Broadening Responsibilities: Consideration Of The Potential To Broaden The Role Of Uniformed Fire Service Employees

What is this report about? This report, commissioned by the National Joint Council for Local Authority Fire and Rescue Services (NJC), aims to identify what impact, if any, firefighters can have on the delivery of emergency medical response and wider community health interventions in the UK. What are the overall conclusions? Appropriately trained and equipped firefighters co-responding1 to targeted, specific time critical medical events, such as cardiac arrest, can improve patient survival rates. The data also indicate that there is support from fire service staff – and a potential need from members of the public, particularly the elderly, isolated or vulnerable – to expand ‘wider work’. This includes winter warmth assessments, Safe and Well checks, community defibrillator training and client referrals when staff believe someone may have dementia, are vulnerable or even, for example, have substance dependencies such as an alcohol addiction. However, there is currently insufficient data to estimate the net benefit of this work

Boojums and the Shapes of Domains in Monolayer Films

Domains in Langmuir monolayers support a texture that is the two-dimensional version of the feature known as a boojum. Such a texture has a quantifiable effect on the shape of the domain with which it is associated. The most noticeable consequence is a cusp-like feature on the domain boundary. We report the results of an experimental and theoretical investigation of the shape of a domain in a Langmuir monolayer. A further aspect of the investigation is the study of the shape of a ``bubble'' of gas-like phase in such a monolayer. This structure supports a texture having the form of an inverse boojum. The distortion of a bubble resulting from this texture is also studied. The correspondence between theory and experiment, while not perfect, indicates that a qualitative understanding of the relationship between textures and domain shapes has been achieved.Comment: replaced with published version, 10 pages, 13 figures include

Diabetic cardiomyopathy

Diabetic cardiomyopathy is a distinct primary disease process, independent of coronary artery disease, which leads to heart failure in diabetic patients. Epidemiological and clinical trial data have confirmed the greater incidence and prevalence of heart failure in diabetes. Novel echocardiographic and MR (magnetic resonance) techniques have enabled a more accurate means of phenotyping diabetic cardiomyopathy. Experimental models of diabetes have provided a range of novel molecular targets for this condition, but none have been substantiated in humans. Similarly, although ultrastructural pathology of the microvessels and cardiomyocytes is well described in animal models, studies in humans are small and limited to light microscopy. With regard to treatment, recent data with thiazoledinediones has generated much controversy in terms of the cardiac safety of both these and other drugs currently in use and under development. Clinical trials are urgently required to establish the efficacy of currently available agents for heart failure, as well as novel therapies in patients specifically with diabetic cardiomyopathy

The development of a noise-exposure profile for the typical high school student

Bibliography : pages 83-88.A 42-item noise survey questionnaire was administered to 426 DeKalb High School (DeKalb, Illinois) students (231 freshmen and 195 juniors) to examine the students' opinions regarding their general exposure to loud sounds, their exposures to specific sources of loud sounds, and their exposures to loud sounds in the work environment. Specific sound sources listed in the questionnaire were: firecrackers, firearms, farm machinery, power tools, snowmobiles, lawn mowers, office machinery, aircraft, motorcycles, automobiles, stereo music (with and without headphones), and live music. The survey also included questions regarding the students' use of any hearing protective devices and their exposures to sources of loud sound other than those mentioned in the questionnaire. The survey data indicated that 95.54 percent of the subjects reported experiencing exposure to loud sounds. In addition, a statistical analysis revealed that the students' opinions regarding their general exposure were not dependent upon their age or sex. Further data analysis revealed four major sources of recurrent (possibly excessive) noise exposure: l) stereo music without headphones; 2) lawn mower noise; 3) motorcycle and automobile noise; and 4) stereo music with headphones. Power tool noise was reported as a source of regular or frequent noise exposure by a moderate number (36.20 percent) of male subjects. The results also suggested apparent differences between sexes and age groups relative to their reported exposures to various sources of loud sound and their reported use of hearing protective devices.M.A. (Master of Arts

Research of folk construction on chosen examples of historical Lemkos' homeland

Jednym z cenniejszych przykładów budownictwa ludowego Karpat są łemkowskie chałupy. Jednobudynkowa zagroda, mieszcząca pod wspólnym dachem zarówno pomieszczenia mieszkalne jak i gospodarcze, stanowi charakterystyczny dla obszaru Łemkowszczyzny typ zabudowy. Plan funkcjonalny łemkowskich chyż ulegał modyfikacjom, rozbudowom i w zależności od regionu, wykształciły się jego lokalne odmiany. Budynki mieszkalno-gospodarcze, ze względu na rozbudowany plan funkcjonalny, osiągały znaczne długości i wysokości. Chałupy na planie wydłużonego prostokąta, kryte wysokim, spadzistym dachem w swojej niezmienionej formie można było spotkać jeszcze w połowie XX wieku. Obecnie wiele z nich zostało mocno przebudowanych i zaadaptowanych do potrzeb współczesnych użytkowników. W pierwszej części artykułu został przedstawiony dotychczasowy stan badań. Omówiono istotne elementy łemkowskich chyż, charakteryzujące ten rodzaj ludowej architektury. Stały się one podstawą do przeprowadzenia analiz budownictwa ludowego na wybranych miejscowościach. Badania i wnioski zostały opisane w drugiej części artykułu.One of the most discernible examples of the Carpathian folk architecture is Lemkos’ cottages. Single building farmhouse, which under the same roof contains both living as well as utility rooms, is characteristic building type for Lemkos’ homeland. The functional plan of the so-called ‘chyże’ was revised, undergoing significant change, and depending on the region, developing its local variety. Residential and commercial buildings, due to the extensive functional plan, were of a significant length and height. Cottages on the elongated rectangle plan, which covered steeply slanting roof in its unchanged form, were still to be seen in the mid-20th century. Nowadays many of them have been extensively rebuilt and adapted to the needs of today's users. In the first part of the article the current state of research has been presented. The essential elements of the Lemkos ‘chyże’, a typical feature of this kind of folk architecture, have been discussed. They have become the basis for carrying out analyses of folk buildings in selected villages. Research and conclusion data have been described in the second part of the article