scholarly journals Blast in Context: The Neuropsychological and Neurocognitive Effects of Long-Term Occupational Exposure to Repeated Low-Level Explosives on Canadian Armed Forces' Breaching Instructors and Range Staff

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Oshin Vartanian ◽  
Catherine Tenn ◽  
Shawn G. Rhind ◽  
Ann Nakashima ◽  
Alex P. Di Battista ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Occupational Exposure ◽  
Lower Energy ◽  
Armed Forces ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Low Level ◽  
Canadian Armed Forces ◽  
Concussion History ◽  
And Performance ◽  
The Impact

Currently, there is strong interest within the military to better understand the effects of long-term occupational exposure to repeated low-level blast on health and performance. To gain traction on the chronic sequelae of blast, we focused on breaching—a tactical technique for gaining entry into closed/blocked spaces by placing explosives and maintaining a calculated safe distance from the detonation. Using a cross-sectional design, we compared the neuropsychological and neurocognitive profiles of breaching instructors and range staff to sex- and age-matched Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) controls. Univariate tests demonstrated that breaching was associated with greater post-concussive symptoms (Rivermead Post Concussion Symptoms Questionnaire) and lower levels of energy (RAND SF-36). In addition, breaching instructors and range staff were slower on a test that requires moving and thinking simultaneously (i.e., cognitive-motor integration). Next, using a multivariate approach, we explored the impact of other possible sources of injury, including concussion and prior war-zone deployment on the same outcomes. Concussion history was associated with higher post-concussive scores and musculoskeletal problems, whereas deployment was associated with higher post-concussive scores, but lower energy and greater PTSD symptomatology (using PCL-5). Our results indicate that although breaching, concussion, and deployment were similarly correlated with greater post-concussive symptoms, concussion history appears to be uniquely associated with altered musculoskeletal function, whereas deployment history appears to be uniquely associated with lower energy and risk of PTSD. We argue that the broader injury context must, therefore, be considered when studying the impact of repetitive low-level explosives on health and performance in military members.

Repeated Occupational Exposure to Low-level Blast in the Canadian Armed Forces: Effects on Hearing, Balance, and Ataxia

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ann Nakashima ◽  
Oshin Vartanian ◽  
Shawn G Rhind ◽  
Kristen King ◽  
Catherine Tenn ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hearing Loss ◽  
Occupational Exposure ◽  
Armed Forces ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Low Level ◽  
Additional Information ◽  
Adverse Health Effects ◽  
Blast Overpressure ◽  
Blast Exposure

ABSTRACT Introduction Recently, there has been increasing concern about the adverse health effects of long-term occupational exposure to low-level blast in military personnel. Occupational blast exposure occurs routinely in garrison through use of armaments and controlled blast detonations. In the current study, we focused on a population of breaching instructors and range staff. Breaching is a tactical technique that is used to gain entry into closed spaces, often through the use of explosives. Materials and Methods Initial measurements of blast overpressure collected during breaching courses found that up to 10% of the blasts for range staff and up to 32% of the blasts for instructors exceeded the recommended 3 psi exposure limit. Using a cross-sectional design, we used tests of balance, ataxia, and hearing to compare a sample of breachers (n = 19) to age-and sex-matched military controls (n = 19). Results There were no significant differences between the two groups on the balance and ataxia tests, although the average scores of both groups were lower than would be expected in a normative population. The prevalence of hearing loss was low in the breacher group (4 of 19), and hearing thresholds were not significantly different from the controls. However, the prevalence of self-reported tinnitus was significantly higher in the breacher group (12 of 19) compared with the controls (4 of 19), and all breachers who were identified as having hearing loss also reported tinnitus. Conclusions Our results suggest that basic tests of balance, ataxia, and hearing on their own were not sensitive to the effects of long-term occupational exposure to low-level blast. Some of the blast exposure levels exceeded limits, and there was a significant association of exposure with tinnitus. Future studies should supplement with additional information including exposure history and functional hearing assessments. These findings should be considered in the design of future acute and longitudinal studies of low-level blast exposure.

scholarly journals COVID-19 and the Mental Health of Canadian Armed Forces Veterans: A Cross-Sectional Survey

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alyson L Mahar ◽  
Christina R Rindlisbacher ◽  
Megan Edgelow ◽  
Shailee Siddhpuria ◽  
Julie Hallet ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Military Training ◽  
Armed Forces ◽  
Mental Health Symptoms ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Convenience Sample ◽  
Health Symptoms ◽  
Canadian Armed Forces ◽  
The Impact

ABSTRACT Background There are no data on the impact of COVID-19 and associated public health measures, including sheltering at home, travel restrictions, and changes in health care provision, on the mental health of older veterans. This information is necessary for government and philanthropic agencies to tailor mental health supports, services, and resources for veterans in the peri- and post-pandemic periods. The objective of this study was to compare mental health symptoms between Canadian Armed Forces (CAFs) veterans and the general Canadian older adult population in the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic. Materials and Methods This was a secondary analysis of a cross-sectional study of older adults in the national Canadian COVID-19 Coping Study. Individuals aged 55 years and older were eligible. A convenience sample of older adults was recruited through a web-based survey administered between May 01, 2020 and June 30, 2020. Canadian Armed Force military service history status (yes/no) was ascertained. The eight-item Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale, the five-item Beck Anxiety Inventory, and the three-item Loneliness Scale were used to measure mental health symptoms. Multivariable logistic regression compared the odds of screening positive for depression, anxiety, and loneliness between veterans and non-veterans. Results Of 1,541 respondents who answered the final question (87% survey completeness rate), 210 were veterans. Forty percent of veterans met criteria for at least one of the mental health diagnoses compared to 46% of non-veterans (P = .12). The odds of reporting elevated symptoms of depression, anxiety, and loneliness were similar for veteran and non-veteran respondents after adjusting for confounders. Conclusion Veterans’ report of mental health symptoms was similar to the general population Spring 2020 of the COVID-19 pandemic. Although veterans’ military training may better prepare them to adapt in the face of a pandemic, additional research is needed to understand the longitudinal impacts on physical and mental health.

The Impact of Age Demographics on Interpreting and Applying Population-Wide Infection Fatality Rates for COVID-19

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew R. MacLeod ◽  
D. Gregory Hunter
Keyword(s):  
Situational Awareness ◽  
Armed Forces ◽  
Healthcare Operations ◽  
Operational Effectiveness ◽  
Term Care ◽  
Task Forces ◽  
Canadian Armed Forces ◽  
Canadian Population ◽  
The Impact

The ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic affects the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) and its members in multiple ways. As the CAF manages its own healthcare system for its members, it must consider the impact of COVID-19 not only on the operational effectiveness of its workforce but also on its healthcare operations. Furthermore, given that the CAF has deployed task forces in support of other government departments, including into long-term care facilities that are experiencing outbreaks, it is important for the CAF to maintain situational awareness of the outbreak in the Canadian population generally. In providing analytical support to the CAF on these questions, we focused on establishing the applicability of estimates of COVID-19 infection fatality rates (IFRs) from the literature to the CAF and to the Canadian public. This paper explores how the age-dependent effects of COVID-19 must be taken into account when comparing estimates based on countries with very different age profiles, such as China and Italy. Furthermore, it explores how varying age structures within a country (e.g., within a subnational jurisdiction, or within a given working population) should affect how analysts apply estimates of IFR to scenarios involving those specific populations.

scholarly journals A Cross-Sectional Study on the Impacts of Perceived Job Value, Job Maintenance, and Social Support on Burnout among Long-Term Care Staff in Hawaii

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 476
Author(s):  
Bum Jung Kim ◽  
Sun-young Lee
Keyword(s):  
Social Support ◽  
Long Term Care ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Care Staff ◽  
Hierarchical Regression ◽  
Sectional Study ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Term Care ◽  
The Impact

Extensive research has demonstrated the factors that influence burnout among social service employees, yet few studies have explored burnout among long-term care staff in Hawaii. This study aimed to examine the impact of job value, job maintenance, and social support on burnout of staff in long-term care settings in Hawaii, USA. This cross-sectional study included 170 long-term care staff, aged 20 to 75 years, in Hawaii. Hierarchical regression was employed to explore the relationships between the key independent variables and burnout. The results indicate that staff with a higher level of perceived job value, those who expressed a willingness to continue working in the same job, and those with strong social support from supervisors or peers are less likely to experience burnout. Interventions aimed at decreasing the level of burnout among long-term care staff in Hawaii may be more effective through culturally tailored programs aimed to increase the levels of job value, job maintenance, and social support.

Do regulations protect workers from occupational exposures to carcinogenic, mutagenic and reprotoxic (CMR) agents in France?

2017 ◽  
Vol 75 (5) ◽  
pp. 389-397
Author(s):  
Nathalie Havet ◽  
Alexis Penot ◽  
Morgane Plantier ◽  
Barbara Charbotel ◽  
Magali Morelle ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Occupational Exposure ◽  
Occupational Exposures ◽  
International Agency ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Protection Measures ◽  
Limit Value ◽  
Logistic Regressions ◽  
The Impact

ObjectiveThis article explores the impact of regulations on the implementation of collective protections in France to occupational exposure to carcinogenic, mutagenic and reprotoxic (CMR) agents.MethodsIndividual data from the French national cross-sectional survey of occupational hazards conducted in 2010 were analysed. We investigated whether stricter regulations and longer exposures were associated with higher level of collective protection using multivariate logistic regressions.ResultsGeneral ventilation, for which effect is limited as collective protection for CMR products, was present in 19% of situations involving CMR agents while isolation chambers, the most effective form of protection, were only very rarely implemented. Multilevel logistic regressions show that exposure situations to products classified as category 1 or 2 by the European Union do not have a higher probability of benefiting from a collective protection measures. Exposures to products with a Binding Occupational Exposure Limit Value selectively benefited from a better level of protection. Exposures to agents entered on the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) list of proven or probable carcinogens benefited more from effective collective protections than products suspected to be carcinogens but not yet classified by IARC.ConclusionsThese results suggest that the dissemination of evaluations of carcinogens by the IARC translate into improved protective measures even though the IARC classification has no mandatory impact on regulations.

Numerical Investigation of the Effect of Diffuser and Volute Design Parameters on the Performance of a Centrifugal Compressor Stage

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lei Yu ◽  
William T. Cousins ◽  
Feng Shen ◽  
Georgi Kalitzin ◽  
Vishnu Sishtla ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Centrifugal Compressor ◽  
Gas Flow ◽  
Pressure Rise ◽  
Design Parameters ◽  
Compressor Stage ◽  
Flow Distortion ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Centrifugal Stage ◽  
And Performance ◽  
The Impact

In this effort, 3D CFD simulations are carried out for real gas flow in a refrigeration centrifugal compressor. Both commercial and the in-house CFD codes are used for steady and unsteady simulations, respectively. The impact on the compressor performance with various volute designs and diffuser modifications are investigated with steady simulations and the analysis is focused on both the diffuser and the volute loss, in addition to the flow distortion at impeller exit. The influence of the tongue, scroll diffusion ratio, diffuser length, and cross sectional area distribution is examined to determine the impact on size and performance. The comparisons of total pressure loss, static pressure recovery, through flow velocity, and the secondary flow patterns for different volute designs show that the performance of the centrifugal compressor depends upon how well the scroll portion of the volute collects the flow from the impeller and achieves the required pressure rise with minimum flow losses in the overall diffusion process. Finally, the best design is selected based on compressor stage pressure rise and peak efficiency improvement. An unsteady simulation of the full wheel compressor stage was carried out to further examine the interaction of impeller, diffuser and the volute. The unsteady flow interactions are shown to have a major impact on the performance of the centrifugal stage.

scholarly journals Organizational Learning and Motivation: Assessing the impact on Employee Performance

2016 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 355 ◽  
Author(s):  
Puja Sareen ◽  
Parikshit Joshi
Keyword(s):  
Organizational Learning ◽  
Organizational Performance ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Employee Performance ◽  
Employee Motivation ◽  
Primary Data ◽  
Hygiene Factors ◽  
And Performance ◽  
The Impact

<em>Organizational learning has the potential to improve organizational performance. For any organization to sustain long term benefits it requires to establish a mechanism to tap the knowledge and use this knowledge in taking future decisions. This study tries to capture the role of Organizational Learning and Employee Motivation and its impact on the Employees’ Performance. The study is exploratory and descriptive in nature. The questionnaire used for primary data collection has its items collected and derived from various standardized questionnaires available. The analysis of the primary data shows that there is a positive correlation between Organizational Learning and Organizational Performance. On understanding Herzberg theory of motivation the study came to conclusion that employees consider hygiene factors of motivation more significant than the motivator factors. The motivation level of employees in an organization has positive impact on the overall performance of any organization. The study helps the organizations to understand the relationship between learning and performance considering motivation as a mediating variable. </em>

scholarly journals Episodic curiosity for avoiding asteroids: Per-trial information gain for choice outcomes drive information seeking

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Linus Holm ◽  
Gustaf Wadenholt ◽  
Paul Schrater
Keyword(s):  
Skill Acquisition ◽  
Information Seeking ◽  
Information Gain ◽  
Tight Coupling ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Trial Outcome ◽  
And Performance ◽  
Uncertain Outcomes ◽  
The Impact

Humans often appear to desire information for its own sake, but it is presently unclear what drives this desire. The important role that resolving uncertainty plays in stimulating information seeking has suggested a tight coupling between the intrinsic motivation to gather information and performance gains, and has been construed as a drive for long-term learning. Using a simple asteroid-avoidance game that allows us to study learning and information seeking at an experimental time-scale, we show that we can separate the incentive for information-seeking from a long-term learning outcome, and show that information-seeking is best predicted by per-trial outcome uncertainty. Specifically, our 43 participants were more willing to take time penalties for feedback on trials with uncertain outcomes. We found strong group (R2 = .97) and individual level (mean R2 = .44) support for a linear relationship between feedback request rate and information gain as determined by per-trial outcome uncertainty. This information better reflects filling in the gaps of the episodic record of choice outcomes than long-term skill acquisition or assessment. Our results suggest that this easy to compute quantity can drive information-seeking, potentially allowing simple organisms to intelligently gather information without having to anticipate the impact on future performance.

scholarly journals High death rate of older persons from COVID-19 in Quebec (Canada) long-term care facilities: chronology and analysis

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Marie Beaulieu ◽  
Julien Cadieux Genesse ◽  
Kevin St-Martin
Keyword(s):  
Older Persons ◽  
Excess Mortality ◽  
Long Term Care ◽  
Human Resources Management ◽  
Armed Forces ◽  
Term Care ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Canadian Armed Forces ◽  
Care Facilities

Purpose Among the ten Canadian provinces, Quebec has experienced the most significant excess mortality of older persons during COVID-19. This practice paper aims to present the chronology of events leading to this excess mortality in long-term care facilities (LTCFs) and a comprehensive analysis of the phenomenon. Design/methodology/approach Documented content from three official sources: daily briefings by the Quebec Premier, a report from the Canadian Armed Forces and a report produced by Royal Society of Canada experts were analysed. Findings Two findings emerge: the lack of preparation in LTCFs and a critical shortage of staff. Indeed, the massive transfer of older persons from hospitals to LTCFs, combined with human resources management and a critical shortage of permanent staff before and during the crisis, generates unhealthy living conditions in LTCFs. Originality/value To our knowledge, this paper is the first to analyse official Quebec and Canadian statements concerning COVID-19 from the angle of quality of life and protection of older adults in LTCFs.

scholarly journals Capital Structure and Firm Performance: Evidence from Malaysian Public Listed Plantation Companies

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 123-142
Author(s):  
Kim Foong Jee ◽  
Jia En Joanne Ngui ◽  
Pei Pei Jessica Poh ◽  
Wai Loon Chan ◽  
Yet Siang Wong
Keyword(s):  
Firm Performance ◽  
Capital Structure ◽  
Significant Relationship ◽  
Firm Growth ◽  
Control Variable ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Total Debt ◽  
And Performance ◽  
The Impact

This paper examines the relationship between capital structure and performance of firms. The study is confined to plantation sector companies in Malaysia and is based on a sample of 39 firms which listed in Bursa Malaysia for the period from 2009 to 2019. This study uses two performance measures which are ROA and ROE as the dependent variable. Besides, the capital structure measures are the short-term debt, long-term debt, total debt and firm growth, which as the independent variables. Size will be the control variable in this study. Moreover, a fixed-effect panel regression analysis has been used to analyse the impact of capital structure on firm performance. The results indicate that firm performance, which is in term of ROA, have an insignificant relationship with short-term debt (STD) and long-term debt (LTD). For the total debt (TD) and growth, there is a significant relationship with ROA. However, for the performance measured by ROE, it has an insignificant relationship with short-term debt (STD), long-term debt (LTD) and total debt (TD). Furthermore, there is a significant relationship between the growth and the performance firms from plantation sector in Malaysia.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document