Information sharing between the National Health Service and criminal justice system in the United Kingdom

Offenders with mental health problems often have complex and interrelated needs which separately challenge the criminal justice system (CJS) and National Health Service (NHS) in the United Kingdom (U.K.). Consequently, interagency collaboration and timely information sharing are essential. This study focused on the sharing of information about people with mental health problems in contact with the CJS. Questionnaires were distributed to a range of health and criminal justice personnel. The results showed that there was a mismatch between what service user information criminal justice agencies felt they needed and what was routinely received. Prison Service staff received more information (between 15% and 37%) from health agencies than the police (between 6% and 22%). Health professionals received most of the information they needed from criminal justice agencies (between 55% and 85%). Sharing service user information was impeded by incompatible computer systems and restrictions due to data protection/confidentiality requirements. In the U.K., recent governmental publications have highlighted the importance of information sharing; however there remains a clear mismatch between what health related information about service users criminal justice agencies need, and what is actually received. Better guidance is required to encourage and empower people to share.     

Rab GTPases as regulators of endocytosis,targets of disease and therapeutic opportunities

Agola JO, Jim PA, Ward HH, BasuRay S, Wandinger‐Ness A. Rab GTPases as regulators of endocytosis, targets of disease and therapeutic opportunities. Rab GTPases are well‐recognized targets in human disease, although are underexplored therapeutically. Elucidation of how mutant or dysregulated Rab GTPases and accessory proteins contribute to organ specific and systemic disease remains an area of intensive study and an essential foundation for effective drug targeting. Mutation of Rab GTPases or associated regulatory proteins causes numerous human genetic diseases. Cancer, neurodegeneration and diabetes represent examples of acquired human diseases resulting from the up‐ or downregulation or aberrant function of Rab GTPases. The broad range of physiologic processes and organ systems affected by altered Rab GTPase activity is based on pivotal roles in responding to cell signaling and metabolic demand through the coordinated regulation of membrane trafficking. The Rab‐regulated processes of cargo sorting, cytoskeletal translocation of vesicles and appropriate fusion with the target membranes control cell metabolism, viability, growth and differentiation. In this review, we focus on Rab GTPase roles in endocytosis to illustrate normal function and the consequences of dysregulation resulting in human disease. Selected examples are designed to illustrate how defects in Rab GTPase cascades alter endocytic trafficking that underlie neurologic, lipid storage, and metabolic bone disorders as well as cancer. Perspectives on potential therapeutic modulation of GTPase activity through small molecule interventions are provided.     

Gender differences in satisfaction with life in patients with coronary heart disease: physical activity as a possible mediating factor

The objective of the present study was to examine if time varying, mediating effect of physical activity plays an important role in the gender-satisfaction with life relationship. Six hundred four male and 197 female patients were included. Principal outcomes of interest were self-report satisfaction with life and physical activity at baseline, 6, 12 and 24 months. The Krull and MacKinnon procedure for hierarchical linear modeling showed that the change in physical activity mediated the gender-satisfaction with life over a 2 year period. Results from the current study suggest that increased physical activity partially explains why males report having increased well-being than females after hospitalization. This suggests that future interventions need to focus on reducing the gender disparity in physical activity to improve differences noted in satisfaction with life. If higher physical activity levels impact satisfaction with life positively, the importance of physical activity for female patients is warranted.