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The effect of a minimum price per unit of alcohol in Scotland on alcohol-related ambulance call-outs: A controlled interrupted time−series analysis
Get PDFBackground and aims: On 1 May 2018, Scotland introduced a minimum unit price (MUP) of £0.50 for alcohol, with one UK unit of alcohol being 10ml of pure ethanol. This study measured the association between MUP and changes in the volume of alcohol-related ambulance callouts in the overall population and in callouts subsets (night-time callouts and subpopulations with higher incidence of alcohol-related harm). Design: An interrupted time series (ITS) was used to measure variations in the daily volume of alcohol-related callouts. We performed uncontrolled ITS on both the intervention and control group and a controlled ITS built on the difference between the two series. Data were from electronic-patient-clinical records from the Scottish Ambulance Service. Setting and cases: Alcohol-related ambulance callouts (intervention group) and total ambulance callouts for people under 13 years old (control group) in Scotland, from December 2017 to March 2020 Measurements: Callouts were deemed alcohol-related if ambulance clinicians indicated that alcohol was a ’contributing factor’ in the callout and/or a validated Scottish Ambulance Service algorithm determined that the callout was alcohol-related. Findings: No statistically significant association in the volume of callouts was found in both uncontrolled series (step change: 0.062, 95% confidence interval [CI]: -0.012,0.0135 p=0.091; slope change: -0.001, 95%CI: -0.001, 0.1×10-3 p=0.139) and controlled (step change: -0.01, 95%CI: -0.317,0.298 p=0.951; slope change: -0.003, 95%CI: -0.008, 0.002 p=0.257). Similarly, no significant changes were found for the night-time series or for any population subgroups. Conclusions: There appears to be no statistically significant association between the introduction of minimum unit pricing for alcohol in Scotland and the volume of alcohol-related ambulance callouts. This was observed overall, across subpopulations and at night-time
Contrasting Stocks and Origins of Particulate and Mineral-associated Soil Organic Carbon in a Mangrove-Salt Marsh Ecotone
Get PDFThe global warming-driven poleward expansion of mangrove habitats (e.g., Avicennia germinans and Rhizophora mangle) into temperate salt marshes (e.g., Spartina alterniflora and Juncus roemerianus) has been shown to alter coastal soil organic carbon (SOC) storage. However, the taxa-specific consequences of this vegetation shift on the origin and size of SOC sub-fractions (particulate OC (POC); mineral-associated OC (MAOC); and reactive iron-associated OC (FeR-MAOC)) remain largely unexplored. In this study, we used a particle size-based SOC fractionation method to compare quantity and δ13C composition of bulk and each SOC sub-fractions in soil cores collected from Apalachicola Bay barrier islands in Florida, USA, the highest latitude where monospecific communities of all four aforementioned plants co-occur. Depth-dependent variation of bulk soil δ13C clearly showed the global warming-driven replacement of S. alterniflora by mangroves, as well as reciprocal substitutions of S. alterniflora and J. roemerianus, probably driven by changes in wetland elevation. Higher OC burial rates in mangrove habitats suggested that mangrove soils were principally developed by particle deposition. In contrast, comparatively lower OC burial rates but higher OC stocks in salt marsh habitats illustrated subsurface OC input from salt marsh roots. POC was primarily derived from contemporary plant detritus; its concentration was higher in salt marsh habitats (58.8 ± 9.0% of SOC) relative to mangroves (38.4 ± 6.0% of SOC). In contrast, MAOC content did not vary across plant habitats (53.5 ± 10.9% of SOC), and principally originated from microbially-transformed OC and pre-existing plants. FeR-MAOC was essentially absent in R. mangle soils (2.9 ± 3.6% of SOC) while representing a minor fraction of MAOC in three other plant habitats (7.8 ± 7.0% of SOC). The δ13C (delta 13C) of FeR-MAOC was more like the present-day surface plants, highlighting the in situ FeR-MAOC formation in their active oxidizing rhizospheres
Planning and implementing community-based drug checking services in Scotland: a qualitative exploration using the consolidated framework for implementation research
Get PDFBackground Drug checking services (DCS) provide harm reduction support and advice to individuals based on chemical analysis of submitted substances of concern. Whilst there are currently no DCS in Scotland, community-based services are being planned in three cities. Methods In this paper, we report qualitative findings based on interviews with 43 participants, focused on perceptions of DCS and their implementation. Participants were relevant professionals, those with experience of drug use, and family members of those with experience of drug use. The Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) was used to inform data collection and analysis. We report findings under nine constructs/themes across the five CFIR domains. Results Participants noted the importance of DCS being implemented in low-threshold, trusted services with a harm reduction ethos, and outlined a range of further service design considerations such as speed of testing, and information provided through the analysis process. In relation to the ‘inner setting’, a key finding related to the potential value of leveraging existing resources in order to expand both reach and effectiveness of drug trend communication. The approach of local and national police to DCS, and the attitudes of the public and local community, were described as important external factors which could influence the success (or otherwise) of implementation. Bringing together a range of stakeholders in dialogue and developing tailored communication strategies were seen as ways to build support for DCS. Overall, we found high levels of support and perceived need for DCS amongst all stakeholder groups. Conclusions Our findings present initial implementation considerations for Scotland which could be further explored as DCS are operationalised. Further, our focus on implementation contexts is relevant to research on DCS more generally, given the minimal consideration of such issues in the literature
The physicality of mindsports through elite bridge players’ sensorial experiences: Presence, confidence and bodies
Get PDFThe classification of mindsports such as the card game of bridge within sport and society continues to be keenly debated. The concept of ‘physicality’ is often cited as being a prerequisite for an activity to be classed as a ‘sport’, a characteristic typically seen as lacking in mindsports. However, by drawing upon monist conceptualisations of the mind, body and world being intertwined, it is possible to problematise such arguments by highlighting the interconnected sensations experienced when participating in bridge. This article explores such a notion through phenomenologically-inspired analysis of 52 interviews with elite-level bridge players. The findings detail the importance players placed upon aspects of kinaesthesia, physical presence within the competitive environment, and the role of other social actors within their own understandings of their competition experience. These sensorial, emotional and embodied accounts of elite-level bridge shed light on the physical negotiations and socio-cultural influences involved in mindsport, which allude to a greater degree of ‘physicality’ than has previously been discussed
Cell atlas of the Atlantic salmon spleen reveals immune cell heterogeneity and cell-specific responses to bacterial infection
Get PDFThe spleen is a conserved secondary lymphoid organ that emerged in parallel to adaptive immunity in early jawed vertebrates. Recent studies have applied single cell transcriptomics to reveal the cellular composition of spleen in several species, cataloguing diverse immune cell types and subpopulations. In this study, 51,119 spleen nuclei transcriptomes were comprehensively investigated in the commercially important teleost Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.), contrasting control animals with those challenged with the bacterial pathogen Aeromonas salmonicida. We identified clusters of nuclei representing the expected major cell types, namely T cells, B cells, natural killer-like cells, granulocytes, mononuclear phagocytes, endothelial cells, mesenchymal cells, erythrocytes and thrombocytes. We discovered heterogeneity within several immune lineages, providing evidence for resident macrophages and melanomacrophages, infiltrating monocytes, several candidate dendritic cell subpopulations, and B cells at distinct stages of differentiation, including plasma cells and an igt + subset. We provide evidence for twelve candidate T cell subsets, including cd4+ T helper and regulatory T cells, one cd8+ subset, three γδT subsets, and populations double negative for cd4 and cd8. The number of genes showing differential expression during the early stages of Aeromonas infection was highly variable across immune cell types, with the largest changes observed in macrophages and infiltrating monocytes, followed by resting mature B cells. Our analysis provides evidence for a local inflammatory response to infection alongside B cell maturation in the spleen, and upregulation of ccr9 genes in igt + B cells, T helper and cd8+ cells, and monocytes, consistent with the recruitment of immune cell populations to the gut to deal with Aeromonas infection. Overall, this study provides a new cell-resolved perspective of the immune actions of Atlantic salmon spleen, highlighting extensive heterogeneity hidden to bulk transcriptomics. We further provide a large catalogue of cell-specific marker genes that can be leveraged to further explore the function and structural organization of the salmonid immune system
Othering Older People’s Housing: Gaming Ageing to Support Future-Planning
Get PDFThe ‘othering’ of ageing is linked to an integrated process of ageism and hinders future planning for both individuals and practitioners delivering housing and health services. This paper aims to explore how creative interventions can help personalise, exchange knowledge and lead to systems change that tackles the ‘othering’ of ageing. The Designing Homes for Healthy Cognitive Ageing (DesHCA) project offers new and creative insights through an innovative methodology utilising ‘serious games’ with a co-produced tool called ‘Our House’ that supports insight on how to deliver housing for older people for ageing well in place. In a series of playtests with over 128 people throughout the UK, the findings show that serious games allow interaction, integration and understanding of how ageing affects people professionality and personally. The empirical evidence highlights that the game mechanisms allowed for a more in-depth and nuanced consideration of ageing in a safe and creative environment. These interactions and discussions enable individuals to personalise and project insights to combat the ‘othering’ of ageing. However, the solutions are restrained as overcoming the consequences of ageism is a societal challenge with multi-layered solutions. The paper concludes that serious gaming encourages people to think differently about the concept of healthy ageing – both physically and cognitively – with consideration of scalable and creative solutions to prepare for ageing-in-place
Carceral surveillance: Data flows within and beyond prison walls
Get PDFIn this article, we will analyse contemporary carceral surveillance dynamics, namely the increasing storage and exchange of prisoners' biometric data. Drawing on qualitative research conducted in prisons, policing and security settings, we will explore how prisoners' bodies are reduced to information and broken up into data flows. These flows move within and beyond prison walls, impacting how prisoner's data is shared (in)formally with other criminal justice actors (e.g. police forces). Such interstitial connections allow us to better explore the permeability and porosity of prison boundaries. Overall, we argue that prisoners' data doubles are not spatially or physically restricted within cells and walls, as they circulate and are virtually managed at a distance. We urge to revisit and rethink the use of panoptic conceptual models when researching carceral spaces, its technological infrastructures and surveillance dynamics
Larger and structurally complex woodland creation sites provide greater benefits for woodland plants
Get PDFReforestation initiatives are underway across the world. However, we know relatively little about the ecological consequences of creating and restoring forest ecosystems, and there is a lack of studies examining the drivers of species colonisation and establishment across appropriate temporal and spatial scales to inform conservation practice. Using data from a long-term natural experiment (the WrEN project), we explore ground plant species occurrence and community composition in 102 woodland creation sites (10–160 years since planting), and 27 old growth woodlands (>250 years). We conducted field surveys to collect data on occurrence of plant species (classified into woodland specialist, woodland generalist, or non-woodland) and used Structural Equation Modelling to investigate the influence of local (age, size, woodland structure) and landscape-level (amount of surrounding woodland) attributes on species richness. Woodland generalists are readily colonising woodland creation sites to similar levels found in old growth woodlands. However, there were fewer woodland specialist and more non-woodland plants in creation sites than in old growth. Specialists and generalists were more likely to be present in larger woodlands and those with higher variation in tree size (which was higher in older woodlands) and did not appear to be influenced by features of the surrounding landscape. Some plant communities in older creation sites (80–160 years) were similar to old growth, suggesting colonisation of a typical old growth flora over time; however, some sites were shifting away from this trajectory. Specialists are slow to colonise woodland creation sites and their occurrence was low relative to old growth woodlands even after >80 years. However, woodland management to increase structural complexity may enhance the establishment of woodland plants. The lack of influence of the surrounding landscape on species occurrence is likely due to most of the study sites being relatively isolated resulting in limited colonisation. This suggests that new woodlands need to be adjacent or very near to existing woodland to receive the benefits of increased colonisation. Our results highlight the importance of creating large and structurally complex woodlands, close to existing woodlands to facilitate the colonisation and establishment of woodland plants
The effects of different types of organisational workplace mental health interventions on mental health and wellbeing in healthcare workers: a systematic review
Get PDFObjective To determine if and which types of organisational interventions conducted in small and medium size enterprises (SMEs) in healthcare are effective on mental health and wellbeing. Methods Following PRISMA guidelines, we searched six scientific databases, assessed the methodological quality of eligible studies using QATQS and grouped them into six organisational intervention types for narrative synthesis. Only controlled studies with at least one follow-up were eligible. Results We identified 22 studies (23 articles) mainly conducted in hospitals with 16 studies rated of strong or moderate methodological quality. More than two thirds (68%) of the studies reported improvements in at least one primary outcome (mental wellbeing, burnout, stress, symptoms of depression or anxiety), most consistently in burnout with eleven out of thirteen studies. We found a strong level of evidence for the intervention type “Job and task modifications” and a moderate level of evidence for the types “Flexible work and scheduling” and “Changes in the physical work environment”. For all other types, the level of evidence was insufficient. We found no studies conducted with an independent SME, however five studies with SMEs attached to a larger organisational structure. The effectiveness of workplace mental health interventions in these SMEs was mixed. Conclusion Organisational interventions in healthcare workers can be effective in improving mental health, especially in reducing burnout. Intervention types where the change in the work environment constitutes the intervention had the highest level of evidence. More research is needed for SMEs and for healthcare workers other than hospital-based physicians and nurses.Additional co-authors: Katharina Schnitzspahn, Mónika Ditta Tóth, Chantal van Audenhove, Jaap van Weeghel, Kristian Wahlbeck, Ella Arensman, Birgit A. Greiner & MENTUPP consortium member
How can agent-based modelling provide new insights into the impact of minimum unit pricing in Scotland?
Get PDFIn recent years we have gained insight into the impact of minimum unit pricing (MUP)-a legal floor price below which a given volume of alcohol cannot be sold-on population-level reductions in alcohol sales, consumption and harm. However, several questions remain unanswered including how individual-level purchasing changes impact the local economy (e.g., balance between on-licence and off-licence outlets), lead to long-term population-level trends (e.g., youth drinking) and social harms (e.g., violence). Agent-based modelling captures heterogeneity, emergence, feedback loops and adaptive and dynamic features, which provides an opportunity to understand the nuanced effects of MUP. Agent-based models (ABM) simulate heterogeneous agents (e.g., individuals, organisations) often situated in space and time that interact with other agents and/or with their environment, allowing us to identify the mechanisms underlying social phenomena. ABMs are particularly useful for theory development, and testing and simulating the impacts of policies and interventions. We illustrate how ABMs could be applied to generate novel insights and provide best estimates of social network effects, and changes in purchasing behaviour and social harms, due to the implementation of MUP. ABMs like other modelling approaches can simulate alternative implementations of MUP (e.g., policy intensity [£0.50, £0.60] or spatial scales [local, national]) but can also provide an understanding of the potential impact of MUP on different population groups (e.g., alcohol exposure of young people who are not yet drinking). Using ABMs to understand the impact of MUP would provide new insights to complement those from traditional epidemiological and other modelling methods.Funding information Chief Scientist Office, Grant/Award Number: SPHSU20; Medical Research Council, Grant/Award Number: MC_UU_00022/5
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