In an article in the Quarterly Journal of Economics, Jacob Goldin of Stanford Law School and Ithai Lurie and Janet McCubbin of the US Department of the Treasury's Office of Tax Analysis used evidence ...from a randomized outreach study conducted by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to estimate a causal relationship between health insurance coverage and mortality outcomes. The authors found that for middle aged adults, each additional month of coverage induced by the intervention was associated with a 0.18 percentage point reduction in mortality risk over the two-year time span. They caution that this estimate, while statistically significant, is imprecisely estimated--meaning there's a good chance the actual effect could be much larger or smaller.
QUOKKA is a 40 m pinhole small‐angle neutron scattering instrument in routine user operation at the OPAL research reactor at the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation. Operating with ...a neutron velocity selector enabling variable wavelength, QUOKKA has an adjustable collimation system providing source–sample distances of up to 20 m. Following the large‐area sample position, a two‐dimensional 1 m2 position‐sensitive detector measures neutrons scattered from the sample over a secondary flight path of up to 20 m. Also offering incident beam polarization and analysis capability as well as lens focusing optics, QUOKKA has been designed as a general purpose SANS instrument to conduct research across a broad range of scientific disciplines, from structural biology to magnetism. As it has recently generated its first 100 publications through serving the needs of the domestic and international user communities, it is timely to detail a description of its as‐built design, performance and operation as well as its scientific highlights. Scientific examples presented here reflect the Australian context, as do the industrial applications, many combined with innovative and unique sample environments.
The design, performance, operation and scientific highlights from the QUOKKA SANS instrument at the OPAL Research Reactor, Australia, are described.
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•SARS-CoV-2 variant of concern B.1.1.7, with increased transmissibility, was identified in the UK in October 2020.•We report our observations of B.1.1.7 in patients admitted to University Hospitals ...Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust (UHB), one of the largest tertiary referral centres in the UK.•B1.1.7 was observed to affect patients of younger age, led to increased admission to critical care with longer stay but the association wasn't statistically significant.•Significantly more patients presented with a cough (odds ratio of 2.19; p = 0.0443) Increased coughing could be associated with increased transmissibility and nosocomial infections.•Importantly, UHB have seen more outbreaks within the acute setting in January 2021 when the new variant became the dominant strain.•Real time whole genome sequencing will be useful to rapidly identify new variants within the hospital setting to facilitate appropriate patient management.
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•There remains uncertainty surrounding reinfection with SARS-CoV-2.•The ‘second wave’ of transmission in the UK offered an opportunity to examine this.•We observed reinfections in our patients, whole ...genome sequencing implied variants not previously identified in wave 1 were responsible for these recent infections.•Further studies are required to define the true impact of reinfections.•Real time whole genome sequencing will be useful to rapidly identify new variants within the hospital setting to facilitate appropriate management of patients.
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Purpose
The “Germanwings” air crash in 2015 in which 150 people were killed highlighted the challenges pilots working in the aviation industry face. Pilots regularly work for extensive periods in ...inhospitable and high-pressure operational conditions, exposing them to considerable work-related stress. This has raised calls for a more systemic cultural change across the aviation industry, championing a more holistic perspective of pilot health and well-being. The study aims to explore how peer coaching (PC) can promote an inclusive psychosocial safety climate enhancing pilot well-being and can mitigate hazardous attitudes and dysfunctional behaviours.
Design/methodology/approach
Adopting an interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA), semi-structured interviews and questionnaires were conducted with military and civilian peer coach/coachee pilots and key industry stakeholders, totalling 39 participants. The research provided significant insights into the perceived value of PC in promoting both pilot health and mental well-being (MW) and flight safety across the aviation industry.
Findings
The study highlights four key PC superordinate themes, namely, coaching skills, significance of well-being, building of peer relationships and importance of confidentiality and autonomy. Such combined themes build reciprocal trust within peer conversations that can inspire engagement and effectively promote personal well-being. The contagious effect of such local interventions can help stimulate systemic cultural change and promote a positive psychosocial safety climate throughout an organisation and, in this case, across the aviation industry. This study provides a PC conceptual framework “Mutuality Equality Goals Autonomy Non-evaluative feedback, Skill Confidentiality Voluntary Supervisory (MEGANS CVS),” highlighting the salient features of PC in promoting MW.
Research limitations/implications
The study highlights the salient features of PC and its role in promoting peer conversations that enable personal transition, openness and acceptance. This study also highlights how PC and well-being can be used to encourage inclusivity and engagement, thereby strengthening institutional resilience.
Practical implications
This study highlights how PC that can assist HRM/HRD professionals to embed a more inclusive and salutogenic approach to MW that can reshape organisational cultures. This study highlights the significance and link of workplace stress to hazardous attitudes and dysfunctional behaviours. It further notes that whilst the MEGANS CVS peer coaching framework has been applied to pilots, it can also be applied across all sectors and levels.
Social implications
This study highlights the value of PC as an inexpensive means to engage at the grassroots level, which not only improves personal performance, safety and well-being but by building peer relationships can also act as a catalyst for positive and deep organisational cultural change.
Originality/value
This study offers the MEGANS CVS framework that exposes insights into PC practice that can assist HRM/HRD professionals embed a more inclusive and salutogenic approach to health and well-being that can reshape organisational cultures. This study highlights the significance and link of workplace stress to hazardous attitudes and dysfunctional behaviours, and whilst this framework has been applied to pilots, it can also have relevance across all sectors and levels. This study calls for a “salutogenic turn,” employing MW and PC to transform organisational capabilities to be more forward-thinking and solution-focused, promoting an inclusive “just culture” where leaders positively lead their people.
Objectives The use of triclosan within various environments has been linked to the development of multiple drug resistance (MDR) through the increased expression of efflux pumps such as AcrAB–TolC. ...In this work, we investigate the effect of triclosan exposure in order to ascertain the response of two species to the presence of this widely used biocide. Methods The transcriptomes of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium SL1344 and Escherichia coli K-12 MG1655 after exposure to the MIC of triclosan (0.12 mg/L) were determined in microarray experiments. Phenotypic validation of the transcriptomic data included RT–PCR, ability to form a biofilm and motility assays. Results Despite important differences in the triclosan-dependent transcriptomes of the two species, increased expression of efflux pump component genes was seen in both. Increased expression of soxS was observed in Salmonella Typhimurium, however, within E. coli, decreased expression was seen. Expression of fabBAGI in Salmonella Typhimurium was decreased, whereas in E. coli expression of fabABFH was increased. Increased expression of ompR and genes within this regulon (e.g. ompC, csgD and ssrA) was seen in the transcriptome of Salmonella Typhimurium. An unexpected response of E. coli was the differential expression of genes within operons involved in iron homeostasis; these included fhu, fep and ent. Conclusions These data indicate that whilst a core response to triclosan exposure exists, the differential transcriptome of each species was different. This suggests that E. coli K-12 should not be considered the paradigm for the Enterobacteriaceae when exploring the effects of antimicrobial agents.
CONTEXT A subset (≈ 3%-5%) of patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) develops severe liver disease with portal hypertension. OBJECTIVE To assess whether any of 9 polymorphisms in 5 candidate genes ...(α1-antitrypsin or α1-antiprotease SERPINA1, angiotensin-converting enzyme ACE, glutathione S-transferase GSTP1, mannose-binding lectin 2 MBL2, and transforming growth factor β1 TGFB1) are associated with severe liver disease in patients with CF. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS Two-stage case-control study enrolling patients with CF and severe liver disease with portal hypertension (CFLD) from 63 CF centers in the United States as well as 32 in Canada and 18 outside of North America, with the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill as the coordinating site. In the initial study, 124 patients with CFLD (enrolled January 1999-December 2004) and 843 control patients without CFLD were studied by genotyping 9 polymorphisms in 5 genes previously studied as modifiers of liver disease in CF. In the second stage, the SERPINA1 Z allele and TGFB1 codon 10 genotype were tested in an additional 136 patients with CFLD (enrolled January 2005-February 2007) and 1088 with no CFLD. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Differences in distribution of genotypes in patients with CFLD vs patients without CFLD. RESULTS The initial study showed CFLD to be associated with the SERPINA1 Z allele (odds ratio OR, 4.72; 95% confidence interval CI, 2.31-9.61; P = 3.3 × 10−6) and with TGFB1 codon 10 CC genotype (OR, 1.53; 95% CI, 1.16-2.03; P = 2.8 × 10−3). In the replication study, CFLD was associated with the SERPINA1 Z allele (OR, 3.42; 95% CI, 1.54-7.59; P = 1.4 × 10−3) but not with TGFB1 codon 10. A combined analysis of the initial and replication studies by logistic regression showed CFLD to be associated with SERPINA1 Z allele (OR, 5.04; 95% CI, 2.88-8.83; P = 1.5 × 10−8). CONCLUSIONS The SERPINA1 Z allele is a risk factor for liver disease in CF. Patients who carry the Z allele are at greater risk (OR, ≈ 5) of developing severe liver disease with portal hypertension.
In the year-end editorial, the PLOS Medicine editors ask 11 researchers and clinicians about the most relevant challenges, promising research, and important initiatives in their fields as we head ...into 2016.
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