Challenges for Research into Military Investigations

In cases of suspected violations of rules, regulations or the law by armed forces personnel, investigations are invariably mandatory. Military investigations differ from well-researched civilian criminal investigations. Differing from civilian police detectives, most military investigators – as disciplinary supervisors and military police personnel – have a number of tasks to accomplish, which include leading in combat and ensuring military readiness. Military investigations can lead to substantive negative or positive consequences for military readiness, including mental health, unit cohesion and subjective legal certainty. This impact on unit cohesion and mental health is influenced by any prior history of distress or trauma; military investigations are often preceded by contravention of internal disciplinary acts, complaints and traumatic events. This study explores factors in the differing military and legal systems of Germany and the United Kingdom (UK) that might help military personnel to successfully conduct investigations while ensuring deployment readiness and maintaining human rights.     

Risk and protective factors for wellbeing in older veterans in New Zealand

Objectives: To compare indicators relating to aging and health among veterans and non-veterans, and identify factors associated with subjective wellbeing (SWB) of older New Zealand veterans.

Methods: Self-reported data were obtained from participants in a longitudinal cohort study of New Zealand older adults. Responses from 352 veterans and 1500 non-veterans (age range of 55–86 and gender matched) were selected as a comparison group on indicators related to health and aging. The association of these indicators with veterans’ SWB were assessed using hierarchical regression.

Results: Apart from being older, smoking more, and having more chronic conditions, veterans did not differ from non-veterans on indicators of health and wellbeing. Mental health, physical health, purpose in life, housing satisfaction, and capabilities (choice and freedom) accounted for a significant amount of variance in veterans’ SWB.

Conclusion: Our results suggest that older veterans do not differ greatly on indices of health and aging from their non-veteran peers. Results support previous findings that lower mental and physical health is associated with lower SWB for veterans. Building upon prior findings, the current results demonstrate that interventions focusing on enhancing a sense of purpose in life, supporting one's capability to achieve, and strengthening social and physical environment through social connectedness, may serve as protective factors for SWB in veterans.     

Successful Distal Urethral Stone Removal in the Emergency Department

Nephrolithiasis is a common pathology encountered in the primary care and emergency department (ED) setting. In 2009 alone, there were over one million ED visits related to nephrolithiasis Higa et al. (2017) [1]. Emergent treatment options range from non-invasive pain control and patient education to lithotripsy and other invasive urologic procedures depending on stone location and related pathology. Urethral calculi are estimated to represent 0.3% of all urinary stone diseases Verit et al. (2006) [2]. There are very few case reports documenting distal urethral stone removal in the ED. Here we present a case of distal urethral stone impaction and the removal of this stone by ED providers, leading to expedited care and prevention of consultation and possible admission.     

Associations of metabolically healthy obesity with prevalence and progression of coronary artery calcification: Results from the Heinz Nixdorf Recall Cohort Study

Background and aims

There is controversy on the potentially benign nature of metabolically healthy obesity (MHO), i.e., obese persons with few or no metabolic abnormalities. So far, associations between MHO and coronary artery calcification (CAC), a measure of subclinical atherosclerosis, have mainly been studied cross-sectionally in Asian populations. We assessed cross-sectional and longitudinal MHO CAC associations in a Caucasian population.

Late outcomes of strategic arch resection in acute type A aortic dissection

Objective

To compare perioperative and long-term outcomes in patients undergoing hemiarch and aggressive arch replacement for acute type A aortic dissection (ATAAD).

Influence of Pulmonary Hypertension on Intrahospital Mortality in Lung Transplantation for Interstitial Lung Disease

Background

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a comorbidity associated with interstitial lung disease (ILD). The purpose of this study was to evaluate the influence of PH on intrahospital mortality in lung transplantation (LT) for ILD.

Motor and language deficits correlate with resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging networks in patients with brain tumors

Background and purpose

Evidence of pre-operative resting state functional magnetic resonance (RS-fMRI) validation by correlating it with clinical pre-operative status in brain tumor patients is scarce. Our aim was to validate the functional relevance of RS-fMRI by investigating the association between RS-fMRI and pre-operative motor and language function performance in patients with brain tumor.