Long-term ethylene oxide exposure trends in US hospitals : relationship with OSHA regulatory and enforcement actions

We assessed long-term trends in ethylene oxide (EtO) worker exposures for the purposes of exposure surveillance and evaluation of the impacts of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) 1984 and 1988 EtO standards. We obtained exposure data from a large commercial vendor and processor of EtO passive dosimeters. Personal samples (87 582 workshift [8-hr] and 46 097 short-term [15-min] samples) from 2265 US hospitals were analyzed for time trends from 1984 through 2001 and compared with OSHA enforcement data. Exposures declined steadily for the first several years after the OSHA standards were set. Workshift exposures continued to taper off and have remained low and constant through 2001. However, since 1996, the probability of exceeding the short-term excursion limit has increased. This trend coincides with a decline in enforcement of the EtO standard. Results indicate the need for renewed intervention efforts to preserve gains made following the passage and implementation of the 1984 and 1988 EtO standards.

Exposing HPC and sequential applications as services through the development and deployment of a SaaS cloud

Cloud and service computing has started to change the way research in science, in particular biology and medicine, is being carried out. Researchers that have taken advantage of this technology (making use of public and private cloud compute resources) can process large amounts of data (big data) and speed up discovery. However, this requires researchers to acquire a solid knowledge and skills in the development of sequential and high performance computing (HPC), and cloud development and deployment background. In response a technology exposing HPC applications as services through the development and deployment of a SaaS cloud, and its proof of concept in the form of implementation of a cloud environment, Uncinus, has been developed and implemented to allow researchers easy access to cloud computing resources. The new technology offers and Uncinus supports the development of applications as services and the sharing of compute resources to speed up applications' execution. Users access these cloud resources and services through web interfaces. Using the Uncinus platform, a bio-informatics workflow was executed on a private (HPC) cloud, server and public cloud (Amazon EC2) resources, performance results showing a 3 fold improvement compared to local resources' performance. Biology and medicine specialists with no programming and application deployment on clouds background could run the case study applications with ease.

Effect of increasing dietary calcium through supplements and dairy food on body weight and body composition: a meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials

This meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials assessed the effect of Ca on body weight and body composition through supplementation or increasing dairy food intake. Forty-one studies met the inclusion criteria (including fifty-one trial arms; thirty-one with dairy foods (n 2091), twenty with Ca supplements (n 2711). Ca intake was approximately 900 mg/d higher in the supplement groups compared with control. In the dairy group, Ca intake was approximately 1300 mg/d. Ca supplementation did not significantly affect body weight (mean change ( - 0·17, 95 % CI - 0·70, 0·37) kg) or body fat (mean change ( - 0·19, 95 % CI - 0·51, 0·13) kg) compared to control. Similarly, increased dairy food intake did not affect body weight ( - 0·06, 95 % CI - 0·54, 0·43) kg or body fat change ( - 0·36, 95 % CI - 0·80, 0·09) kg compared to control. Sub-analyses revealed that dairy supplementation resulted in no change in body weight (nineteen studies, n 1010) ( - 0·32, 95 % CI - 0·93, 0·30 kg, P= 0·31), but a greater reduction in body fat (thirteen studies, n 564) ( - 0·96, 95 % CI - 1·46, - 0·46 kg, P < 0·001) in the presence of energy restriction over a mean of 4 months compared to control. Increasing dietary Ca intake by 900 mg/d as supplements or increasing dairy intake to approximately 3 servings daily (approximately 1300 mg of Ca/d) is not an effective weight reduction strategy in adults. There is, however, an indication that approximately 3 servings of dairy may facilitate fat loss on weight reduction diets in the short term.

Farmers’ work-day noise exposure

Objective: This study aims to understand the extent offarmers’ exposure to hazardous noise, and trial and testthe ability of an on-farm noise audit report to improve awareness and preventative action towards farm based noise hazards.Design: Visits were made to working farms where noiseand dosimetry measurements undertaken. During return visits, the noise measurements were explained ina brief report. A follow-up questionnaire was imple-mented gathering feedback on the use or otherwise ofthe report.Setting: Working farms in Western Victoria and SEQueensland including dairy, beef, wool, prime lamb andcropping.Participants: Participants were 14 female and 37 male farm workers.Interventions: Noise exposure assessment of dailyactivities through dosimetry; measurements of noisy tasks and machinery; supply and interpretation of anoise audit report.Main outcome measures: Participants were suppliedwith a ‘noise report’ of their workplace together with an explanation of the report’s meaning to farm workers.Results: Men and women have similar at risk expo-sures. The average noise exposure was 1.09 Pa2h(LAeq,8h= 85.3 dB). This implies 163 000 Australian agricultural workers are at risk from hazardous noise.On-farm noise audit reports were a relevant and valuable feedback to farmers in relation to their potential noise hazards.Conclusions: Of those measured 51%, and by extrapo-lation 163 000 Australian agricultural workers, have noise exposure levels greater than the recommendedAustralian Standard of 1.01 Pa2h (85 dB). Men and women are equally exposed. On-farm noise auditreports are an effective feedback to increase awareness and improve hearing health

Digital marketing of unhealthy foods to Australian children and adolescents

The emergence of new media—including branded websites, social media and mobile applications—has created additional touch points for unhealthy food and beverage companies to target children and adolescents. The aim of this study was to perform an audit of new media for three top selling food and beverage brands in Australia. The top selling brand in three of the most advertised food and beverage categories was identified. Facebook, websites and mobile phone applications from these three brands were assessed using a combination of descriptive analyses and structured data collection during June and July 2013. Information on target audience, main focus of the activity, marketing strategies employed and connectivity were collected. Promotional activities were assessed against industry self-regulatory codes. McDonald's, Coca-Cola and Cadbury Dairy Milk were audited, with 21 promotional activities identified. These promotional activities appeared to use a number of marketing strategies, with frequent use of indirect product association, engagement techniques and branding. We identified strategic targeting of both children and adolescents. We found that while all promotional activities technically met self-regulatory codes (usually due to media-specific age restrictions) a number appeared to employ unhealthy food or beverage marketing directed to children. Brands are using engaging content via new media aimed at children and adolescents to promote unhealthy food and beverages. Given the limitations of self-regulatory codes in the context of new media, strategies need to be developed to reduce exposure of children and adolescents to marketing of unhealthy food and beverage products via these avenues.

Glucocorticoids enhance muscle endurance and ameliorate Duchenne muscular dystrophy through a defined metabolic program

Classic physiology studies dating to the 1930s demonstrate that moderate or transient glucocorticoid (GC) exposure improves muscle performance. The ergogenic properties of GCs are further evidenced by their surreptitious use as doping agents by endurance athletes and poorly understood efficacy in Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), a genetic muscle-wasting disease. A defined molecular basis underlying these performance-enhancing properties of GCs in skeletal muscle remains obscure. Here, we demonstrate that ergogenic effects of GCs are mediated by direct induction of the metabolic transcription factor KLF15, defining a downstream pathway distinct from that resulting in GC-related muscle atrophy. Furthermore, we establish that KLF15 deficiency exacerbates dystrophic severity and muscle GC-KLF15 signaling mediates salutary therapeutic effects in the mdx mouse model of DMD. Thus, although glucocorticoid receptor (GR)-mediated transactivation is often associated with muscle atrophy and other adverse effects of pharmacologic GC administration, our data define a distinct GR-induced gene regulatory pathway that contributes to therapeutic effects of GCs in DMD through proergogenic metabolic programming.

Two-group randomised, parallel trial of cognitive and exposure therapies for problem gambling: a research protocol

BACKGROUND: Problem gambling is a serious public health concern at an international level where population prevalence rates average 2% or more and occurs more frequently in younger populations. The most empirically established treatments until now are combinations of cognitive and behavioural techniques labelled cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT). However, there is a paucity of high quality evidence for the comparative efficacy of core CBT interventions in treating problem gamblers. This study aims to isolate and compare cognitive and behavioural (exposure-based) techniques to determine their relative efficacy.

METHODS: A sample of 130 treatment-seeking problem gamblers will be allocated to either cognitive or exposure therapy in a two-group randomised, parallel design. Repeated measures will be conducted at baseline, mid and end of treatment (12 sessions intervention period), and at 3, 6 and 12 months (maintenance effects). The primary outcome measure is improvement in problem gambling severity symptoms using the Victorian Gambling Screen (VGS) harm to self-subscale. VGS measures gambling severity on an extensive continuum, thereby enhancing sensitivity to change within and between individuals over time.

DISCUSSION: This article describes the research methods, treatments and outcome measures used to evaluate gambling behaviours, problems caused by gambling and mechanisms of change. This study will be the first randomised, parallel trial to compare cognitive and exposure therapies in this population.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: The study was approved by the Southern Adelaide Health Service/Flinders University Human Research Ethics Committee. Study findings will be disseminated through peer-reviewed publications and conference presentations.

Choosing foods for infants: a qualitative study of the factors that influence mothers

BACKGROUND: Examining the experiences of parents making food choices for infants is important because ultimately this influences what infants eat. Infancy is a critical period when food preferences and eating behaviour begin to develop, shaping dietary patterns, growth and health outcomes. There is limited evidence regarding what or why foods are chosen for infants. OBJECTIVE: To describe the experiences of mothers making food choices for their infant children. METHODS: Semi-structured interviews with 32 Australian mothers of infants aged four to 15 months from a range of socioeconomic backgrounds. An inductive thematic analysis through a process of constant comparison was conducted on transcribed interviews. RESULTS: Mothers described many ideas and circumstances which influenced food choices they made for infants. Themes were developed which encapsulate how the wider environment and individual circumstances combine to result in the food choices made for infants. Beliefs, values, norms and knowledge were a central influence on choices. Cost, quality and availabilities of various foods were also key factors. Related to this, and combined with inherent factors such as perishability and infant acceptability, fresh fruits and vegetables were often singled out as an easy or difficult choice. Influences of time, parents' capacities, social connections and different information sources were clearly apparent. Finally infants' own preferences and how parents helped infants with learning to eat were also key influences on food choices. CONCLUSIONS: Choosing foods for infants is a complex social practice. An ecological framework depicting the multiple influences on what people eat and sociological theory on food choice regarding the role of 'social structure' and 'human agency' are both applicable to the process of choosing foods for infants. Equity issues may be key regarding the degree to which mothers can choose particular foods for infants (e.g. choosing foods which promote health).