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A body drag is an essential job task in law enforcement. It is purported that strength and power should contribute to this task, but there has been limited analysis. This study examined strength (1-repetition maximum hexagonal bar deadlift [1RM HBD]) and power (vertical jump [VJ], standing broad jump [SBJ]) relationships with the 74.84-kg and 90.72-kg body drags. Forty-three civilians (24 men and 19 women) completed the SBJ, VJ, and 1RM HBD in 1 session. Peak anaerobic power measured in watts (PAPw) was derived from the VJ. Relative measures were calculated from the SBJ, PAPw, and HBD. In another 2 sessions, subjects completed 74.84-kg and 90.72-kg drags in a counterbalanced order using 2 techniques: standard and adapted (time taken to pick dummy up from ground included in time). Independent samples t-tests compared the sexes and subjects who could or could not complete all drags. Partial correlations and stepwise regression, both controlling for sex, examined relationships between strength and power and the drags. In general, men outperformed women in almost all tests (p ≤ 0.024). Thirty-five subjects completed all drags and were stronger and more powerful than subjects who could not (p ≤ 0.011). The SBJ correlated with the 74.84-kg standard (r=-0.355) and 90.72-kg adapted (r = 0.373) drags; the VJ correlated with the 74.84-kg standard drag (r = -0.356). Peak anaerobic power measured in watts and 1RM HBD correlated with all drags (r = -0.382 to -0.668); PAPw was involved in all significant predictive relationships (explained variance = 34-62%). Absolute strength and power training should be a focus for recruits to enhance their ability to perform dragging tasks, especially with heavier masses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose Patient handling is well known for the risk of musculoskeletal injury. Safe work practices are important to reduce risk of injury while performing patient handling tasks. This study investigated factors associated with safe patient handling behaviors and lift use among hospital nurses in the United States. Methods This study analyzed cross-sectional survey data from a statewide random sample of 221 hospital nurses in California who had patient handling duties. Safe patient handling behaviors and lift use were examined for the relationships with demographic characteristics, organizational safety practices, physical and psychosocial job factors, musculoskeletal symptoms, and perceptions about lift use and risk of injury. Results In multivariable logistic regression, high safe patient handling behaviors were significantly associated with a positive organizational safety climate (Odds Ratio [OR] = 2.76, 95% Confidence Interval [CI] 1.51–5.03), people-oriented culture (OR = 2.59, 95% CI 1.45–4.62), and ergonomic practices (OR = 1.67, 95% CI 1.04–2.67). High lift use (>50% of the time when needed) were significantly associated with high lift availability (OR = 3.1, 95% CI 1.06–9.01) and positive perceptions about lift use (OR = 3.48, 95% CI 1.63–7.44). In bivariate analysis, high safe patient handling behaviors were associated with shorter height, non-White race, lower physical workload, lower job strain, higher job satisfaction, and less musculoskeletal symptoms. Conclusions The study findings underscore the importance of organizational safety practices and culture to promote safe work practices for patient handling injury prevention. Also, making lift equipment readily available and improving positive perceptions and experiences about lifts can be crucial to ensure the use of lift equipment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Musculoskeletal injuries and symptoms are prevalent in nurses and are largely associated with strenuous patient handling. In 2011, California enacted legislation that required acute-care hospitals to implement safe patient handling (SPH) policies and programs. To assess the early phase of this legislation, we conducted an epidemiological assessment of organizational SPH practices, musculoskeletal symptoms, and perceptions in a random sample of 396 registered nurses. Among those who worked in hospitals and had patient handling duties ( n = 220), the 12 month prevalence of work-related musculoskeletal symptoms was 69% (lower back 54%, neck 41%, shoulders 34%, and hands/wrists 26%). Twenty-two percent of the nurses reported that their hospitals had a 'no-lift' policy, 37% reported that their hospitals had lift teams, and 61% reported the availability of mechanical lift equipment such as floor or ceiling lifts. Nurses whose facilities employed lift teams were significantly less likely to report low back pain ( OR = 0.54, 95% CI [0.30-0.97]). Nurses whose units had ceiling lifts were significantly less likely to report shoulder pain than nurses with no access to lifts ( OR = 0.32, 95% CI [0.10-0.98]). Roughly 60% of respondents were aware of the SPH law, and 33% reported changes in their hospital's patient handling policies or programs since the law went into effect. Hospital SPH practices reported by the nurses in our sample were generally sub-optimal, but our findings suggest positive effects of elements required by SPH legislation. These data will serve as the baseline for future evaluation of the impact of this law in California. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

California is a pioneer in energy system innovations, and it is not surprising that the state is leading the nation in the adoption of microgrids. However, the inherent characteristics of microgrids make them challenging to integrate and operate within the current energy system. This is mainly because unlike other decentralized energy systems, microgrids often tend to interact with the centralized grid infrastructure as both a parallel and a competing distribution grid model at the micro scale. The adoption and integration of microgrids, therefore, represents a socio-technical transition in the electric power sector. In this context, this study relies on the Multi-Level Perspective framework to examine the drivers, contexts, processes, and policies that have enabled an ongoing transition in California's electricity system that has allowed adoption of microgrids. The analysis shows that even though several drivers carry weight, including resilience concerns and market factors, California's pathway to microgrids is largely driven by the legislative and regulatory push toward clean energy and a symbiotic relationship between powerful regime actors and a microgrid niche. This is enabling a transformation in the state's energy system, in which the entry of microgrids is subtly facilitated by the regime in a way that does not threaten the current utility-dominated electricity system. By providing a detailed account of how a decentralized energy system that challenges the centralized grid regime has made its place in the centralized grid regime in California, this paper identifies the key facets that affect the integration of microgrids in the broader context of energy transitions. • A Multi-Level Perspective analysis of microgrid adoption in California is presented. • Legislative and regulatory push toward clean energy is driving this transition. • Microgrids are being nurtured by a symbiotic relationship between regime and niche. • The study shows that symbiotic niche-regime relationship is key in energy transitions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Turbidity currents, underwater avalanches of sediments, are one of the principle mechanisms of moving sediment across our planet. Only rivers transport comparable sediment volumes. However, turbidity currents are fundamentally different to rivers because they are driven by the weight of sediment they carry, which cause unstable behaviour. Faster flows could pick up more sediment, and self-accelerate (ignite). Slower flows might deposit sediment, and dissipate. Previously, turbidity currents are notoriously difficult to directly monitor, due to their location, episodic occurrence and ability to damage instruments placed in their path. Therefore, the fundamental ignition theories of how erosion and deposition control the evolution of turbidity currents are poorly constrained.Here we analyse the most detailed measurements yet from turbidity current evolution over tens of kilometres. Seven moorings measuring velocity were placed in Monterey Canyon, offshore California, over 18 months. These moorings captured 13 separate flows, and include the fastest flows yet measured by moorings, with some flows that ran out for over 50 km. Using the data from seven different locations, we analyse temporal and spatial patterns of flow behaviour. We test existing ignition models against our data, and propose a new general model of turbidity current evolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article reports on the implementation of state regulations requiring general acute care hospitals to have a safe patient handling policy that includes replacing manual lifting with powered transfer devices in California in October 2014.

Describes the patient lift/transfer program implemented by the El Camino Hospital in Mountainview, California to prevent injuries in its healthcare workers. Use of pagers carried by employees on a particular floor of the hospital to create a transfer team page; Number of members for each transfer team, comprised of nurses and certified nursing assistants.