Background: British Armed Forces’ and Police Forces’ personnel are trained to operate in potentially traumatic conditions. Consequently, they may experience post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which is often comorbid with harmful alcohol use. Objective: We aimed to assess the proportions, and associations, of probable PTSD and harmful alcohol use among a covariate-balanced sample of male military personnel and police employees. Methods: Proportions of probable PTSD, harmful alcohol use, and daily binge drinking, were explored using data...

Background: British Armed Forces’ and Police Forces’ personnel are trained to operate in potentially traumatic conditions. Consequently, they may experience post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which is often comorbid with harmful alcohol use. Objective: We aimed to assess the proportions, and associations, of probable PTSD and harmful alcohol use among a covariate-balanced sample of male military personnel and police employees. Methods: Proportions of probable PTSD, harmful alcohol use, and daily binge drinking, were explored using data...

The performing arts have been significantly restricted due to the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic. We report measurements of aerosol and droplet concentrations generated when playing woodwind and brass instruments and comparisons with breathing, speaking, and singing. These measurements were conducted in a room with zero number concentration aerosol background in the 0.5-20 µm diameter size range, allowing clear attribution of detected particles to specific activities. A total of 13 instruments were...

Background: The Skills for Life Adjustment and Resilience (SOLAR) programme is a brief, scalable, psychosocial skill-building programme designed to reduce distress and adjustment difficulties following disaster. Objectives: We tested the feasibility, acceptability, efficacy and safety of a culturally adapted version of SOLAR in two remote, cyclone-affected communities in the Pacific Island nation of Tuvalu. Method: This pilot adopted a quasi-experimental, control design involving 99 participants. SOLAR was administered to the treatment group (n = 49)...

In this work, g-C3N4/ZIF-8 heterojunction photocatalysts were synthesised by the process by which the metal-organic framework ZIF-8 nanoparticles were grown onto the g-C3N4 layer in situ. Bismuth element was doped into the as-prepared g-C3N4/ZIF-8 material and a new type of Bi@g-C3N4/ZIF-8 composite photocatalysts was manufactured, in which the doping element acts in adjusting the bandgap in the photocatalysts. The prepared photocatalysts were characterised by XRD, FESEM, TEM, FTIR, XPS, UV–VIS DRS, photoluminescence and photo-electrochemical experiments....

Background: Evidence from high-income countries (HICs) has documented a higher rate of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in females than males. However, data are limited on sex differences in PTSD from low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), despite particularly high levels of trauma experienced by LMIC youth. Objectives: In a sample of adolescents from an impoverished South African community, we examined sex differences in PTSD, as well as co-occurring depression, adolescent age, and the type and extent...

Pesticide ingestion is a leading method for suicide worldwide. Paraquat is a highly lethal herbicide when ingested. We assessed the impact of the first-stage ban on the import and production of paraquat (from February 2018) on suicides by pesticide poisoning in Taiwan. Suicide data by method (pesticide vs. non-pesticide), pesticide (paraquat vs. non-paraquat), and area/sex/age were extracted from the national cause-of-death data files (2011–2019). Negative binomial regression was used to estimate changes in suicide rates...

The present study was focused on comparison of four typical fungicides in ginseng field to evaluate the impact of the different fungicides on the soil bacterial and fungal communities’ composition and diversity by using high-throughput sequencing. Five treatments were designed comprising carbendazim (D), dimethyl disulfide (E), dazomet (M), calcium cyanamide (S), and control (C). The application of fungicide obviously altered the distribution of dominant fungal and bacterial communities and remarkably decreased the diversity (1099-763 and...

A major impediment to the development of small diameter vascular grafts is to achieve an optimal balance between its mechanical properties and cellular response. To address this, the technique of cylindrical weaving has been combined with electrospinning to fabricate a seamless bilayered conduit (∼3 mm) having an inner cell-friendly nanofibrous layer of poly(caprolactone)/collagen and an outer mechanically compliant woven silk layer. Mechanical characteristics such as burst strength, suture retention, compliance and leak resistance were found...

Background: The Skills for Life Adjustment and Resilience (SOLAR) programme is a brief, scalable, psychosocial skill-building programme designed to reduce distress and adjustment difficulties following disaster. Objectives: We tested the feasibility, acceptability, efficacy and safety of a culturally adapted version of SOLAR in two remote, cyclone-affected communities in the Pacific Island nation of Tuvalu. Method: This pilot adopted a quasi-experimental, control design involving 99 participants. SOLAR was administered to the treatment group (n = 49)...

Background: Responding to a mass casualty event can cause significant distress, even for highly trained medical and emergency services personnel. Objective: The purpose of the study was to understand more about first responders’ perspectives about their participation in major incident responses, specifically how and which individual and system factors contributed to their preparedness or may have enabled or hindered their response. The aim of the work was to improve preparedness and response for future incidents....

Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) is emerging as a major threat to the global swine industry. Clinical PEDV infection is associated with severe intestinal lesions, resulting in absorptive dysfunction and high mortality rates in suckling piglets. The extracellular matrix (ECM) is an important component of intestinal tissue, providing a structural framework and conveying tissue-specific signals to nearby enterocytes. In this study, we investigated the extensive ECM remodeling observed in intestinal epithelial cells infected with PEDV...

Background: Evidence from high-income countries (HICs) has documented a higher rate of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in females than males. However, data are limited on sex differences in PTSD from low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), despite particularly high levels of trauma experienced by LMIC youth. Objectives: In a sample of adolescents from an impoverished South African community, we examined sex differences in PTSD, as well as co-occurring depression, adolescent age, and the type and extent...

The performing arts have been significantly restricted due to the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic. We report measurements of aerosol and droplet concentrations generated when playing woodwind and brass instruments and comparisons with breathing, speaking, and singing. These measurements were conducted in a room with zero number concentration aerosol background in the 0.5-20 µm diameter size range, allowing clear attribution of detected particles to specific activities. A total of 13 instruments were...

Pesticide ingestion is a leading method for suicide worldwide. Paraquat is a highly lethal herbicide when ingested. We assessed the impact of the first-stage ban on the import and production of paraquat (from February 2018) on suicides by pesticide poisoning in Taiwan. Suicide data by method (pesticide vs. non-pesticide), pesticide (paraquat vs. non-paraquat), and area/sex/age were extracted from the national cause-of-death data files (2011–2019). Negative binomial regression was used to estimate changes in suicide rates...

Copyright © 2021 American Association for Aerosol Research

Background: Responding to a mass casualty event can cause significant distress, even for highly trained medical and emergency services personnel. Objective: The purpose of the study was to understand more about first responders’ perspectives about their participation in major incident responses, specifically how and which individual and system factors contributed to their preparedness or may have enabled or hindered their response. The aim of the work was to improve preparedness and response for future incidents....

The present study was focused on comparison of four typical fungicides in ginseng field to evaluate the impact of the different fungicides on the soil bacterial and fungal communities’ composition and diversity by using high-throughput sequencing. Five treatments were designed comprising carbendazim (D), dimethyl disulfide (E), dazomet (M), calcium cyanamide (S), and control (C). The application of fungicide obviously altered the distribution of dominant fungal and bacterial communities and remarkably decreased the diversity (1099-763 and...

The performing arts have been significantly restricted due to the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic. We report measurements of aerosol and droplet concentrations generated when playing woodwind and brass instruments and comparisons with breathing, speaking, and singing. These measurements were conducted in a room with zero number concentration aerosol background in the 0.5-20 μm diameter size range, allowing clear attribution of detected particles to specific activities. A total of 13 instruments were...

Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) is emerging as a major threat to the global swine industry. Clinical PEDV infection is associated with severe intestinal lesions, resulting in absorptive dysfunction and high mortality rates in suckling piglets. The extracellular matrix (ECM) is an important component of intestinal tissue, providing a structural framework and conveying tissue-specific signals to nearby enterocytes. In this study, we investigated the extensive ECM remodeling observed in intestinal epithelial cells infected with PEDV...

Copyright © 2021 American Association for Aerosol Research

In this work, g-C3N4/ZIF-8 heterojunction photocatalysts were synthesised by the process by which the metal-organic framework ZIF-8 nanoparticles were grown onto the g-C3N4 layer in situ. Bismuth element was doped into the as-prepared g-C3N4/ZIF-8 material and a new type of Bi@g-C3N4/ZIF-8 composite photocatalysts was manufactured, in which the doping element acts in adjusting the bandgap in the photocatalysts. The prepared photocatalysts were characterised by XRD, FESEM, TEM, FTIR, XPS, UV–VIS DRS, photoluminescence and photo-electrochemical experiments....

A major impediment to the development of small diameter vascular grafts is to achieve an optimal balance between its mechanical properties and cellular response. To address this, the technique of cylindrical weaving has been combined with electrospinning to fabricate a seamless bilayered conduit (∼3 mm) having an inner cell-friendly nanofibrous layer of poly(caprolactone)/collagen and an outer mechanically compliant woven silk layer. Mechanical characteristics such as burst strength, suture retention, compliance and leak resistance were found...

Since its arrival in the early 1970s, the HIV/AIDS pandemic has killed about 33 million people, while some 37 million are now living with the virus. Most are in the global south and thus far away from Europe. There is neither a vaccine nor a cure. Therapeutic drugs that can facilitate survival have now been developed, but without their continuous use, death usually ensues after a relatively short period. The African continent remains most severely...