Types of patients in a psychiatric intensive care unit

Objective: This paper reports the findings of a descriptive study of a patient populationover a three-month period on an eight bed psychiatric intensive care unit (PICU) in Western Australia. The report provides a quantitative insight into the profile of patients in PICUs. It provides information on patients' diagnoses, presenting signs, symptoms and/or behaviours,legal codes assigned to patients, treatment interventions and management. Method: Data were collected prospectively from August to October 1999. A total of 122 patients were admitted to the PICU during the review period. Data were entered into an Access program then exported to SPSS (Version 9 for Windows) for analysis and frequency distributions were obtained. Results: The results confirmed that the majority of patients admitted to the PICU were assessed as a high level of risk or needed containment. This finding is in line with the admission criteria developed by staff working in the PICU. It also supports the view that staffworking in these units require expertise and confidence to communicate with and manage potentially aggressive and highly aroused patients. Conclusion: This study demonstrates the importance of ongoing evaluations of patient populations in promoting best practice initiatives in psychiatric care

Protocol for a scoping review to identify research reporting on eating disorders in minority ethnic populations in the UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand

Introduction Eating disorders (EDs) are common, severe and often life-threatening psychiatric conditions. Notwithstanding stereotypes, EDs affect individuals from all racial and ethnic backgrounds. However, despite similar and in some cases increased prevalence of disordered eating and EDs among minority ethnic groups, there appear to be disparities when it comes to ED diagnosis and treatment. To date, most of the existing literature exploring disordered eating and EDs among minority ethnic groups has been conducted in the USA. The present scoping review aims to examine the extent, range and nature of research activity into disordered eating and EDs in the UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand providing a comprehensive overview of the existing literature. A special focus will be placed on studies exploring prevalence, access to care and treatment experiences. Methods and analysis The scoping review framework first outlined by Arksey and O’Malley and improved on by Levac et al was used to guide the development of this scoping review protocol. A detailed systematic search of relevant databases (Medline, EMBASE, PsycINFO, CINAHL and Web of Science) will be conducted. Relevant literature will also be identified from the reference lists of included studies. Two reviewers will independently screen titles and abstracts and full-texts against specified inclusion and exclusion criteria. A third reviewer will resolve disagreements if necessary. Relevant data will be extracted using a data charting form. Quantitative and qualitative summaries of extracted data will be provided

Using novel palaeolimnological techniques to define lake conservation objectives for three Cheshire meres

This is the final report to Natural England on the project „Using novel palaeolimnological techniques to define lake conservation objectives for three Cheshire meres‟: Melchett Mere, Tatton Mere and Comber Mere. The aim is to use existing and recently developed palaeoecological techniques to define reference conditions and assess the condition of selected Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) in the Cheshire meres, and thereby assist in the setting of conservation objectives and management goals

Vegetation transitions drive the autotrophy-heterotrophy balance in Arctic lakes

“Arctic greening” will alter vegetation quantity and quality in northern watersheds, with possible consequences for lake metabolic balance. We used paleolimnology from six Arctic lakes in Greenland, Norway, and Alaska to develop a conceptual model describing how climate-driven shifts in terrestrial vegetation (spanning herb to boreal forest) influence lake autotrophic biomass (as chlorophyll and carotenoid pigments). Major autotrophic transitions occurred, including (1) optimal production of siliceous algae and cyanobacteria/chlorophytes at intermediate vegetation cover (dwarf shrub and Betula; dissolved organic carbon (DOC) range of 2–4 mg L21 ), below and above which UVR exposure (DOC; 4 mgL21 ), respectively limit algal biomass, (2) an increase in potentially mixotrophic cryptophytes with higher forest cover and allochthonous carbon supply. Vegetation cover appears to influence lake autotrophs by changing influx of (colored) dissolved organic matter which has multiple interacting roles—as a photoprotectant—in light attenuation and in macronutrient (carbon, nitrogen) supply

Epistemic Modesty, Ostentatiousness and the Uncertainties of Epigenetics:On the Knowledge Machinery of (Social) Science

Epigenetic processes are garnering attention in the social sciences, where some scholars assert their importance for theorizing social life. I engage with such ideas here by drawing on interviews with leading bioscientists. To begin with, I underscore the (productive) uncertainties of those working in and around epigenetics; I describe these as a manifestation of ‘epistemic modesty’, and suggest that dissensus helps to propel biomedical innovation. Then, drawing on the concept of ‘alien science’, I detail some researchers’ ambivalences regarding the notion of ‘transgenerational inheritance’; their dissatisfaction with the (public) communication practices of other scientists (situated in what I term a regime of ‘epistemic ostentatiousness’); and the challenges faced when moderating societal discussion of epigenetics in ways that expand excitement whilst deflating (what researchers regard as) unrealistic expectations. The paper concludes with reflections on the knowledge machinery of the (social) sciences, and employs the study data to interrogate sociological engagements with epigenetics

Rhomboid family member 2 regulates cytoskeletal stress-associated Keratin 16.

Keratin 16 (K16) is a cytoskeletal scaffolding protein highly expressed at pressure-bearing sites of the mammalian footpad. It can be induced in hyperproliferative states such as wound healing, inflammation and cancer. Here we show that the inactive rhomboid protease RHBDF2 (iRHOM2) regulates thickening of the footpad epidermis through its interaction with K16. K16 expression is absent in the thinned footpads of irhom2-/- mice compared with irhom2+/+mice, due to reduced keratinocyte proliferation. Gain-of-function mutations in iRHOM2 underlie Tylosis with oesophageal cancer (TOC), characterized by palmoplantar thickening, upregulate K16 with robust downregulation of its type II keratin binding partner, K6. By orchestrating the remodelling and turnover of K16, and uncoupling it from K6, iRHOM2 regulates the epithelial response to physical stress. These findings contribute to our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying hyperproliferation of the palmoplantar epidermis in both physiological and disease states, and how this 'stress' keratin is regulated

A qualitative study exploring the benefits of involving young people in mental health research

Introduction: It is increasingly accepted that young people need to be centrally involved in research on issues that affect them. The aim of this study was to explore young people's perceptions of the benefits for them of being involved in mental health research and the processes that enabled these benefits. Methods: Qualitative interviews were conducted by co-researchers (young people with lived experience and/or interest in mental health) with 13 young people (aged 13–24 years) who had experience of being involved in mental health research when they were between 11 and 16 years of age. Reflective thematic analysis was used to identify important aspects of young people's experiences. Results: Four main themes were identified: (1) opportunity to have a meaningful impact, (2) opportunity to be part of a supportive community, (3) opportunity to learn and grow and (4) increasing opportunities for young people. Conclusion: This study highlights young people's experiences of being involved in mental health research and identifies ways in which researchers can ensure that involvement opportunities bring benefits to both the young people and the research. Patient or Public Contribution: This research was a response to issues raised by young people involved in research. The project was supported by co-researchers throughout, including design, data collection, analysis and write-up

Cancellous bone and theropod dinosaur locomotion. Part II—a new approach to inferring posture and locomotor biomechanics in extinct tetrapod vertebrates

This paper is the second of a three-part series that investigates the architecture of cancellous bone in the main hindlimb bones of theropod dinosaurs, and uses cancellous bone architectural patterns to infer locomotor biomechanics in extinct non-avian species. Cancellous bone is widely known to be highly sensitive to its mechanical environment, and therefore has the potential to provide insight into locomotor biomechanics in extinct tetrapod vertebrates such as dinosaurs. Here in Part II, a new biomechanical modelling approach is outlined, one which mechanistically links cancellous bone architectural patterns with three-dimensional musculoskeletal and finite element modelling of the hindlimb. In particular, the architecture of cancellous bone is used to derive a single ‘characteristic posture’ for a given species—one in which bone continuum-level principal stresses best align with cancellous bone fabric—and thereby clarify hindlimb locomotor biomechanics. The quasi-static approach was validated for an extant theropod, the chicken, and is shown to provide a good estimate of limb posture at around mid-stance. It also provides reasonable predictions of bone loading mechanics, especially for the proximal hindlimb, and also provides a broadly accurate assessment of muscle recruitment insofar as limb stabilization is concerned. In addition to being useful for better understanding locomotor biomechanics in extant species, the approach hence provides a new avenue by which to analyse, test and refine palaeobiomechanical hypotheses, not just for extinct theropods, but potentially many other extinct tetrapod groups as well