Examining the role of the occupational safety and health professional in supporting the control of the risks of multiple psychosocial stressors generated during the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract: COVID-19 created challenges at work with increased risks of multiple interrelated psychosocial stressors, surfacing as a comorbidity of COVID-19. The roles of many Occupational Safety and Health Practitioners (OSHPs) included helping to recognise, prevent and mitigate these risks, especially for essential and front-line workers. The rationale for this study was to investigate potential competency gaps amongst OSHPs on their lack of priority or inability to understand the scope of the negative synergistic effects of these stressors and provide support where and when appropriate. Drawing on the International Labour Office (ILO) SOLVE methodology, eight psychosocial stressors were identified and a seminar was developed to raise the awareness of the comorbidity of COVID-19 and psychosocial stressors with the target audience of OSHPs, who would potentially further disseminate this information to a broader workforce. The membership network of the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) was used to implement the intervention through organising Zoom-based seminars globally. Participants were followed-up with during the seminar and through a one-year post-seminar survey to determine retention of the presented material and to what extent it was put to use. An information sheet was designed and made available to participants for further dissemination. The information sheet can be used by all industries at all levels as a tool to raise awareness and to signpost participants on where to seek help if needed. Twenty-five seminars were held with 2483 participants. Feedback revealed that participants grasped the presented concepts as many of the questions raised during and after the session focused on the implementation of the presented measures. We concluded that, given the correct knowledge, OHSPs are an invaluable resource to lead workforce engagement in this area. Due to UK General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR), there were difficulties undertaking the follow-up survey. Those who could be contacted indicated that where they could influence an intervention, there were improvements in the workplace. It is recommended that participant data be controlled by the research team with qualitative data recorded. Further studies are needed to review both competencies and existing job descriptions of OSHPs and the challenges around expanding responsibilities to lead psychosocial interventions at work

Studies on catecholamines and 5-hydroxytryptamine and the significance of their metabolites in animal tissues and body fluids

The papers presented in this thesis describe the development of methods for the estimation of adrenaline, noradrenaline, dopamine, 5-hydroxytryptamine and some of their metabolites and the application of such estimations to some problems of biological interest. The major part of the thesis is concerned with the metabolism of these amines in the mammalian central nervous system. The papers are presented in three groups.The first group is made up of papers in which the estimation of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) or its metabolite 5-hydroxy-indol-3-yl acetic acid (5-HIAA) was measured.1. On the question of the occurrence and metabolism of 5-hydroxy-tryptamine and related indole compounds in mammalian semen. By T. Mann, R. P. Seamark and D. F. Sharman. Br. J. Pharmac. Chemother. 17, 208 - 217, 1961.In this paper it was shown conclusively that the semen of man, bull, boar, ram and dog contains little or no 5-hydroxytryptamine.2. Drug-induced changes in the concentration of 5-0R indolyl compounds in cerebrospinal fluid and caudate nucleus. By G. V. Ashcroft and D. P. Sharman. Br. J. Pharmac. Chemother. 19. 155 - 160, 1962.Because of an earlier observation by Ashcroft and Sharman (Nature, Lond.,186, 1050 - 1051, i960) that the cerebrospinal fluid of depressed patients contained a lower concentration of 5-hydroxyindolyl compounds than normal, the effect of reserpine, a drug known to reduce the concentration of 5-hydroxytryptamine in the brain, on the concentration of such compounds in the cerebrospinal fluid of the dog was examined. It was found that the concentration of 5-hydroxyindolyl compounds in the cerebrospinal fluid was increased after reserpine.3. The effect of a-methyldopa on the metabolism of 5-hydroxy-tryptamine in rat brain. By D. P. Sharman and S. E. Smith. J. Neurochem. 403 - 406, 1962.In this paper, the concentration of 5-HIAA in the brain was used as an index of the rate at which 5-HT was released in this tissue after a-methyldopa, an inhibitor of the formation of 5-HT,was given to rats.4. The action of 2-aminotetralin ({3-tetrahydronaphthylamine) on the metabolism of 5-hydroxytryptamine in the brain of the mouse. By D. Robinson and D. P. Sharman. Br. J. Pharmao. Chemother. 29. 535 - 341, 1967.2-Aminotetralin causes a reduction in the concentration of 5- hydroxyindol-3-ylacetic acid in the brain of the mouse (paper 12). The possible causes of this effect were' examined.The second group consists mainly of papers which describe the development of methods of estimating dopamine and its acid metabolites 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetio acid (DOPAC) and 4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl acetic acid (homovanillic acidj HVA), their application to several problems, chiefly to a study of the rate of utilisation of dopamine in the brain and also the effect of drugs on the metabolism of this amine.5. Chemical and physiological changes produced by arterial infusion of dihydroxyphenylalanine into one cerebral hemisphere of the cat. By R. Dagirmanjian, R. Laverty, P. Mantegazzini, D. P. Sharman and M. Vogt. J. Neurochem. 10, 177 - 182, 1965.The infusion of 3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (DOPA) into one carotid artery of the cat can cause arousal of the brain on the side of the infusion. It was shown that this unilateral arousal is accompanied by an increase in the concentration of dopamine in the caudate nucleus, hypothalamus and midbrain reticular formation on the same side of the brain.6. The subcellular localisation of dopamine and acetylcholine in the dog caudate nucleus. By R. Laverty, I. A. Michaelson, D.P. Sharman and V. P. Whittaker. Br. J. Pharmac. Chemother. 21, 482 - 490, 1963.7. Localisation of acetylcholine, 5-hydroxytryptamine and noradrenaline within subcellular particles derived from guinea-pig subcortical brain tissue. By I. A. Michaelson, V. P. Whittaker, R. Laverty and D. P. Sharman. Biochem. Pharmacol. 12. 1450-1453, 1963.8. A fluorimetric method for the estimation ti 4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenylacetic acid (homovanillic acid) and its identification in brain tissue. By D. F. Sharman. Br. J. Pharinac. Chemother. 20. 204 - 213, 1963.9. The estimation of small quantities of 3,4-dihydroxyphenylethylamine in tissues. By R. Laverty and D. F. Sharman. Br. J. Pharmac. Chemother. 24, 538 - 548, 1965.10. Modification by drugs of the metabolism of 3,4-dihydroxyphenylethylamine, noradrenaline and 5-hydroxytryptamine in the brain. By R. Laverty and D. F. Sharraan. Br. J. Pharmac. Chemother. 24. 759 - 772, 1965.11. The effect of drugs on the homovanillie aoid content of the corpus striatum of some rodents. By A. V. Juorio, D. F. Sharman and T. Trajkov. Br. J. Pharmac. Chemother. 26. 385 - 392, 1966.12. Changes in the metabolism of 3,4-dihydroxyphenylethylamine (dopamine) in the striatum of the mouse induced by drugs. By D. F. Sharman, Br. J. Pharmac. Chemother. 28. 153 - 163, 1966.13. A discussion of the modes of action of drugs which increase the concentration of 4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenylacetic acid (homovanillic acid) in the striatum of the mouse. By D. P. Sharman. Br. J. Pharmac. Chemother. 30, 620 - 626, 1967.14. Homovanillic acid and dihydroxyphenylacetic acid in the striatum of monkeys with brain lesions. By D. P. Sharman, L. J. Poirier, G. P. Murphy and T. L. Sourkes. Can. J. Physiol. Pharmacol. 49. 57 - 62, 1967.15. Release by tubocurarine of dopamine and homovanillic acid from the superfused caudate nucleus. By P. J. Portig, D. P. Sharman and Marthe Vogt. J. Physiol. Lond. 194. 565 - 572, 1968.16. The effect of tropolone on the formation of 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid and 4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenylacetic acid in the brain of the mouse. By G. P. Murphy, D. Robinson and D. P. Sharman. Br. J. Pharmac. Chemother. j>6, 107 - 115, 1969.17. Turnover of amines using probenecid to block the egress of metabolites. By D. P. Sharman. Metabolism of brain amines. Edited by G. Hooper, Macmillan, London, pp. 34 - 37, 1969.These papers form the main part of the thesis and attempt to relate the concentration of HVA in the central nervous system to the rate at which dopamine is utilised in this tissue. The locus of the metabolism of dopamine in the central nervous system is discussed.The papers in the third group are concerned with noradrenaline or its glycol metabolites.18. Noradrenaline content in the heart and spleen of the mouse tinder normal conditions and after administration of some drugs. By D. P. Sharman, S. Vanov and Marthe Vogt. Br. J. Pharmac. Chemother. 11, 527 - 533, 1962.This study was made to investigate a report of what appeared to he unusual behaviour of the tissue catecholamines in the mouse. The method used to estimate the noradrenaline was designed to incorporate as many controls as was possible to ensure that correct estimates were obtained. The earlier report could not be confirmed.19. Iontophoretic release of adrenaline noradrenaline and 5-hydroxytryptamine from raicropipettes. By K. Krnjevic, R. Laverty and D. P. Sharman. Br. J. Pharmac. Chemother. 20, 491 - 496, 1963.Fluorimetric methods were used to measure the relation between the release of these amines and the electrical charge applied to micropipettes used for the iontophoretic application of drugs to single neurones.20. The action of 2,4,5-trihydroxyphenylethylamine on the storage and release of noradrenaline. By R. Laverty, D. P. Sharman and Marthe Vogt. Br. J. Pharmac. Chemother. 24, 549 - 560, 1965.2,4,5-Trihydroxyphenylethylamine causes a rapid and long lasting depletion of noradrenaline from the mouse heart. A new method was developed for the estimation of the former amine and was used to show that it did not persist in the tissue or was tightly bound in the tissue.21. The noradrenaline content of the caudate nucleus of the rabbit. By D. P. Sharman and Marthe Vogt. J. Neurochem. 12. 62, 1965.This short paper illustrates a frequently reported erroneous result when a commonly used fluorimetric method for the estimation of nor-adrenaline is applied to those brain tissues which contain very little of this amine.22. Gas chromatographic evidence for the presence of glycol metabolites of catecholamines in brain tissue. By B. F. Sharman. J. Physiol. Lond. 200. 35 - 35P, 1969.23. Glycol metabolites of noradrenaline in brain tissue. By D. P. Sharman. Accepted for publication by Br. J. Pharmac. Chemother. 1969.The application of gas liquid chromatography and electron capture detection to the estimation of glycol metabolites of noradrenaline in the brain is described. The possibility of using a similar technique for the estimation of noradrenaline and normetanephrine is discussed.These two papers describe the estimation of noradrenaline, dopamine, 5-hydroxytryptamine and acetylcholine in particles obtained by sub-cellular fractionation of brain tissues. The first shows that dopamine is associated with a particle that is similar to,but distinguish¬ able from, that with which acetylcholine is associated. The second paper demonstrates that the storage sites within subcellular particles for acetylcholine and those for noradrenaline and 5-hydroxytryptamine are different

Generalized information entropies depending only on the probability distribution

Systems with a long-term stationary state that possess as a spatio-temporally fluctuation quantity $\beta$ can be described by a superposition of several statistics, a "super statistics". We consider first, the Gamma, log-normal and $F$-distributions of $\beta$. It is assumed that they depend only on $p_l$, the probability associated with the microscopic configuration of the system. For each of the three $\beta-$distributions we calculate the Boltzmann factors and show that they coincide for small variance of the fluctuations. For the Gamma distribution it is possible to calculate the entropy in a closed form, depending on $p_l$, and to obtain then an equation relating $p_l$ with $\beta E_l$. We also propose, as other examples, new entropies close related with the Kaniadakis and two possible Sharma-Mittal entropies. The entropies presented in this work do not depend on a constant parameter $q$ but on $p_l$. For the $p_l$-Gamma distribution and its corresponding $B_{p_l}(E)$ Boltzmann factor and the associated entropy, we show the validity of the saddle-point approximation. We also briefly discuss the generalization of one of the four Khinchin axioms to get this proposed entropy.Comment: 13 pages, 3 figure

Psychosocial Interventions in the Management of Severe Adolescent Obesity

Purpose: Psychosocial Interventions (PSI) are commonly utilised in mental health management, and to our knowledge, have not been explicitly used in weight management. PSI are characterised by three distinct phases: 1) an initial in-depth assessment; 2) an intensive group intervention to stabilise the condition (in this instance weight gain); and 3) an intensive group maintenance programme. PSI focus on the psychosocial elements of obesity, including: stress management, body dysmorphia and self-esteem. As such, the PSI approach is more holistic than traditional weight management approaches. This paper evaluated the outcomes of a PSI when delivered under service level conditions. Methods: SHINE (Self-Help, Independence, Nutrition, and Exercise) is a community-based weight management programme that implements a PSI approach. The programme is located in Sheffield, UK. Adolescents (n = 393) with severe obesity signed onto the programme between 2011 and 2013. The programme spans 12-15 months and participants attend three phases of the PSI. Phase One is undertaken before the programme, Phase Two is a 12-week intervention and Phase Three is split into three 12-week maintenance interventions. Anthropometric measurements (BMI and WC) were collected at baseline, 3-, 6-, 9- and 12-months. Psychosocial measures (self-esteem, anxiety and depression) were collected at baseline and 3-months. Participant retention was also assessed. Results: 304 participants started the programme and 289 were retained at 3 months. At 3 months BMI z-score reduced by 0.21 (95% CI: 0.19, 0.24) and WC by 7.8cm (95% CI: 7.2, 8.5). Almost 25% of participants reduced their BMI classification (e.g. severely obese to obese). Anxiety and self-esteem improved by 63% and 50% respectively. 89 participants continued to attend the programme after 12 months, obtaining a BMI z-score reduction of 0.46 (95% CI: 0.35, 0.58) and a WC reduction of 10.5cm (95% CI: 7.8, 13.1). Conclusions: Obesity is a highly complex condition to manage and requires intensive and prolonged support to produce meaningful and lasting behavioural and anthropometric changes. The SHINE PSI approach has shown promise and demonstrated encouraging results - suggesting that it may be beneficial for interventions to consider wider determinants of health and wellbeing beyond simply diet and physical activity

Perturbations of the Richardson number field by gravity waves

An analytic solution is presented for a stratified fluid of arbitrary constant Richardson number. By computer aided analysis the perturbation fields, including that of the Richardson number can be calculated. The results of the linear analytic model were compared with nonlinear simulations, leading to the following conclusions: (1) the perturbations in the Richardson number field, when small, are produced primarily by the perturbations of the shear; (2) perturbations of in the Richardson number field, even when small, are not symmetric, the increase being significantly larger than the decrease (the linear analytic solution and the nonlinear simulations both confirm this result); (3) as the perturbations grow, this asymmetry increases, but more so in the nonlinear simulations than in the linear analysis; (4) for large perturbations of the shear flow, the static stability, as represented by N2, is the dominating mechanism, becoming zero or negative, and producing convective overturning; and (5) the convectional measure of linearity in lee wave theory, NH/U, is no longer the critical parameter (it is suggested that (H/u sub 0) (du sub 0/dz) takes on this role in a shearing flow)

Natural host range, thrips and seed transmission of distinct Tobacco streak virus strains in Queensland, Australia

Diseases caused by Tobacco streak virus (TSV) have resulted in significant crop losses in sunflower and mung bean crops in Australia. Two genetically distinct strains from central Queensland, TSV-parthenium and TSV-crownbeard, have been previously described. They share only 81% total-genome nucleotide sequence identity and have distinct major alternative hosts, Parthenium hysterophorus (parthenium) and Verbesina encelioides (crownbeard). We developed and used strain-specific multiplex Polymerase chain reactions (PCRs) for the three RNA segments of TSV-parthenium and TSV-crownbeard to accurately characterise the strains naturally infecting 41 hosts species. Hosts included species from 11 plant families, including 12 species endemic to Australia. Results from field surveys and inoculation tests indicate that parthenium is a poor host of TSV-crownbeard. By contrast, crownbeard was both a natural host of, and experimentally infected by TSV-parthenium but this infection combination resulted in non-viable seed. These differences appear to be an effective biological barrier that largely restricts these two TSV strains to their respective major alternative hosts. TSV-crownbeard was seed transmitted from naturally infected crownbeard at a rate of between 5% and 50% and was closely associated with the geographical distribution of crownbeard in central Queensland. TSV-parthenium and TSV-crownbeard were also seed transmitted in experimentally infected ageratum (Ageratum houstonianum) at rates of up to 40% and 27%, respectively. The related subgroup 1 ilarvirus, Ageratum latent virus, was also seed transmitted at a rate of 18% in ageratum which is its major alternative host. Thrips species Frankliniella schultzei and Microcephalothrips abdominalis were commonly found in flowers of TSV-affected crops and nearby weed hosts. Both species readily transmitted TSV-parthenium and TSV-crownbeard. The results are discussed in terms of how two genetically and biologically distinct TSV strains have similar life cycle strategies in the same environment

IUPHAR-DB: An Expert-Curated, Peer-Reviewed Database of Receptors and Ion Channels

The International Union of Basic and Clinical Pharmacology database (IUPHAR-DB) integrates peer-reviewed pharmacological, chemical, genetic, functional and anatomical information on the 354 non-sensory G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), 71 ligand-gated ion channel subunits and 141 voltage-gated ion channel subunits encoded by the human, rat and mouse genomes. These genes represent the targets of about a third of currently approved drugs and are a major focus of drug discovery and development programs in the pharmaceutical industry. Individual gene pages provide a comprehensive description of the genes and their functions, with information on protein structure, ligands, expression patterns, signaling mechanisms, functional assays and biologically important receptor variants (e.g. single nucleotide polymorphisms and splice variants). The phenotypes resulting from altered gene expression (e.g. in genetically altered animals) and genetic mutations are described. Links are provided to bioinformatics resources such as NCBI RefSeq, OMIM, PubChem, human, rat and mouse genome databases. Recent developments include the addition of ligand-centered pages summarising information about unique ligand molecules in IUPHAR-DB. IUPHAR-DB represents a novel approach to biocuration because most data are provided through manual curation of published literature by a network of over 60 expert subcommittees coordinated by NC-IUPHAR. Data are referenced to the primary literature and linked to PubMed. The data are checked to ensure accuracy and consistency by the curators, added to the production server using custom-built submission tools and peer-reviewed by NC-IUPHAR, before being transferred to the public database. Data are reviewed and updated regularly (at least biennially). Other website features include comprehensive database search tools, online and downloadable gene lists and links to recent publications of interest to the field, such as reports on receptor-ligand pairings. The database is freely available at "http://www.iuphar-db.org":http://www.iuphar-db.org. Curators can be reached at curators [at] iuphar-db.org. We thank British Pharmacological Society, UNESCO (through the ICSU Grants Programme), Incyte, GlaxoSmithKline, Novartis, Servier and Wyeth for their support

Lee waves: Benign and malignant

The flow of an incompressible fluid over an obstacle will produce an oscillation in which buoyancy is the restoring force, called a gravity wave. For disturbances of this scale, the atmosphere may be treated as dynamically incompressible, even though there exists a mean static upward density gradient. Even in the linear approximation - i.e., for small disturbances - this model explains a great many of the flow phenomena observed in the lee of mountains. However, nonlinearities do arise importantly, in three ways: (1) through amplification due to the decrease of mean density with height; (2) through the large (scaled) size of the obstacle, such as a mountain range; and (3) from dynamically singular levels in the fluid field. These effects produce a complicated array of phenomena - large departure of the streamlines from their equilibrium levels, high winds, generation of small scales, turbulence, etc. - that present hazards to aircraft and to lee surface areas. The nonlinear disturbances also interact with the larger-scale flow in such a manner as to impact global weather forecasts and the climatological momentum balance. If there is no dynamic barrier, these waves can penetrate vertically into the middle atmosphere (30-100 km), where recent observations show them to be of a length scale that must involve the coriolis force in any modeling. At these altitudes, the amplitude of the waves is very large, and the phenomena associated with these wave dynamics are being studied with a view to their potential impact on high performance aircraft, including the projected National Aerospace Plane (NASP). The presentation shows the results of analysis and of state-of-the-art numerical simulations, validated where possible by observational data, and illustrated with photographs from nature

Field evaluation of tolerance to Tobacco streak virus in sunflower germplasm, and observations of seasonal disease spread

Strong statistical evidence was found for differences in tolerance to natural infections of Tobacco streak virus (TSV) in sunflower hybrids. Data from 470 plots involving 23 different sunflower hybrids tested in multiple trials over 5 years in Australia were analysed. Using a Bayesian Hierarchical Logistic Regression model for analysis provided: (i) a rigorous method for investigating the relative effects of hybrid, seasonal rainfall and proximity to inoculum source on the incidence of severe TSV disease; (ii) a natural method for estimating the probability distributions of disease incidence in different hybrids under historical rainfall conditions; and (iii) a method for undertaking all pairwise comparisons of disease incidence between hybrids whilst controlling the familywise error rate without any drastic reduction in statistical power. The tolerance identified in field trials was effective against the main TSV strain associated with disease outbreaks, TSV-parthenium. Glasshouse tests indicate this tolerance to also be effective against the other TSV strain found in central Queensland, TSV-crownbeard. The use of tolerant germplasm is critical to minimise the risk of TSV epidemics in sunflower in this region. We found strong statistical evidence that rainfall during the early growing months of March and April had a negative effect on the incidence of severe infection with greatly reduced disease incidence in years that had high rainfall during this period

Cost-Effectiveness Analysis of the Use of Point-of-Care C-Reactive Protein Testing to Reduce Antibiotic Prescribing in Primary Care

More appropriate and measured use of antibiotics may be achieved using point-of-care (POC) C-reactive protein (CRP) testing, but there is limited evidence of cost-effectiveness in routine practice. A decision analytic model was developed to estimate the cost-effectiveness of testing, compared with standard care, in adults presenting in primary care with symptoms of acute respiratory tract infection (ARTI). Analyses considered (1) pragmatic use of testing, reflective of routine clinical practice, and (2) testing according to clinical guidelines. Threshold and scenario analysis were performed to identify cost-effective scenarios. In patients with symptoms of ARTI and based on routine practice, the incremental cost-effectiveness ratios of CRP testing were £19,705 per quality-adjusted-life-year (QALY) gained and £16.07 per antibiotic prescription avoided. Following clinical guideline, CRP testing in patients with lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs) cost £4390 per QALY gained and £9.31 per antibiotic prescription avoided. At a threshold of £20,000 per QALY, the probabilities of POC CRP testing being cost-effective were 0.49 (ARTI) and 0.84 (LRTI). POC CRP testing as implemented in routine practice is appreciably less cost-effective than when adhering to clinical guidelines. The implications for antibiotic resistance and Clostridium difficile infection warrant further investigation