This study aimed to assess nutritional intake, sports nutrition knowledge and risk of Low Energy Availability (LEA) in female Australian rules football players. Victorian Football League Women’s competition (VFLW) players (n = 30) aged 18–35 (weight: 64.5 kg ± 8.0; height: 168.2 cm ± 7.6) were recruited from Victoria, Australia. Nutritional intake was quantified on training days using the Automated 24 h Dietary Assessment Tool (ASA24-Australia), and sports nutrition knowledge was measured by the 88-item Sports Nutrition Knowledge Questionnaire (SNKQ). The risk of LEA was assessed using the Low Energy Availability in Females Questionnaire (LEAF-Q). Daily mean carbohydrate intake in the current investigation was 3 g⋅kg−1⋅d−1, therefore, below the minimum carbohydrate recommendation for moderate exercise of approximately one hour per day (5–7 g⋅kg−1⋅d−1) and for moderate to intense exercise for 1–3 h per day (6–10 g⋅kg−1⋅d−1) for 96.3% and 100% of players, respectively. Daily mean protein intake was 1.5 g⋅kg−1⋅d−1, therefore, consistent with recommendations (1.2–2.0 g⋅kg−1⋅d−1) for 77.8% of players. Daily mean calcium intake was 924.8 mg⋅d−1, therefore, below recommendations (1000 mg⋅d−1) for 65.5% of players, while mean iron intake was 12.2 mg⋅d−1, also below recommendations (18 mg⋅d−1) for 100% of players. Players answered 54.5% of SNKQ questions correctly, with the lowest scores observed in the section on supplements. Risk of LEA was evident in 30% of players, with no differences in carbohydrate (p = 0.238), protein (p = 0.296), fat (p = 0.490) or energy (p = 0.971) intakes between players at risk of LEA and those not at risk. The results suggest that female Australian rules football players have an inadequate intake of carbohydrate and calcium and low sports nutrition knowledge. Further investigation to assess the risk of LEA using direct measures is required.

In recent years, police officers in the US have been under increased public scrutiny, which may have affected both the public perception of the police as well as the desire of individuals to choose a career in law enforcement. In particular, many police departments have been criticised for their treatment of racial and ethnic minorities.This study compared responses of 131 police recruits and graduates with the results of a study with an earlier cohort of this population conducted in 1983. The goals of the present study were (a) to determine whether the relative importance of reported reasons for choosing a police career had changed; (b) to evaluate how demographic variables may play a role in career choice; and (c) to replicate the factor structure of the original questionnaire to assess its ongoing utility. Results indicated that the relative importance of reasons changed slightly, with small but significant differences for women and minorities. The factor structure of the original study was essentially replicated, indicating that the factors motivating individuals to seek a police career have remained stable over time. These results are discussed in terms of their implications for career counsellors working with individuals considering a career in police work.

ObjectiveThe aim of the study was to investigate symptoms of long-term central nervous system (CNS) toxicity in HIV-positive patients treated with efavirenz (EFV). MethodsWe carried out a single-centre, cross-sectional case-control study comparing patients treated with EFV for at least 6 months with a matched control group. Self-administered, standardized questionnaires including the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scales (DASS), the Cognitive Failures Questionnaire (CFQ) and a questionnaire on unusual dreams, insomnia, fatigue, dizziness, depersonalization and derealization were administered. ResultsData for 32 matched pairs were analysed. Significantly higher total stress scores (P 5 0.008) were found in the EFV group. Of the patients in this group, 19% also reported severe to extremely severe levels of stress (P 5 0.014), indicating increased difficulty in relaxing, and being more irritable, impatient, agitated and easily upset. Nineteen per cent of patients treated with EFV also reported severe levels of anxiety (P 5 0.059) as assessed with the DASS scale. This patient group also reported a higher rate of unusual dreams (P 5 0.049). No significant differences between groups were found for measures of cognitive impairments, fatigue, dizziness, derealization or depersonalization. ConclusionEFV-treated patients reported higher levels of severe stress and anxiety as well as a higher rate of unusual dreams than patients not treated with EFV. These differences may be an expression of persisting CNS side effects in patients who remain on EFV for a prolonged period.

BackgroundA need exists, from both a clinical and a research standpoint, for objective sleep measurement systems that are both easy to use and can accurately assess sleep and wake. This study evaluates the output of an automated sleep–wake detection algorithm (Z-ALG) used in the Zmachine (a portable, single-channel, electroencephalographic [EEG] acquisition and analysis system) against laboratory polysomnography (PSG) using a consensus of expert visual scorers.MethodsOvernight laboratory PSG studies from 99 subjects (52 females/47 males, 18–60 years, median age 32.7 years), including both normal sleepers and those with a variety of sleep disorders, were assessed. PSG data obtained from the differential mastoids (A1–A2) were assessed by Z-ALG, which determines sleep versus wake every 30 seconds using low-frequency, intermediate-frequency, and high-frequency and time domain EEG features. PSG data were independently scored by two to four certified PSG technologists, using standard Rechtschaffen and Kales guidelines, and these score files were combined on an epoch-by-epoch basis, using a majority voting rule, to generate a single score file per subject to compare against the Z-ALG output. Both epoch-by-epoch and standard sleep indices (eg, total sleep time, sleep efficiency, latency to persistent sleep, and wake after sleep onset) were compared between the Z-ALG output and the technologist consensus score files.ResultsOverall, the sensitivity and specificity for detecting sleep using the Z-ALG as compared to the technologist consensus are 95.5% and 92.5%, respectively, across all subjects, and the positive predictive value and the negative predictive value for detecting sleep are 98.0% and 84.2%, respectively. Overall κ agreement is 0.85 (approaching the level of agreement observed among sleep technologists). These results persist when the sleep disorder subgroups are analyzed separately.ConclusionThis study demonstrates that the Z-ALG automated sleep–wake detection algorithm, using the single A1–A2 EEG channel, has a level of accuracy that is similar to PSG technologists in the scoring of sleep and wake, thereby making it suitable for a variety of in-home monitoring applications, such as in conjunction with the Zmachine system.

The number of off-premises alcohol outlets in a locality is associated with the level of harmful alcohol consumption in that area. Reducing the number of off-premises alcohol outlets could reduce levels of harmful alcohol consumption.