Public Information Officers in Texas Public Safety Agencies. Civilian Versus Sworn. Which is Better?

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Trauma surgery training:The Dutch approach

Surgery is evolving rapidly and surgeons continue to specialize. The care for trauma patients will always need a physician with a broad base of knowledge and skills. In the Netherlands this care is well organized with a trauma center system and is mainly performed by specialized general surgeons, called trauma surgeons. These surgeons are trained in a well-defined education program and perform treatment for thoracic, visceral, and musculoskeletal injuries. In the near future collaboration with the orthopedic surgeons will be intensified, because currently they are less involved in trauma care. This will potentially develop to a common trauma unit and education program

Evaluation of Proposed Amendments to the North Sea Flatfish Multiannual Plan

The evaluation of the multiannual plan is carried out using a numerical simulation model to study the interplay between the biological dynamics of the stocks and the dynamics of the fleet. The biological operating model consists of age structured population models of the ‘true’ plaice and sole stocks in the North Sea, following current stock delineation

Impact of species-specific dispersal and regional stochasticity on estimates of population viability in stream metapopulations

Abstract Species dispersal is a central component of metapopulation models. Spatially realistic metapopulation models, such as stochastic patch-occupancy models (SPOMs), quantify species dispersal using estimates of colonization potential based on interpatch distance (distance decay model). In this study we compare the parameterization of SPOMs with dispersal and patch dynamics quantified directly from empirical data. For this purpose we monitored two metapopulations of an endangered minnow, redside dace (Clinostomus elongatus), using mark-recapture techniques across 43 patches, re-sampled across a 1 year period. More than 2,000 fish were marked with visible implant elastomer tags coded for patch location and dispersal and patch dynamics were monitored. We found that species-specific dispersal and distance decay models provided qualitatively similar rankings of viable patches; however, there were differences of several orders of magnitude in the estimated intrinsic mean times to extinction, from 24 and 148 years to 362 and [100,000 years, depending on the population. We also found that the rate of regional stochasicity had a dramatic impact for the estimate of species viability, and in one case altered the trajectory of our metapopulation from viable to non-viable. The divergent estimates in time to extinction times were likely due to a combination species-specific behavior, the dendritic nature of stream metapopulations, and the rate of regional stochasticity. We demonstrate the importance of developing comparative analyses using species-and patch-specific data when determining quantitative estimates for mean time to extinction, which in the case of redside dace, were highly sensitive to different estimates of dispersal

Structuring osteosarcoma knowledge: an osteosarcoma-gene association database based on literature mining and manual annotation

Osteosarcoma (OS) is the most common primary bone cancer exhibiting high genomic instability. This genomic instability affects multiple genes and microRNAs to a varying extent depending on patient and tumor subtype. Massive research is ongoing to identify genes including their gene products and microRNAs that correlate with disease progression and might be used as biomarkers for OS. However, the genomic complexity hampers the identification of reliable biomarkers. Up to now, clinico-pathological factors are the key determinants to guide prognosis and therapeutic treatments. Each day, new studies about OS are published and complicate the acquisition of information to support biomarker discovery and therapeutic improvements. Thus, it is necessary to provide a structured and annotated view on the current OS knowledge that is quick and easily accessible to researchers of the field. Therefore, we developed a publicly available database and Web interface that serves as resource for OS-associated genes and microRNAs. Genes and microRNAs were collected using an automated dictionary-based gene recognition procedure followed by manual review and annotation by experts of the field. In total, 911 genes and 81 microRNAs related to 1331 PubMed abstracts were collected (last update: 29 October 2013). Users can evaluate genes and microRNAs according to their potential prognostic and therapeutic impact, the experimental procedures, the sample types, the biological contexts and microRNA target gene interactions. Additionally, a pathway enrichment analysis of the collected genes highlights different aspects of OS progression. OS requires pathways commonly deregulated in cancer but also features OS-specific alterations like deregulated osteoclast differentiation. To our knowledge, this is the first effort of an OS database containing manual reviewed and annotated up-to-date OS knowledge. It might be a useful resource especially for the bone tumor research community, as specific information about genes or microRNAs is quick and easily accessible. Hence, this platform can support the ongoing OS research and biomarker discovery

Mitigating seafloor disturbance of bottom trawl fisheries for North Sea sole Solea solea by replacing mechanical with electrical stimulation

Funding: ADR, NTH, PM, HP, JJP, TvK: European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF) through the Netherlands Ministry of Agriculture Nature and Food Quality (LNV) (Grand/Award Number: 1300021172); NO ADR, JD, ORE, NTH, AI, FO, HP, JJP, TvK: FP 7 project BENTHIS (grant no. 312088); NO.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Maxillofacial Fractures in Electric and Conventional Bicycle-Related Accidents

PURPOSE: With the increased use of both e-bike and conventional bicycle, the number of bicycle-related accidents has increased accordingly. To determine whether there are differences in maxillofacial injuries between these 2 types of bicycle accidents, e-bike and conventional bicycle accidents were compared.MATERIAL AND METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was conducted for all the consecutive patients with maxillofacial injury due to e-bike and conventional bicycle accidents attending the emergency department of 4 hospitals in the Netherlands between May 2018 and October 2019. Primary outcomes are maxillofacial fractures present or absent and the severity of maxillofacial injury using the Maximum Abbreviated Injury Scale and Facial Injury Severity Scale (FISS) after e-bike and conventional bicycle accidents. A binary logistic regression analysis was used to assess differences in risk between an e-bike and conventional bicycle accident, where age, alcohol use, and comorbidities were added as covariates, for maxillofacial fractures, dental injury, and severe maxillofacial fractures.RESULTS: In total, 311 patients were included (73 e-bikers and 238 conventional cyclists). Sex distribution was equal in both groups (45% male vs 55% female). The e-bike group was older (66 vs 53 median age in years, P &lt; .001) and had more comorbidities (0 vs 1, P &lt; .001), while alcohol use was higher in the conventional bicycle group (32% vs 16%, P = .008). e-Bikers sustained midfacial fractures more frequently (47% vs 34%, P = .04), whereas conventional cyclists more often had mandibular fractures (1% vs 11%, P = .01). Although median Maximum Abbreviated Injury Scale and FISS scores did not differ between e-bike and conventional bicycle accidents, severe maxillofacial fractures (FISS score ≥ 2) were observed more often in the conventional cyclists (45% vs 25%, P = .04). No significant differences in risk of midfacial, mandibular, and severe maxillofacial fractures were found between e-bikers and conventional cyclists irrespective of their age, alcohol use, and comorbidities.CONCLUSION: Both the distribution and the severe maxillofacial fractures differed between the e-bike and conventional bicycle accident patients. Patient-specific characteristics, such as age, alcohol use, and comorbidities, may have a greater influence on sustaining maxillofacial fractures than the type of bicycle ridden.</p

Deliverable 1.3: The economics of technological innovations to mitigate ecosystem effects of fishing: the pulse trawl in the North Sea

In this study we focused on the mitigation of the benthic impacts of the beam trawl fisheries for sole through the use of electricity as a technological innovation (pulse trawls replacing traditional beam trawl) and particularly on the economics of the gear transition. We identify drivers that probably influenced the technological change and got insight in the factors that may promote or hamper the use pulse trawl. The studies show that the pulse trawl is economically more profitable than the traditional beam trawl when targeting sole. This is particularly true when fuel prices are high and also when the landing obligation is implemented (because the catch is more selective). In the Dutch fishery, the wages of the crew operating with pulse are also higher which probably explain the support that the pulse trawl received from the crew. However this is not the case in the Belgian fleet where crew wages are based on value of landings only (as opposed to value of landings minus fuel price in the Dutch fishery). In addition to the good economic performances of the pulse trawl, non-economic factors have played a role in the uptake of the pulse trawl in the sole fishery. In particular, the information sharing amongst fisher through study groups and demonstration days have accelerated the process in the Netherlands. The support of the Dutch government was also influential. In contrast, barriers such as limiting days at sea in the North Sea for Belgian fishers and the controversial image of the pulse in Belgium may have hindered the adoption of pulse in Belgium

Pedelec users get more severely injured compared to conventional cyclists

Background For years e-bike (Pedelec) sales have been steadily increasing. Therefore, the incidence of e-bike-related injuries and deaths has been growing. Due to clinical experience, emergency personnel are suspecting that e-bikers might be injured more severely compared to conventional bicyclists suffering from an accident. This topic has not yet been analyzed for Germany. Objective Analysis of injury severity and mortality following e-bike and conventional bicycle accidents in a level I trauma center in Germany. Material and methods Data of patients treated after a bicycle accident at the accident and emergency department as well as the clinic for traumatology and orthopedics of the Evangelical Hospital (Evangelisches Krankenhaus) Oldenburg were gathered from 1 March 2017 to 1 March 2019. Results In this study 59 electric bicycle users (e-bikers) and 164 conventional cyclists were included. The average age of e-bikers was 62 years compared to 48 years in the group of conventional cyclists. Comorbidities were significantly more frequent in the e-bike group compared to classical cyclists. The e-bikers were found to be significantly more severely injured than conventional bicyclists, the mean injury severity scores (ISS) were 5.2 and 3.4, respectively. E-bikers were admitted to the hospital more often and for longer periods than the control group. There was no significant difference in mortality. Conclusion E-bikers are more severely injured in accidents compared to conventional cyclists. Due to older age and comorbidity they form a sensitive trauma subgroup. Based on demographics, an increase of old age, more frail cyclists and a growing incidence of serious e-bike accidents is to be expected. Preventive measures, such as helmet usage and riding lessons should be introduced, especially in e-bikers. E-bikers in the emergency department should be examined and treated with special care and aggressive diagnostics. A low threshold for an initial interdisciplinary assessment (shock room management) is advised

Elevated CSF and plasma complement proteins in genetic frontotemporal dementia: results from the GENFI study

Neuroinflammation is emerging as an important pathological process in frontotemporal dementia (FTD), but biomarkers are lacking. We aimed to determine the value of complement proteins, which are key components of innate immunity, as biomarkers in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and plasma of presymptomatic and symptomatic genetic FTD mutation carriers.We measured the complement proteins C1q and C3b in CSF by ELISAs in 224 presymptomatic and symptomatic GRN, C9orf72 or MAPT mutation carriers and non-carriers participating in the Genetic Frontotemporal Dementia Initiative (GENFI), a multicentre cohort study. Next, we used multiplex immunoassays to measure a panel of 14 complement proteins in plasma of 431 GENFI participants. We correlated complement protein levels with corresponding clinical and neuroimaging data, neurofilament light chain (NfL) and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP).CSF C1q and C3b, as well as plasma C2 and C3, were elevated in symptomatic mutation carriers compared to presymptomatic carriers and non-carriers. In genetic subgroup analyses, these differences remained statistically significant for C9orf72 mutation carriers. In presymptomatic carriers, several complement proteins correlated negatively with grey matter volume of FTD-related regions and positively with NfL and GFAP. In symptomatic carriers, correlations were additionally observed with disease duration and with Mini Mental State Examination and Clinical Dementia Rating scale® plus NACC Frontotemporal lobar degeneration sum of boxes scores.Elevated levels of CSF C1q and C3b, as well as plasma C2 and C3, demonstrate the presence of complement activation in the symptomatic stage of genetic FTD. Intriguingly, correlations with several disease measures in presymptomatic carriers suggest that complement protein levels might increase before symptom onset. Although the overlap between groups precludes their use as diagnostic markers, further research is needed to determine their potential to monitor dysregulation of the complement system in FTD.© 2022. The Author(s)