Typology of employers offering line manager training for mental health.

BACKGROUND: Mental ill health has a high economic impact on society and employers. National and international policy advocates line manager (LM) training in mental health as a key intervention, but little is known about employer training provisions. AIMS: To explore the prevalence and characteristics of organizations that offer LM training in mental health. METHODS: Secondary analysis of existing longitudinal anonymised organizational-level survey data derived from computer-assisted telephone interview surveys collected in four waves (2020:1900 firms, 2021:1551, 2022:1904, 2023:1902) in England, before, during and after a global pandemic. RESULTS: The proportion of organizations offering LM training in mental health increased pre- to post-pandemic (2020:50%, 2023:59%) but 41% do not currently provide it. Logistic regression confirmed that LM training is more likely to be offered by large-sized enterprises, organizations with a larger proportion of employees who are younger (aged 25-49), female, disabled and from ethnic minority communities. Sector patterns were inconsistent, but in 2023, organizations from the 'Hospitality' and 'Business Services' sectors were more likely to provide LM training than other sectors. CONCLUSIONS: Continued efforts are needed to increase the proportion of employers offering LM training in mental health, particularly small- to medium-sized enterprises, and organizations with predominantly male, White and/or older workforces.

Wool Base determination using dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA).

An industry grade dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) scanner was calibrated for Wool Base determination. The calibration used 201 Crossbred and Merino wool samples, and a further 72 samples to validate the calibration. The prediction correlation had the smallest residual standard deviation (RSD) when the independently measured mean fibre diameter (MFD) was included in the multiple regression analysis. Best results were achieved when separate calibrations were used for individual wool breeds. The RSD for the Merino calibration set of 44 samples was 1.88, when the MFD was included in the regression, and 2.1 without. The RSD for 144 Crossbred samples was 1.73 including the MFD, and 2.59 without. The validation trial with 46 Crossbred and 24 Merino wool samples resulted in RSD of 2.35 and 2.23, respectively. An excellent DEXA repeatability was achieved at a standard deviation of approximately 0.2%. Improvement of the calibration is expected from concurrent laboratory testing and scanning. The research shows the promising potential for DEXA as a tool to determine Wool Base.

Comparing neutron and X-ray-based dual beam gauges for characterising industrial organic-based materials.

Comparisons are made of the neutron gamma transmission (NEUGAT) and dual energy X-ray absorption (DEXA) methods of measuring the composition of organic-based industrial products. A simple model is developed to allow comparisons to be made particularly of the measurement precision and the industrial performance. These gauges have similar applications but the latter gauge is shown to be more suitable for high and variable product throughputs. X-ray tube source and detector combinations provide higher beam fluxes, superior imaging and require less bulky shielding.

Features of the measurement of fat in meat using the neutron/gamma transmission (NEUGAT) method.

Practical requirements for the non-invasive measurement of the composition by weight of fat in boneless meat are discussed including taking into account the effects of variation in product thickness, and illustrating the importance of the dual beam approach in making measurements for production-line meat boxes. Insensitivity to the fat distribution and product temperature, and the agreement between the theoretical and experimental values of the statistical spread are shown. A comparison is made of measurement using an 241Am-Be and a 252Cf source.

Absolute measurement of the neutron sensitivity of a ZP1320 geiger-Müller counter using the associated-particle technique.

Because of their low neutron sensitivity Geiger-Müller counters are often used in mixed-field dosimetry to determine the photon dose fraction. The associated-particle technique has been used to determine absolutely the neutron sensitivity of an energy-compensated ZP1320 Geiger-Müller counter at 3 MeV. The measurement is consistent with previous measurements using this type of counter.