Reframing Our Pursuit of Life Balance

During our time in the 2013 Academic Leadership Fellows Program, we explored what it takes to achieve life balance through a framework presented in a Harvard Business Review article. In this Statement, we describe 5 different areas from the article that provide infrastructure for reflecting on how we have learned to approach life balance in academia. We also provide brief messages based on this reading and others to help academics’ pursuit of life balance.     

Fatal Consequences: Obstructive Sleep Apnea in a Train Engineer

This special report describes the findings of the National Transportation Safety Board’s investigation into the probable cause of the derailment of a Metro-North passenger train in the Bronx, New York on December 1, 2013, that resulted in 4 deaths and injuries to 59 additional persons. A key finding in the medical investigation was the engineer’s post-accident diagnosis of severe, obstructive sleep apnea, and the probable cause of the accident was determined to be the result of the engineer having fallen asleep while operating the train. This accident highlights the importance of screening, evaluating, and ensuring adequate treatment of obstructive sleep apnea, particularly among patients working in positions where impairment of physical or cognitive function or sudden incapacitation may result in serious harm to the public.     

Evaluating Progress in Radon Control Activities for Lung Cancer Prevention in National Comprehensive Cancer Control Program Plans, 2011–2015

Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer among smokers and the leading cause among nonsmokers. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Comprehensive Cancer Control Program (NCCCP) funds every state, seven tribes, seven territories and the District of Columbia to develop formal cancer plans that focus efforts in cancer control. A 2010 review of cancer plans identified radon-related activities in 27 (42%) plans. Since then, 37 coalitions have updated their plans with new or revised cancer control objectives. There has also been recent efforts to increase awareness about radon among cancer coalitions. This study assesses NCCCP grantees current radon activities and changes since the 2010 review. We reviewed all 65 NCCCP grantee cancer plans created from 2005 to 2015 for radon related search terms and categorized plans by radon activities. The program’s most recent annual progress report to CDC was also reviewed. We then compared the results from the updated plans with the findings from the 2010 review to assess changes in radon activities among cancer coalitions. Changes in state radon laws between 2010 and 2015 were also assessed. While a number of cancer plans have added or expanded radon-specific activities since 2010, approximately one-third of NCCCP grantees still do not include radon in their cancer plans. Cancer programs can consider addressing radon through partnership with existing radon control programs to further reduce the risk of lung cancer, especially among non-smokers.     

Biomechanical,metabolic and cardiopulmonary responses of masters recreational runners during running at different speeds

This study tested interactions between age and running speed on biomechanics, metabolic responses and cardiopulmonary responses. Three-hundred participants ran at preferred and standardized speeds. Age group (younger, masters [≥40 years]) by speed (self-selected 8.8 km/h, 11.2 km/h and 13.6 km/h) interactions were tested on main outcomes of sagittal kinematic, temporal spatial, metabolic and cardiopulmonary parameters. At all speeds, angular displacements of the ankle, pelvis and knee were less in masters than younger runners (Hedges g effect size range = 0.30–1.04; all p < 0.05). A significant age group by speed interaction existed for hip angular displacement (Wald χ² = 10.753; p = 0.013). Masters runners ran at higher relative heart rates (p < 0.05) but at similar rates of oxygen use and energy expenditure. Masters runners used hip-dominant motion and step lengthening as running speed increased, but did not change centre of mass vertical displacement. This may increase mechanical stresses on tissues of the lower extremity in masters runners, especially hamstrings, hip joint and Achilles.     

Innovation at the Intersection of Alcohol and HIV Research

Working in an interdisciplinary manner at the crossroads of alcohol and HIV research is a challenge. This paper presents six novel approaches that could be applied to activities at the intersection of alcohol and HIV. These approaches are (i) address the fact that the availability of new technology is unevenly distributed around the world, (ii) use technology to move beyond both paper and digital surveys, (iii) introduce a focus on advocacy and partnerships with large technology companies, (iv) harness technological innovation to utilise digital counselling, (v) explore the use of virtual reality in both research and delivering interventions, and (vi) consider alternative funding models to those currently in existence to improve efficiencies and innovations. Aiming to understand the interplay of alcohol and HIV will require creativity. The six approaches outlines in this paper provide possible directions from which new approaches may emerge.