% for a diverse set of human, chigger, and rodent samples, with the greatest success rate in samples with real-time PCR Ct values below 35. Analysis of the best-performing samples revealed phylogeographic clustering at local, provincial and international scales. Applying the methodology to a comprehensive set of samples could yield a more complete understanding of the ecology, genomic evolution and population structure of O. tsutsugamushi and other similarly challenging organisms, with potential benefits in the development of diagnostic tests and vaccines

Maximum Likelihood Estimator for Hidden Markov Models in continuous time

The paper studies large sample asymptotic properties of the Maximum Likelihood Estimator (MLE) for the parameter of a continuous time Markov chain, observed in white noise. Using the method of weak convergence of likelihoods due to I.Ibragimov and R.Khasminskii, consistency, asymptotic normality and convergence of moments are established for MLE under certain strong ergodicity conditions of the chain.Comment: Warning: due to a flaw in the publishing process, some of the references in the published version of the article are confuse

3D Characterisation of Dry Powder Inhaler Formulations: Developing X-ray Micro Computed Tomography Approaches.

Carrier-based dry powder inhaler (DPI) formulations need to be accurately characterised for their particle size distributions, surface roughnesses, fines contents and flow properties. Understanding the micro-structure of the powder formulation is crucial, yet current characterisation methods give incomplete information. Commonly used techniques like laser diffraction (LD) and optical microscopy (OM) are limited due to the assumption of sphericity and can give variable results depending on particle orientation and dispersion. The aim of this work was to develop new powder analytical techniques using X-ray computed tomography (XCT) that could be employed for non-destructive metrology of inhaled formulations. α-lactose monohydrate powders with different characteristics have been analysed, and their size and shape (sphericity/aspect ratio) distributions compared with results from LD and OM. The three techniques were shown to produce comparable size distributions, while the different shape distributions from XCT and OM highlight the difference between 2D and 3D imaging. The effect of micro-structure on flowability was also analysed through 3D measurements of void volume and tap density. This study has demonstrated for the first time that XCT provides an invaluable, non-destructive and analytical approach to obtain number- and volume-based particle size distributions of DPI formulations in 3D space, and for unique 3D characterisation of powder micro-structure