Suicide and other Violent Death Cases in Norwegian Peacekeeping Forces

U populaciji bivših norveških jedinica u sklopu UN-a koje su služile u UNIFIL-u (United Nations Interim Forces in Lebanon = Privremene snage UN-a u Libanonu) u razdoblju 1978.-1991. utvrđen je 43 postotni porast smrtnosti zbog samoubojstva i 28 postotni porast smrtnosti zbog drugih načina nasilne smrti. Ovi su nalazi pridonijeli razvoju strategija za sprečavanje samoubojstva u norveškim jedinicama pri UN-u. Strategije sprečavanja samoubojstva u norveškim jedinicama pri UN-u prije misije usmjerene su na samopomoć, pomoć drugovima i odgovornost vođa. Na ratištu u središtu su pažnje krizne intervencije. Po završetku misije, identificirane su grupe visokog rizika u svrhu postupaka sustavnog praćenja. Sadašnji planovi za poboljšanje postojeće strategije sprečavanja samoubojstva usmjereni su na razvoj postupaka individualnog snimanja prilagođenijih muškoj simptomatologiji, a sadašnje istraživanje usmjereno je na ispitivanje počinjenih samoubojstava i drugih načina nasilne smrti norveških veterana UN-a.In a population of former Norwegian UN personnel serving in UNIFIL (United Nations Interim Forces in Lebanon) in the period 1978-1991, was found a 43% increased mortality of suicide and a 28% increase in the mortality of other violent death. These findings have contributed to the development of suicide prevention strategies targeting Norwegian UN personnel. Suicide prevention strategies in the Norwegian UN forces before the mission focus on self-help, buddy aid and leader responsibilities. In theatre focus is put on crisis interventions. After completing the mission, high risk groups are identified for systematic follow-up procedures. Current plans for improvement of the existing suicide prevention strategy focus on development of individual screening procedures better adapted to male symptomatology, and current research targets investigations of committed suicides and other violent deaths amongst Norwegian UN veterans

Neonatal cerebral function monitoring – understanding the amplitude integrated EEG

Amplitude integrated electroencephalography (aEEG) is produced by cerebral function monitors (CFM), and is increasingly used in neonates following research into hypothermia for hypoxic ischaemic encephalopathy in term infants. Formal training packages in aEEG in term infants are limited. aEEG is used less often in clinical practice in preterm infants, and requires an understanding of the normal changes seen with increasing gestational age. A number of classifications for aEEG interpretation exist; some purely for term neonates born, and others encompassing both preterm and term neonates. This article reviews the basics of aEEG, its indications and limitations. We also discuss its role in prognostication in term and preterm infants

Hematology and serum biochemistry values of free-ranging Iberian wolves (Canis lupus) trapped by leg-hold snares

Hematology and serum biochemistry are important tools in assessing the health and physiological status of wildlife populations. Nevertheless, studies on free-ranging wolves (Canis lupus) are scarce, and no reference values are available neither for Iberian wolves nor for wolves captured with leghold snares. We report 37 hematology and serum biochemistry variables obtained from 26 free-ranging Iberian wolves captured with leg-hold snares between 2007 and 2014, including variables previously not reported in the literature. The values obtained are similar to the published reference intervals for Scandinavian wolves captured by darting from a helicopter, except for higher values for mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC), red blood cell distribution width (RDW), leukocyte count, creatinine kinase (CK), ?-globulins, and total bilirubin (TBIL) and lower values for alkaline phosphatase (ALP). We propose that differences in leukocyte count, CK, and TBIL are related to the method of capture, while differences in RDW, MCHC, ALP, and ?-globulins could reflect physiological adaptations to environmental conditions, sampling, or pre-analytical artifacts. Lymphocyte count was lower and neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio was significantly higher in older, reproductive females, while ALP and phosphorus were higher in juvenile wolves. For the first time, we describe hematology and serum biochemistry values of free-ranging Iberian wolves captured with leg-hold snares. The data reported here is the first published reference for wolves captured with similar methods and for monitoring Iberian wolves populations’ physiological and health status.We thank Nuria Fandos and Carla Ferreira, rangers from Xunta de Galicia and Parque Nacional de los Picos de Europa, and volunteers who helped during the trapping sessions. The wolves were captured under projects financed by Associacao de Conservacao do Habitat do Lobo Iberico (ACHLI) in Portugal and by Picos de Europa National Park, Ministerio de Agricultura, Alimentacion y Medio Ambiente, and Xunta de Galicia in Spain. Sara Roque benefited from grant SFRH/BD/12291/2003 from Fundacao para a Ciencia e a Tecnologia. Jose V. Lopez-Bao was supported by a postdoctoral contract from the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness. This is the paper no. 5 from the Iberian Wolf Research Team