Effects of shadowing and supervised on-the-job inductions on mental health nurses

Supervised on-the-job inductions or inductions through shadowing can help new nurses gain realistic information about the job role, the organization and procedures within it. This study investigated whether the induction of new mental health nurses is a key predictor of job performance, attitudes towards the organization and work-related stress. Data from 5337 mental health nurses who took part in the NHS Staff Survey of 2011 were analysed. Results showed that the more the work-related stress, the worse the nurses’ job performance, and the less positive the attitude towards the organization; in addition, the better the job performance, the more positive the attitude towards the organization. Multivariate analysis of variance showed significant multivariate and between-group main effects of each induction method (supervised on-the-job inductions and inductions via shadowing). In both cases, inducted nurses rated the organization more positively, had lower work-related stress and better job performance than non-inducted nurses. There were no significant interactions between the two induction methods, showing that their impact is orthogonal. Inductions help mental health nurses gain realistic views of the job, and this benefits the quality of their work, their attitudes towards the organization and experiences of stress. Lay summary 1. Inductions help mental health nurses gain realistic information about how to do the job, as well as helping them learn about the organization. 2. There are different induction methods; this study focused on investigating the impact of supervised on-the-job training, and also inductions which use job shadowing methods. 3. The results showed that the higher the nurse’s work-related stress, the worse their job performance and the less positive the nurse’s attitude towards the organization. 4. Inducted nurses rate the organization more positively, experience lower levels of work-related stress and present better job performance than non-inducted nurses. This applies to both induction methods

Reduction of Vibration Transmission in String Trimmers

It has been well documented that over long periods of time, people who regularly operate hand tools powered by small internal-combustion engines can become affected by a debilitating set of clinically irreversible effects, collectively referred to as hand-arm vibration syndrome (HAVS). Although HAVS cannot be cured, the onset of the disorder can be delayed or, in fact, prevented, by restricting either the duration of the exposure, and/or the magnitude of the vibration transmitted from the tool to an operator\u27s hands and arms (per ANSI and similar standards). In this paper, we’ve evaluated an approach for reducing the magnitude of transmitted vibration at the engine-side grip of one commercial- and one consumer-grade string trimmer. The ultimate goal of this work is to develop a set of simple, passive retrofits for these tools that will reduce the likelihood of HAVS in full-time grounds-maintenance workers. The idea for this work stems from a stated need of Goodwill Industries of San Antonio, our NPA (non-profit agency) collaborator over the past several years. Based on this preliminary work, we’ve found that grips incorporating half-inch rubber studs placed at areal densities of either 25/in2 or 12/in2 significantly reduce the RMS vibration transmitted to the hand and arm at all frequencies (including the low frequency components known to be most harmful)

Alternative String-Trimmer Starting Device

A mechanical string trimmer starter is designed in collaboration with Goodwill Industries of San Antonio, so that Goodwill can employ people with limited hand-arm dexterity who would otherwise be turned away from a string trimming (landscaping) job. The power spring based mechanical string trimmer started design includes a 6.58 x 7.08 x 7.92 aluminum box that is attachable to the rear surface of the string trimmer via a custom made aluminum attachment. The design comprises of three subsystems – the energy input, energy storage, and the energy release subsystems. The device allows the operator to compress a plunger (rack) repeatedly to store the energy in a power spring and release the accumulated energy using a ratchet mechanism. The overall design, weighing 16 lbm, requires 30-40 complete plunge compression cycles, with the force required to press the rack increasing successively as the spring charges. The maximum force of 30 lbf is required to push the plunger during the final plunge cycle. The design provides a torque of over 100 in-lbf and angular frequency of 3 total to the engine\u27s crankshaft, sufficient to start a cold engine based on the tests performed on the Shindaiwa T272 trimmer

A Possible Approach to Site-Specific Insertion of Two Different Unnatural Amino Acids into Proteins in Mammalian Cells via Nonsense Suppression

AbstractThe site-specific insertion of an unnatural amino acid into proteins in vivo via nonsense suppression has resulted in major advances in recent years. The ability to incorporate two different unnatural amino acids in vivo would greatly increase the scope and impact of unnatural amino acid mutagenesis. Here, we show the concomitant suppression of an amber and an ochre codon in a single mRNA in mammalian cells by importing a mixture of aminoacylated amber and ochre suppressor tRNAs. This result provides a possible approach to site-specific insertion of two different unnatural amino acids into any protein of interest in mammalian cells. To our knowledge, this result also represents the only demonstration of concomitant suppression of two different termination codons in a single gene in vivo

Oral lesions and immune status of HIV infected adults from eastern Nepal

Objective: To document the prevalence, age and gender distribution of oral lesions in HIV infected adults and the influence of highly active antiretroviral therapy and correlate them to the immune status of the patients. Materials and Methods: Oral lesions were diagnosed by a detailed physical examination by trained and calibrated examiners according to the case definitions established by the Oral HIV/AIDS research alliance. Demographic details, risk behavior patterns and oral symptoms and habits were collected by a questionnaire. Results: 81 patients; 54 men and 27 women aged between 20 ' 55 years participated in the study. A total of 49 patients; 60.5% had some oral lesion when examined. Oral candidiasis (21 %) and oral melanosis (21%) were the most common lesions, followed by linear gingival erythema, oral hairy leukoplakia, necrotizing ulcerative periodontitis/ gingivitis, herpes labialis, parotid gland enlargement and reccurent apthous ulcers. Oral hairy leukoplakia was exclusively seen in men (p=0.018). All six cases of herpes simplex lesion were seen in non - anti retro viral group (p=0.073) while oral candidiasis was commonly noted in the anti retro viral group (p=0.073). Lowering CD4 counts had the strongest association with the prevalence of oral candidasis (p=0.012), pseudomembranous candidiasis (p=0.014) and oral hairy leukoplakia (p= 0.065). Conclusion: This study shows a high prevalence of oral candidiasis, melanosis, linear gingival erythema and oral hairy leukoplakia in the patients

Translation initiation from the ribosomal A site or the P site, dependent on the conformation of RNA pseudoknot I in dicistrovirus RNAs

available in PMC 2010 July 31.Translation initiation of the second ORF of insect dicistrovirus RNA depends on an internal ribosomal entry site (IRES) in its intergenic region (IGR) and is exceptional in using a codon other than AUG and in not using the canonical initiator methionine tRNA. Studies in vitro suggest that pseudoknot I (PKI) immediately preceding the initiation codon occupies the ribosomal P site and that an elongator tRNA initiates translation from the ribosomal A site. Using dicistronic reporters carrying mutations in the initiation codon of the second ORF and mutant elongator or initiator tRNAs capable of reading these codons, we provide direct evidence for initiation from the A site in mammalian cells and, under certain conditions, also from the P site. Initiation from the A but not the P site requires PKI. Thus, PKI structure may be dynamic, and optimal IGR IRES-mediated translation of dicistroviral RNAs may require trans-acting factors to stabilize PKI.National Institutes of Health (U.S.) (grant GM17151)Japan. Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (Grants-In-Aid for Scientific Research on Priority Areas

Impaired protein translation in Drosophila models for Charcot–Marie–Tooth neuropathy caused by mutant tRNA synthetases

Dominant mutations in five tRNA synthetases cause Charcot–Marie–Tooth (CMT) neuropathy, suggesting that altered aminoacylation function underlies the disease. However, previous studies showed that loss of aminoacylation activity is not required to cause CMT. Here we present a Drosophila model for CMT with mutations in glycyl-tRNA synthetase (GARS). Expression of three CMT-mutant GARS proteins induces defects in motor performance and motor and sensory neuron morphology, and shortens lifespan. Mutant GARS proteins display normal subcellular localization but markedly reduce global protein synthesis in motor and sensory neurons, or when ubiquitously expressed in adults, as revealed by FUNCAT and BONCAT. Translational slowdown is not attributable to altered tRNA[superscript Gly] aminoacylation, and cannot be rescued by Drosophila Gars overexpression, indicating a gain-of-toxic-function mechanism. Expression of CMT-mutant tyrosyl-tRNA synthetase also impairs translation, suggesting a common pathogenic mechanism. Finally, genetic reduction of translation is sufficient to induce CMT-like phenotypes, indicating a causal contribution of translational slowdown to CMT.National Institutes of Health (U.S.) (Grant GM17151