Human-animal relationships and interactions during the Covid-19 lockdown phase in the UK: Investigating links with mental health and loneliness

BACKGROUND: The Covid-19 pandemic raises questions about the role that relationships and interactions between humans and animals play in the context of widespread social distancing and isolation measures. We aimed to investigate links between mental health and loneliness, companion animal ownership, the human-animal bond, and human-animal interactions; and to explore animal owners' perceptions related to the role of their animals during lockdown. METHODS: A cross-sectional online survey of UK residents over 18 years of age was conducted between April and June 2020. The questionnaire included validated and bespoke items measuring demographics; exposures and outcomes related to mental health, wellbeing and loneliness; the human-animal bond and human-animal interactions. RESULTS: Of 5,926 participants, 5,323 (89.8%) had at least one companion animal. Most perceived their animals to be a source of considerable support, but concerns were reported related to various practical aspects of providing care during lockdown. Strength of the human-animal bond did not differ significantly between species. Poorer mental health pre-lockdown was associated with a stronger reported human-animal bond (b = -.014, 95% CI [-.023 - -.005], p = .002). Animal ownership compared with non-ownership was associated with smaller decreases in mental health (b = .267, 95% CI [.079 - .455], p = .005) and smaller increases in loneliness (b = -.302, 95% CI [-.461 - -.144], p = .001) since lockdown. CONCLUSION: The human-animal bond is a construct that may be linked to mental health vulnerability in animal owners. Strength of the human-animal bond in terms of emotional closeness or intimacy dimensions appears to be independent of animal species. Animal ownership seemed to mitigate some of the detrimental psychological effects of Covid-19 lockdown. Further targeted investigation of the role of human-animal relationships and interactions for human health, including testing of the social buffering hypothesis and the development of instruments suited for use across animal species, is required

Alcohol-stress interaction: possible stress alleviating prpoerties of ethanol

Stress is an inevitable part of daily life to every individual. Stress may be eustress or distress. It depends on stress exposure and individual's perception to experience the extent to which one is vulnerable. Daily stressors are unavoidable but stress coping makes an individual to tolerate stress. Many becomes the victims of alcohol drinking for the simple belief of 'tension -reduction' by the use of alcohol. Though, initially alcohol may mask few of the stress effects, its long term effects are dangerous as it may indulge in addiction behaviour. There are inconclusive reports on the interaction of stress and alcohol. There are lacunae in literature on the stress alcohol interaction especially with reference to the multi-ethnic population of the State of Sabah. Hence the objectives of the study was, to elucidate and possible stress- alcohol relationship. Whether alcohol drinking alleviates stress? Increases stress? Alcohol drinking aggravates stress? Was there any demographic, cultural factors in drinking patterns etc., Based on the previous studies, stress inventory was designed and using the DASS21 questionnaire and on its reliability and validity tests, with a voluntary consent of participants study questionnaires were introduced. Subjects of both sex 18-45 years of age were included. Exclusion criteria were chronic drinkers and those on medications for chronic diseases. The data was analysed by Structural Equation Modelling (SPSS AMOS ver 23, 2015). Results of the study revealed that, there is an association between stress and alcohol drinking. Level of stress is a major factor that is associated with level of drinking, cause of drinking among the study group. Drinking also increased the level of stress and there is interdependency between stress - alcohol drinking - stresses. In conclusion, present study confirms that, alcohol drinking does not alleviate the stress experience; on the contrary drinking alcohol increases the stress experience. It is a vicious cycle; stress experience leads to alcohol drinking, in turn alcohol drinking further increases the stress. Family and cultural drinking is one of the factors that promote alcohol drinking

AN EVALUATION OF HYDROGEN INDUCED CRACKING SUSCEPTIBILITY OF TITANIUM ALLOYS IN US HIGH-LEVEL NUCLEAR WASTE REPOSITORY ENVIRONMENTS

This paper evaluates hydrogen-induced cracking (HIC) susceptibility of titanium alloys in environments anticipated in the Yucca Mountain nuclear waste repository with particular emphasis on the. effect of the oxide passive film on the hydrogen absorption process of titanium alloys being evaluated. The titanium alloys considered in this review include Ti 2, 5 , 7, 9, 11, 12, 16, 17, 18, 24 and 29. In general, the concentration of hydrogen in a titanium alloy can increase due to absorption of atomic hydrogen produced from passive general corrosion of that alloy or galvanic coupling of it to a less noble metal. It is concluded that under the exposure conditions anticipated in the Yucca Mountain repository, the HIC of titanium drip shield will not occur because there will not be sufficient hydrogen in the metal even after 10,000 years of emplacement. Due to the conservatisms adopted in the current evaluation, this assessment is considered very conservative

Popular attitudes to memory, the body, and social identity : the rise of external commemoration in Britain, Ireland, and New England

A comparative analysis of samples of external memorials from burial grounds in Britain, Ireland and New England reveals a widespread pattern of change in monument style and content, and exponential growth in the number of permanent memorials from the 18th century onwards. Although manifested in regionally distinctive styles on which most academic attention has so far been directed, the expansion reflects global changes in social relationships and concepts of memory and the body. An archaeological perspective reveals the importance of external memorials in articulating these changing attitudes in a world of increasing material consumption

Role of microstructure and surface defects on the dissolution kinetics of CeO2, a UO2 fuel analogue.

The release of radionuclides from spent fuel in a geological disposal facility is controlled by the surface mediated dissolution of UO2 in groundwater. In this study we investigate the influence of reactive surface sites on the dissolution of a synthesised CeO2 analogue for UO2 fuel. Dissolution was performed on: CeO2 annealed at high temperature, which eliminated intrinsic surface defects (point defects and dislocations); CeO2-x annealed in inert and reducing atmospheres to induce oxygen vacancy defects; and on crushed CeO2 particles of different size fractions. BET surface area measurements were used as an indicator of reactive surface site concentration. Cerium stoichiometry, determined using X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) and supported by X-ray Diffraction (XRD) analysis, was used to determine oxygen vacancy concentration. Upon dissolution in nitric acid medium at 90°C, a quantifiable relationship was established between the concentration of high energy surface sites and CeO2 dissolution rate; the greater the proportion of intrinsic defects and oxygen vacancies, the higher the dissolution rate. Dissolution of oxygen vacancy-containing CeO2-x gave rise to rates that were an order of magnitude greater than for CeO2 with fewer oxygen vacancies. While enhanced solubility of Ce3+ influenced the dissolution, it was shown that replacement of vacancy sites by oxygen significantly affected the dissolution mechanism due to changes in the lattice volume and strain upon dissolution and concurrent grain boundary decohesion. These results highlight the significant influence of defect sites and grain boundaries on the dissolution kinetics of UO2 fuel analogues and reduce uncertainty in the long-term performance of spent fuel in geological disposal

Descent or Dissent? A future of social work education in the UK post-Brexit

This conceptual paper explores the potential crises arising for social work and social work education following the 2016 ‘Brexit’ referendum in the UK. After exploring the complex political terrain of Brexit voting, the political and moral complications arising, this paper attempts to dispel some of the myths associated with the voter types. Subsequently, the uncertain and possibly dangerous futures of social care and welfare are examined before moving to consider the implications for social work education in the UK, as part of the European Union, and beyond. The need for the UK to continue to pursue its relationships and links with other EU colleagues if social work is not to become parochial and somewhat removed from the international stage is highlighted

Reactions to symptoms of mental disorder and help seeking in Sabah, Malaysia.

Abstract Background: A better understanding is needed about how people make decisions about help seeking. Materials: Focus group and individual interviews with patients, carers, healthcare staff, religious authorities, traditional healers and community members. Discussion: Four stages of help seeking were identified: (1) noticing symptoms and initial labelling, (2) collective decision-making, (3) spiritual diagnoses and treatment and (4) psychiatric diagnosis and treatment. Conclusion: Spiritual diagnoses have the advantage of being less stigmatising, giving meaning to symptoms, and were seen to offer hope of cure rather than just symptom control. Patients and carers need help to integrate different explanatory models into a meaningful whole.N/

Ventricular volume expansion in presymptomatic genetic frontotemporal dementia

Objective: To characterize the time course of ventricular volume expansion in genetic frontotemporal dementia (FTD) and identify the onset time and rates of ventricular expansion in presymptomatic FTD mutation carriers. Methods: Participants included patients with a mutation in MAPT, PGRN, or C9orf72, or first-degree relatives of mutation carriers from the GENFI study with MRI scans at study baseline and at 1 year follow-up. Ventricular volumes were obtained from MRI scans using FreeSurfer, with manual editing of segmentation and comparison to fully automated segmentation to establish reliability. Linear mixed models were used to identify differences in ventricular volume and in expansion rates as a function of time to expected disease onset between presymptomatic carriers and noncarriers. Results: A total of 123 participants met the inclusion criteria and were included in the analysis (18 symptomatic carriers, 46 presymptomatic mutation carriers, and 56 noncarriers). Ventricular volume differences were observed 4 years prior to symptom disease onset for presymptomatic carriers compared to noncarriers. Annualized rates of ventricular volume expansion were greater in presymptomatic carriers relative to noncarriers. Importantly, time-intensive manually edited and fully automated ventricular volume resulted in similar findings. Conclusions: Ventricular volume differences are detectable in presymptomatic genetic FTD. Concordance of results from time-intensive manual editing and fully automatic segmentation approaches support its value as a measure of disease onset and progression in future studies in both presymptomatic and symptomatic genetic FTD

Ventricular volume expansion in presymptomatic genetic frontotemporal dementia

OBJECTIVE: To characterize the time course of ventricular volume expansion in genetic frontotemporal dementia (FTD) and identify the onset time and rates of ventricular expansion in presymptomatic FTD mutation carriers. METHODS: Participants included patients with a mutation in MAPT, PGRN, or C9orf72, or first-degree relatives of mutation carriers from the GENFI study with MRI scans at study baseline and at 1 year follow-up. Ventricular volumes were obtained from MRI scans using FreeSurfer, with manual editing of segmentation and comparison to fully automated segmentation to establish reliability. Linear mixed models were used to identify differences in ventricular volume and in expansion rates as a function of time to expected disease onset between presymptomatic carriers and noncarriers. RESULTS: A total of 123 participants met the inclusion criteria and were included in the analysis (18 symptomatic carriers, 46 presymptomatic mutation carriers, and 56 noncarriers). Ventricular volume differences were observed 4 years prior to symptom disease onset for presymptomatic carriers compared to noncarriers. Annualized rates of ventricular volume expansion were greater in presymptomatic carriers relative to noncarriers. Importantly, time-intensive manually edited and fully automated ventricular volume resulted in similar findings. CONCLUSIONS: Ventricular volume differences are detectable in presymptomatic genetic FTD. Concordance of results from time-intensive manual editing and fully automatic segmentation approaches support its value as a measure of disease onset and progression in future studies in both presymptomatic and symptomatic genetic FTD

Contribution of Energetically Reactive Surface Features to the Dissolution of CeO2 and ThO2 Analogues for Spent Nuclear Fuel Microstructures

In the safety case for the geological disposal of nuclear waste, the release of radioactivity from the repository is controlled by the dissolution of the spent fuel in groundwater. There remain several uncertainties associated with understanding spent fuel dissolution, including the contribution of energetically reactive surface sites to the dissolution rate. In this study, we investigate how surface features influence the dissolution rate of synthetic CeO2 and ThO2, spent nuclear fuel analogues that approximate as closely as possible the microstructure characteristics of fuel-grade UO2 but are not sensitive to changes in oxidation state of the cation. The morphology of grain boundaries (natural features) and surface facets (specimen preparation-induced features) was investigated during dissolution. The effects of surface polishing on dissolution rate were also investigated. We show that preferential dissolution occurs at grain boundaries, resulting in grain boundary decohesion and enhanced dissolution rates. A strong crystallographic control was exerted, with high misorientation angle grain boundaries retreating more rapidly than those with low misorientation angles, which may be due to the accommodation of defects in the grain boundary structure. The data from these simplified analogue systems support the hypothesis that grain boundaries play a role in the so-called “instant release fraction” of spent fuel, and should be carefully considered, in conjunction with other chemical effects, in safety performance assessements for the geological disposal of spent fuel. Surface facets formed during the sample annealing process also exhibited a strong crystallographic control and were found to dissolve rapidly on initial contact with dissolution medium. Defects and strain induced during sample polishing caused an overestimation of the dissolution rate, by up to 3 orders of magnitude