Development and validation of Aviation Causal Contributors for Error Reporting Systems (ACCERS).

PubMed

Baker, David P; Krokos, Kelley J

2007-04-01

This investigation sought to develop a reliable and valid classification system for identifying and classifying the underlying causes of pilot errors reported under the Aviation Safety Action Program (ASAP). ASAP is a voluntary safety program that air carriers may establish to study pilot and crew performance on the line. In ASAP programs, similar to the Aviation Safety Reporting System, pilots self-report incidents by filing a short text description of the event. The identification of contributors to errors is critical if organizations are to improve human performance, yet it is difficult for analysts to extract this information from text narratives. A taxonomy was needed that could be used by pilots to classify the causes of errors. After completing a thorough literature review, pilot interviews and a card-sorting task were conducted in Studies 1 and 2 to develop the initial structure of the Aviation Causal Contributors for Event Reporting Systems (ACCERS) taxonomy. The reliability and utility of ACCERS was then tested in studies 3a and 3b by having pilots independently classify the primary and secondary causes of ASAP reports. The results provided initial evidence for the internal and external validity of ACCERS. Pilots were found to demonstrate adequate levels of agreement with respect to their category classifications. ACCERS appears to be a useful system for studying human error captured under pilot ASAP reports. Future work should focus on how ACCERS is organized and whether it can be used or modified to classify human error in ASAP programs for other aviation-related job categories such as dispatchers. Potential applications of this research include systems in which individuals self-report errors and that attempt to extract and classify the causes of those events.

Commitment to Environmental Sustainability in the UK Student Population

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cotton, Debby R. E.; Alcock, Ian

2013-01-01

Sustainability is an increasingly important issue in higher education, both in the UK and internationally. Although environmental sustainability is the most frequently identified of the three pillars of sustainability (social and economic sustainability being less widely understood), there has been little previous research which has quantitatively…

An Introduction to ESERO-UK, the UK Space Education Office

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clements, Allan; Mather, Edward

2012-01-01

This article introduces the UK branch of the European Space Education Resource Office (ESERO-UK), also known as the UK Space Education Office. It is a teaching project designed to use space to enthuse primary and secondary students to study science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) subjects. The office is funded by the European Space…

Pathways Intern Report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Huggett, Daniel James

2017-01-01

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) provides a formal training program for prospective employees titled, Pathways Intern Employment. The Pathways program targets graduate and undergraduate students who strive to become an active contributor to NASA's goal of space exploration. The report herein provides an account of Daniel Huggett's Pathways experience for the Spring and Summer 2017 semesters.

Activity, content, contributors, and influencers of the twitter discussion on urologic oncology.

PubMed

Borgmann, Hendrik; Loeb, Stacy; Salem, Johannes; Thomas, Christian; Haferkamp, Axel; Murphy, Declan G; Tsaur, Igor

2016-09-01

To analyse the activity, content, contributors, and influencers of the Twitter discussion on urologic oncology. We performed a comprehensive quantitative and qualitative Twitter analysis for the hashtags #prostatecancer, #bladdercancer, #kidneycancer, and #testicularcancer. Symplur was used to analyse activity over different time periods and the top influencers of the Twitter discussion. Tweet Archivist and Twitonomy analysis tools were used to assess characteristics of content and contributors. Twitter discussion on urologic oncology in 2014 contained 100,987 tweets created by 39,326 participants. Mean monthly tweet activity was 6,603±2,183 for #prostatecancer, 866±923 for #testicularcancer, 457±477 for #bladdercancer and 401±504 for #kidneycancer. Twitter activity increased by 41% in 2013 and by 122% in 2014. The content analysis detected awareness, cancer, and risk as frequently mentioned words in urologic oncology tweets. Prevalently used related hashtags were the general hashtag #cancer, awareness hashtags, and the respective cancer/urology tag ontology hashtags. Contributors originated from 41 countries on 6 continents and had a mean of 5,864±4,747 followers. They tweeted from platforms on exclusively mobile devices (39%) more frequently than from desktop devices (29%). Health care organizations accounted for 58% of the top influencers in all cancers. The largest proportion of physicians were among the #prostatecancer and #kidneycancer (each 9%) influencers and individual contributors were most frequent in the discussion on #kidneycancer (57%) and #testicularcancer (50%). There is a significant and growing activity in the Twitter discussion on urologic oncology, particularly on #prostatecancer. The Twitter discussion is global, social, and mobile, and merits attention of stakeholders in health care as a promising communication tool. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Surgical simulators in urological training--views of UK Training Programme Directors.

PubMed

Forster, James A; Browning, Anthony J; Paul, Alan B; Biyani, C Shekhar

2012-09-01

What's known on the subject? and What does the study add? The role of surgical simulators is currently being debated in urological and other surgical specialties. Simulators are not presently implemented in the UK urology training curriculum. The availability of simulators and the opinions of Training Programme Directors' (TPD) on their role have not been described. In the present questionnaire-based survey, the trainees of most, but not all, UK TPDs had access to laparoscopic simulators, and that all responding TPDs thought that simulators improved laparoscopic training. We hope that the present study will be a positive step towards making an agreement to formally introduce simulators into the UK urology training curriculum. To discuss the current situation on the use of simulators in surgical training. To determine the views of UK Urology Training Programme Directors (TPDs) on the availability and use of simulators in Urology at present, and to discuss the role that simulators may have in future training. An online-questionnaire survey was distributed to all UK Urology TPDs. In all, 16 of 21 TPDs responded. All 16 thought that laparoscopic simulators improved the quality of laparoscopic training. The trainees of 13 TPDs had access to a laparoscopic simulator (either in their own hospital or another hospital in the deanery). Most TPDs thought that trainees should use simulators in their free time, in quiet time during work hours, or in teaching sessions (rather than incorporated into the weekly timetable). We feel that the current apprentice-style method of training in urological surgery is out-dated. We think that all TPDs and trainees should have access to a simulator, and that a formal competency based simulation training programme should be incorporated into the urology training curriculum, with trainees reaching a minimum proficiency on a simulator before undertaking surgical procedures. © 2012 THE AUTHORS. BJU INTERNATIONAL © 2012 BJU INTERNATIONAL.

Effects of Contributor Experience on the Quality of Health-Related Wikipedia Articles.

PubMed

Holtz, Peter; Fetahu, Besnik; Kimmerle, Joachim

2018-05-10

Consulting the Internet for health-related information is a common and widespread phenomenon, and Wikipedia is arguably one of the most important resources for health-related information. Therefore, it is relevant to identify factors that have an impact on the quality of health-related Wikipedia articles. In our study we have hypothesized a positive effect of contributor experience on the quality of health-related Wikipedia articles. We mined the edit history of all (as of February 2017) 18,805 articles that were listed in the categories on the portal health & fitness in the English language version of Wikipedia. We identified tags within the articles' edit histories, which indicated potential issues with regard to the respective article's quality or neutrality. Of all of the sampled articles, 99 (99/18,805, 0.53%) articles had at some point received at least one such tag. In our analysis we only considered those articles with a minimum of 10 edits (10,265 articles in total; 96 tagged articles, 0.94%). Additionally, to test our hypothesis, we constructed contributor profiles, where a profile consisted of all the articles edited by a contributor and the corresponding number of edits contributed. We did not differentiate between rollbacks and edits with novel content. Nonparametric Mann-Whitney U-tests indicated a higher number of previously edited articles for editors of the nontagged articles (mean rank tagged 2348.23, mean rank nontagged 5159.29; U=9.25, P<.001). However, we did not find a significant difference for the contributors' total number of edits (mean rank tagged 4872.85, mean rank nontagged 5135.48; U=0.87, P=.39). Using logistic regression analysis with the respective article's number of edits and number of editors as covariates, only the number of edited articles yielded a significant effect on the article's status as tagged versus nontagged (dummy-coded; Nagelkerke R 2 for the full model=.17; B [SE B]=-0.001 [0.00]; Wald c 2 [1]=19.70; P<.001

The International Mycological Association: its history in brief with summaries of its International Mycological Congresses and diverse international relationships.

PubMed

Simmons, Emory G

2010-06-01

This history presents a review of International Mycological Association activities, its international congresses, and its relationships with regional mycological associations as well as with international organizations of other scientific disciplines. The IMA was organized in 1971 during the First Mycological Congress (IMC-1) convened at Exeter, U.K. In the period 1971 to 2010, nine international congresses have been held, each with its own organizational structure but under the guidance of one of the successive inter-Congress management groups of IMA officers and executive committee members. The congress list includes Exeter, U.K.; Tampa, U.S.A.; Tokyo, Japan; Regensburg, Germany; Vancouver, Canada; Jerusalem, Israel; Oslo, Norway; Cairns, Australia; and Edinburgh, Scotland. Inter-congress activities of each IMA executive group are summarized. The characteristics of each congress are surveyed as to organization, programming, attendance numbers, finances, and satellite meetings.The IMA has sponsored the establishment of Regional Mycological Associations beginning in 1977 and has lent operational funding. Regional associations currently are functional and hold their own regional congresses in Africa, Asia, Australasia, Europe, and Latin America. The relationships of the IMA with other organizations recognized within the supra-national International Council of Scientific Unions are discussed.

International collaboration in medical radiation science.

PubMed

Denham, Gary; Allen, Carla; Platt, Jane

2016-06-01

International collaboration is recognised for enhancing the ability to approach complex problems from a variety of perspectives, increasing development of a wider range of research skills and techniques and improving publication and acceptance rates. The aim of this paper is to describe the current status of international collaboration in medical radiation science and compare this to other allied health occupations. This study utilised a content analysis approach where co-authorship of a journal article was used as a proxy for research collaboration and the papers were assigned to countries based on the corporate address given in the by-line of the publication. A convenience sample method was employed and articles published in the professional medical radiation science journals in the countries represented within our research team - Australia, the United Kingdom (UK) and the United States of America (USA) were sampled. Physiotherapy, speech pathology, occupational therapy and nursing were chosen for comparison. Rates of international collaboration in medical radiation science journals from Australia, the UK and the USA have steadily increased over the 3-year period sampled. Medical radiation science demonstrated lower average rates of international collaboration than the other allied health occupations sampled. The average rate of international collaboration in nursing was far below that of the allied health occupations sampled. Overall, the UK had the highest average rate of international collaboration, followed by Australia and the USA, the lowest. Overall, medical radiation science is lagging in international collaboration in comparison to other allied health fields.

What happened to smokers’ beliefs about light cigarettes when “light/mild” brand descriptors were banned in the UK? Findings from the International Tobacco Control (ITC) Four Country Survey

PubMed Central

Borland, R; Fong, G T; Yong, H-H; Cummings, K M; Hammond, D; King, B; Siahpush, M; McNeill, A; Hastings, G; O’Connor, R J; Elton-Marshall, T; Zanna, M P

2015-01-01

Aim This paper examines how beliefs of smokers in the UK were affected by the removal of “light” and “mild” brand descriptors, which came into effect on 30 September 2003 for Member States of the European Union (EU). Participants The data come from the first four waves (2002–2005) of the International Tobacco Control Policy Evaluation (ITC) Four-Country Survey, an annual cohort telephone survey of adult smokers in Canada, USA, UK and Australia (15 450 individual cases). Design The UK ban on misleading descriptors occurred around the second wave of data collection in the ITC survey, permitting us to compare beliefs about light cigarettes among adult smokers in the UK before and after the ban, with beliefs in the three other ITC countries unaffected by the ban. Results There was a substantial decline in reported beliefs about the benefits of light cigarettes in the UK following the policy change and an associated public information campaign, but by 2005 (ie, wave 4), these beliefs rebounded slightly and the change in beliefs was no greater than in the USA, where there was no policy change. Conclusions The findings reveal that high levels of misperceptions about light cigarettes existed among smokers in all four countries before and after the EU ban took effect. We cannot conclude that the policy of removing some aspects of misleading labels has been effective in changing beliefs about light cigarettes. Efforts to correct decades of consumer misperceptions about light cigarettes must extend beyond simply removing “light” and “mild” brand descriptors. PMID:18426868

Qualitative risk analysis of introducing Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis to the UK through the importation of live amphibians.

PubMed

Peel, Alison J; Hartley, Matt; Cunningham, Andrew A

2012-03-20

The international amphibian trade is implicated in the emergence and spread of the amphibian fungal disease chytridiomycosis, which has resulted in amphibian declines and extinctions globally. The establishment of the causal pathogen, Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), in the UK could negatively affect the survival of native amphibian populations. In recognition of the ongoing threat that it poses to amphibians, Bd was recently included in the World Organisation for Animal Health Aquatic Animal Health Code, and therefore is in the list of international notifiable diseases. Using standardised risk analysis guidelines, we investigated the likelihood that Bd would be introduced to and become established in wild amphibians in the UK through the importation of live amphibians. We obtained data on the volume and origin of the amphibian trade entering the UK and detected Bd infection in amphibians being imported for the pet and private collection trade and also in amphibians already held in captive pet, laboratory and zoological collections. We found that current systems for recording amphibian trade into the UK underestimate the volume of non-European Union trade by almost 10-fold. We identified high likelihoods of entry, establishment and spread of Bd in the UK and the resulting major overall impact. Despite uncertainties, we determined that the overall risk estimation for the introduction of Bd to the UK through the importation of live amphibians is high and that risk management measures are required, whilst ensuring that negative effects on legal trade are minimised.

Overseas Chinese students in the UK: patterns and correlates of their use of Western and traditional Chinese medicine.

PubMed

Bishop, Felicity L; Lim, Chiw Yeh; Leydon, Geraldine M; Lewith, George T

2009-02-01

We explored the correlates of use of TCM and WM by ethnic Chinese students in the UK. A questionnaire assessed key theoretical determinants of health services use. One hundred and seventy ethnic Chinese participants (international students at one university in the South of England) completed this questionnaire (presented in English and Chinese) assessing their demographic characteristics, health status, attitudes towards and use of TCM and WM. Participants were more likely to use WM than TCM when they were in the UK. Different variables predicted use of WM and TCM. The statistical predictors (demographic characteristics, health status, past behaviour, attitudes) explained modest but important proportions of the variance in use of WM (37%) and TCM (29%). In conclusion, this small exploratory study suggests a need for further research on the health care utilisation of this growing body of international students. Improved language support is needed for international students in UK health care settings.

[Career guidance for registered nurse in the UK].

PubMed

Simón Melchor, Lucía; Simón Melchor, Alba

2014-04-01

Cuts in temporary contracts has had big consequences for newly qualified nurses with regards to finding employment. This cut in contracts has resulted in a doubling in the rate of unemployment in this profession. In the past nurses emigrated to other countries for purposes like knowledge of the language or to extend their training and experience, however today the emigration has become the only way out for many professional nurses. The reputation of nurses in Spain is recognised internationally, with the UK being one of the countries with the largest demand for Spanish nurses. Due to the great amount of job opportunities that are emerging in the UK, nurses need help and guidance in their careers, and also nurses need training in areas such as Professional Body, developing a curriculum, facing an interview etc...

Annual Review of Competence Progression (ARCP) performance of doctors who passed Professional and Linguistic Assessments Board (PLAB) tests compared with UK medical graduates: national data linkage study

PubMed Central

Illing, Jan; Kasim, Adetayo S; McLachlan, John C

2014-01-01

Objective To determine whether use of the Professional and Linguistic Assessments Board (PLAB) examination system used to grant registration for international medical graduates results in equivalent postgraduate medical performance, as evaluated at Annual Review of Competence Progression (ARCP), between UK based doctors who qualified overseas and those who obtained their primary medical qualification from UK universities. Design Observational study linking ARCP outcome data from the UK deaneries with PLAB test performance and demographic data held by the UK General Medical Council (GMC). Setting Doctors in postgraduate training for a medical specialty or general practice in the UK and doctors obtaining GMC registration via the PLAB system. Participants 53 436 UK based trainee doctors with at least one competency related ARCP outcome reported during the study period, of whom 42 017 were UK medical graduates and 11 419 were international medical graduates who were registered following a pass from the PLAB route. Main outcome measure Probability of obtaining a poorer versus a more satisfactory category of outcome at ARCP following successful registration as a doctor in the UK. Results International medical graduates were more likely to obtain a less satisfactory outcome at ARCP compared with UK graduates. This finding persisted even after adjustment for the potential influence of sex, age, years of UK based practice, and ethnicity and exclusion of outcomes associated with postgraduate examination failure (odds ratio 1.63, 95% confidence interval 1.30 to 2.06). However, international medical graduates who scored in the highest twelfth at part 1 of the PLAB (at least 32 points above the pass mark) had ARCP outcomes that did not differ significantly from those of UK graduates. Conclusions These findings suggest that the PLAB test used for registration of international medical graduates is not generally equivalent to the requirements for UK graduates. The

Model of health? Distributed preparedness and multi-agency interventions surrounding UK regional airports.

PubMed

Warren, Adam; Bell, Morag; Budd, Lucy

2012-01-01

The liberalisation of the European aviation sector has multiplied paths of entry into the United Kingdom (UK) for the international traveller. These changing mobilities necessitate a reconceptualisation of the border as a series of potentially vulnerable nodes occurring within, and extending beyond, national boundaries. In this paper, we consider the border through the lens of port health, the collective term for various sanitary operations enacted at international transport terminals. In the UK, a critical player in the oversight of port health is the Health Protection Agency (HPA), which became a non-Departmental public body in 2005. A major part of port health is preparedness, a set of techniques aimed at managing, and responding to, emergencies of public health concern. More recently, certain jurisdictions have embarked on public health preparedness work across a number of different geographical scales. Using methods pioneered by the military, this form of 'distributed preparedness' is of increased interest to social science and medical scholars. With reference to case studies conducted in localities surrounding two UK regional airports following the 2009-10 H1N1 influenza pandemic, we consider the extent to which distributed preparedness as a concept and a set of practices can inform current debates - in the UK, and beyond - concerning interventions at the border 'within'. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Daily stock index return for the Canadian, UK, and US equity markets, compiled by Morgan Stanley Capital International, obtained from Datastream.

PubMed

Li, Leon

2018-02-01

The data presented in this article are related to the research article entitled "Testing and comparing the performance of dynamic variance and correlation models in value-at-risk estimation. North American Journal of Economics and Finance, 40, 116-135. doi:10.1016/j.najef.2017.02.006 (Li, 2017) [1]. Data on daily stock index return for the Canadian, UK, and US equity markets, as compiled by Morgan Stanley Capital International, are provided in this paper. The country indices comprise at least 80% of the stock market capitalization of each country. The data cover the period from January 1, 1990, through September 8, 2016, and include 6963 observations. All stock prices are stated in dollars.

Give UK nursing bigger global voice by rejoining ICN, college is urged.

PubMed

Longhurst, Chris

2015-08-26

The next chief executive of the International Council of Nurses should encourage the RCN to rejoin the organisation and ensure the UK has a greater say on nursing at a global level, a former college president believes.

Achieving workforce growth in UK nursing: policy options and implications.

PubMed

Buchan, James

2009-01-01

This paper examines how the National Health Service (NHS) in the UK achieved significant nursing workforce growth during the period between 2000 and 2006 and discusses the policy implications of the methods used to achieve this staffing growth. Data analysis, literature review and policy analysis. NHS nurse staffing growth was approximately 25% over the period 1997-2007, with most growth occurring in the years between 1999 and 2005. Whilst increases in intakes to home-based pre-registration education was a factor in achieving growth, the pace and level of growth which occurred was only possible by using active international recruitment, which was adopted as a deliberate national policy. The numbers of nurses and midwives entering the UK from other countries increased rapidly from 1999 onwards, to a peak in 2002, and then reduced markedly in the period from 2005 onwards. The policy of supporting international recruitment shifted rapidly in late 2005/2006 when financial difficulties hit the NHS and staffing growth was curtailed. Active international recruitment can contribute to health sector staffing growth, assuming the recruiting country has the resources to recruit and can tap into international markets, but it may not be effective in addressing all types of skills shortages. If it is not well linked to other components of workforce planning it may cause difficulties of over expansion, as well as raising broader issues of the ethics and impact.

International Higher Education in Facts and Figures. Summer 2010

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Universities UK, 2010

2010-01-01

This paper presents facts and figures of the international higher education. Facts reveal that the UK sells more brainpower per capita than anywhere else in the world. The UK has 1% of the world's population but undertakes 5% of the world's scientific research and produces 14% of the world's most highly cited papers (Universities UK 2010). More…

Leadership and management in UK medical school curricula.

PubMed

Jefferies, Richard; Sheriff, Ibrahim H N; Matthews, Jacob H; Jagger, Olivia; Curtis, Sarah; Lees, Peter; Spurgeon, Peter C; Fountain, Daniel Mark; Oldman, Alex; Habib, Ali; Saied, Azam; Court, Jessica; Giannoudi, Marilena; Sayma, Meelad; Ward, Nicholas; Cork, Nick; Olatokun, Olamide; Devine, Oliver; O'Connell, Paul; Carr, Phoebe; Kotronias, Rafail Angelos; Gardiner, Rebecca; Buckle, Rory T; Thomson, Ross J; Williams, Sarah; Nicholson, Simon J; Goga, Usman

2016-10-10

Purpose Although medical leadership and management (MLM) is increasingly being recognised as important to improving healthcare outcomes, little is understood about current training of medical students in MLM skills and behaviours in the UK. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach This qualitative study used validated structured interviews with expert faculty members from medical schools across the UK to ascertain MLM framework integration, teaching methods employed, evaluation methods and barriers to improvement. Findings Data were collected from 25 of the 33 UK medical schools (76 per cent response rate), with 23/25 reporting that MLM content is included in their curriculum. More medical schools assessed MLM competencies on admission than at any other time of the curriculum. Only 12 schools had evaluated MLM teaching at the time of data collection. The majority of medical schools reported barriers, including overfilled curricula and reluctance of staff to teach. Whilst 88 per cent of schools planned to increase MLM content over the next two years, there was a lack of consensus on proposed teaching content and methods. Research limitations/implications There is widespread inclusion of MLM in UK medical schools' curricula, despite the existence of barriers. This study identified substantial heterogeneity in MLM teaching and assessment methods which does not meet students' desired modes of delivery. Examples of national undergraduate MLM teaching exist worldwide, and lessons can be taken from these. Originality/value This is the first national evaluation of MLM in undergraduate medical school curricula in the UK, highlighting continuing challenges with executing MLM content despite numerous frameworks and international examples of successful execution.

Chance UK

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McGrath, Gracia

2003-01-01

Chance UK is a unique charity in the UK that specialises in mentoring programmes for primary schoolchildren with behavioural problems. It was founded in 1995 by a policeman, Chief Superintendent Paul Mathias, who believed that by stepping in early, young children with behavioural difficulties could be given the chance to develop the necessary…

The hospital microbiome project: meeting report for the UK science and innovation network UK-USA workshop ‘beating the superbugs: hospital microbiome studies for tackling antimicrobial resistance’, October 14th 2013

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

The UK Science and Innovation Network UK-USA workshop ‘Beating the Superbugs: Hospital Microbiome Studies for tackling Antimicrobial Resistance’ was held on October 14th 2013 at the UK Department of Health, London. The workshop was designed to promote US-UK collaboration on hospital microbiome studies to add a new facet to our collective understanding of antimicrobial resistance. The assembled researchers debated the importance of the hospital microbial community in transmission of disease and as a reservoir for antimicrobial resistance genes, and discussed methodologies, hypotheses, and priorities. A number of complementary approaches were explored, although the importance of the built environment microbiome in disease transmission was not universally accepted. Current whole genome epidemiological methods are being pioneered in the UK and the benefits of moving to community analysis are not necessarily obvious to the pioneers; however, rapid progress in other areas of microbiology suggest to some researchers that hospital microbiome studies will be exceptionally fruitful even in the short term. Collaborative studies will recombine different strengths to tackle the international problems of antimicrobial resistance and hospital and healthcare associated infections.

Impact of environmental discourses on public health policy arrangements: a comparative study in the UK and Flanders, (Belgium).

PubMed

Stassen, K R; Gislason, M; Leroy, P

2010-10-01

Theoretically inspired by discursive institutionalism and multi-level governance, this paper assesses the extent to which 'environmental health' has emerged as a new discourse at European level, the effects it has had on national public health governance in two European countries, and what mechanisms have triggered or hindered these effects. Comparison of the dynamics in public health policy arrangements in Flanders (Belgium) and the UK, nations influenced by both international and European environmental health discourses. The Policy Arrangement Approach was the analytical framework used to structure the results of this textual analysis. Despite their shared focus on environmental health, Belgium and the UK display quite different approaches to environmental health governance. While Belgium works on environmental health in a predominantly top-down approach, the UK has developed a more inward-facing approach to environmental health policies. The cases of the UK and Belgium show that, although these countries respond similarly to internationally agreed charters and both are members of the European Union, national differences in environmental health policies persist, mainly due to pre-existing national policy arrangements and the activities of national institutions. This leads to a divergent interplay between national and international institutions. Copyright © 2010 The Royal Society for Public Health. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Introduction-Epilepsy Research UK expert workshop 2014: SUDEP: Time for prevention-evidence and clinical translation Proceedings from the Epilepsy Research UK 2014 Expert Workshop.

PubMed

Nashef, Lina; Richardson, Mark P

2016-01-01

We offer Epilepsia readers this supplement based on the proceedings of an international workshop on sudden death in epilepsy (SUDEP) held in 2014 at St Anne's College at Oxford and hosted by Epilepsy Research UK (ERUK). This is the second Epilepsia supplement dedicated to SUDEP and its focus is on prevention. As workshop co-chairs, in this introduction we outline why we believe we are on the threshold of a new era of prevention in SUDEP. Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 International League Against Epilepsy.

IQ AND SOCIOECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ACROSS REGIONS OF THE UK.

PubMed

Carl, Noah

2016-05-01

Cross-regional correlations between average IQ and socioeconomic development have been documented in many different countries. This paper presents new IQ estimates for the twelve regions of the UK. These are weakly correlated (r=0.24) with the regional IQs assembled by Lynn (1979). Assuming the two sets of estimates are accurate and comparable, this finding suggests that the relative IQs of different UK regions have changed since the 1950s, most likely due to differentials in the magnitude of the Flynn effect, the selectivity of external migration, the selectivity of internal migration or the strength of the relationship between IQ and fertility. The paper provides evidence for the validity of the regional IQs by showing that IQ estimates for UK nations (England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland) derived from the same data are strongly correlated with national PISA scores (r=0.99). It finds that regional IQ is positively related to income, longevity and technological accomplishment; and is negatively related to poverty, deprivation and unemployment. A general factor of socioeconomic development is correlated with regional IQ at r=0.72.

Contributors to secondary osteoporosis and metabolic bone diseases in patients presenting with a clinical fracture.

PubMed

Bours, Sandrine P G; van Geel, Tineke A C M; Geusens, Piet P M M; Janssen, Marcel J W; Janzing, Heinrich M J; Hoffland, Ge A; Willems, Paul C; van den Bergh, Joop P W

2011-05-01

Previously undetected contributors to secondary osteoporosis and metabolic bone diseases (SECOB) are frequently found in patients with osteoporosis, but the prevalence in patients at the time they present with a clinical fracture is unknown. All consecutive patients with a recent clinical vertebral or nonvertebral fracture, who were able and willing to be investigated (n = 626: 482 women, 144 men, age range 50-97 yr) had bone mineral density and laboratory investigations (serum calcium, inorganic phosphate, 25-hydroxyvitamin D, creatinine, intact PTH, TSH, free T(4), serum and urine protein electrophoresis, and in men also serum testosterone). Known SECOB contributors were present in 23.0% of patients and newly diagnosed SECOB contributors in 26.5%: monoclonal proteinemia (14 of 626), renal insufficiency grade III or greater (54 of 626), primary (17 of 626) and secondary (64 of 626) hyperparathyroidism, hyperthyroidism (39 of 626), and hypogonadism in men (12 of 144). Newly diagnosed SECOBs, serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D less than 50 nmol/liter (in 63.9%), and dietary calcium intake less than 1200 mg/d (in 90.6%) were found at any age, in both sexes, after any fracture (except SECOB in men with finger and toe fractures) and at any level of bone mineral density. At presentation with a fracture, 26.5% of patients have previously unknown contributors to SECOB, which are treatable or need follow-up, and more than 90% of patients have an inadequate vitamin D status and/or calcium intake. Systematic screening of patients with a recent fracture identifies those in whom potentially reversible contributors to SECOB and calcium and vitamin D deficiency are present.

Undergraduate Regional Migration in the UK: Perspectives on Local Markets and Trends for Gender and International Student Groups

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McClelland, Robert J.; Gandy, Robert J.

2012-01-01

This article presents an analysis of degree course acceptances for UK undergraduate students in 2002 and 2008. It examines student mobility between the UK regions, and the trends in their movement within local markets. Data shows a growing trend for students to study within local regions, especially women. Increases in acceptances of over 10% are…

Chinese International Students' Perspective and Strategies in Preparing for Their Future Employability

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Huang, Rong; Turner, Rebecca; Chen, Qian

2014-01-01

Graduate employability and the contribution graduates make to the UK economy have been widely debated by policy-makers; however, little attention has been paid to the employability of international students. Given the growing significance of international students to the UK economy this is an interesting oversight; this article addresses this…

Chemistry and the Internal Combustion Engine II: Pollution Problems.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hunt, C. B.

1979-01-01

Discusses pollution problems which arise from the use of internal combustion (IC) engines in the United Kingdom (UK). The IC engine exhaust emissions, controlling IC engine pollution in the UK, and some future developments are also included. (HM)

Dietary contributors to glycemic load in the REasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke (REGARDS) study

PubMed Central

Shikany, James M.; Judd, Suzanne E.; Letter, Abraham J.; Ard, Jamy D.; Newby, P. K.

2014-01-01

Objective High dietary glycemic load (GL) has been associated with an increased risk of chronic diseases, including type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease, and selected cancers. We sought to identify the main food and food group contributors to dietary GL in a representative sample of US adults to inform future interventions. Methods Participants were from the REasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke (REGARDS) study, a longitudinal cohort of 30,239 community-dwelling black and white women and men age ≥45 years across the US. Diet was assessed with a food frequency questionnaire. The amount of each carbohydrate food, and its glycemic index, were used to calculate GL values for each carbohydrate food reported. These were totaled to estimate the mean total daily GL for each participant. Individual carbohydrate foods also were collapsed into 18 carbohydrate food groups, and the portion of the total GL contributed by each carbohydrate food and food group was determined. Analyses were conducted overall, by race/sex groups, and by region. Results Sweetened beverages were the main contributors to GL overall (12.14 median % of daily GL), by far the largest contributors in black men (17.79 median %) and black women (16.43 median %), and major contributors in white men (12.02 median %) and white women (11.22 median %). Other important contributors to GL overall and in all race/sex groups and regions included breads, starchy side dishes, and cereals. Conclusions In this US cohort of white and black adults, sweetened beverages were major contributors to GL overall, and especially in black participants. This information may help to inform future interventions targeting reduction in dietary GL. PMID:25837217

UK-trained junior doctors' intentions to work in UK medicine: questionnaire surveys, three years after graduation

PubMed Central

Surman, Geraldine; Goldacre, Michael J

2017-01-01

Objective To report on the career intentions, three years after qualification, of 12 national cohorts of UK-trained doctors who qualified between 1974 and 2012, and, specifically, to compare recent UK medical graduates’ intentions to work in medicine in the UK with earlier graduates. Design Questionnaire surveys of cohorts of UK medical graduates defined by year of graduation. Setting UK. Participants 30,272 UK medical graduates. Main outcome measures Stated level of intention to pursue a long-term career in medicine in the UK. Results The response rate was 62% (30,272/48,927). We examined responses to the question ‘Apart from temporary visits abroad, do you intend to practise medicine in the United Kingdom for the foreseeable future?' Of doctors from UK homes, 90% had specified that they would ‘definitely or probably’ practise medicine in the UK in the surveys of 1977–1986, 81% in 1996–2011 and 64% in 2015. Those who said that they would probably or definitely not practise medicine in the UK comprised 5% in 1977–1986, 8% in 1996–2011 and 15% in 2015. Most who were not definite about a future career in UK medicine indicated that they would wish to practise medicine outside the UK rather than to leave medicine. Conclusions The wish to remain in UK medical practice in the 2015 survey was unprecedentedly low in this unique series of 40 years of surveys. PMID:29116902

UK-trained junior doctors' intentions to work in UK medicine: questionnaire surveys, three years after graduation.

PubMed

Surman, Geraldine; Goldacre, Michael J; Lambert, Trevor W

2017-12-01

Objective To report on the career intentions, three years after qualification, of 12 national cohorts of UK-trained doctors who qualified between 1974 and 2012, and, specifically, to compare recent UK medical graduates' intentions to work in medicine in the UK with earlier graduates. Design Questionnaire surveys of cohorts of UK medical graduates defined by year of graduation. Setting UK. Participants 30,272 UK medical graduates. Main outcome measures Stated level of intention to pursue a long-term career in medicine in the UK. Results The response rate was 62% (30,272/48,927). We examined responses to the question ' Apart from temporary visits abroad, do you intend to practise medicine in the United Kingdom for the foreseeable future?' Of doctors from UK homes, 90% had specified that they would 'definitely or probably' practise medicine in the UK in the surveys of 1977-1986, 81% in 1996-2011 and 64% in 2015. Those who said that they would probably or definitely not practise medicine in the UK comprised 5% in 1977-1986, 8% in 1996-2011 and 15% in 2015. Most who were not definite about a future career in UK medicine indicated that they would wish to practise medicine outside the UK rather than to leave medicine. Conclusions The wish to remain in UK medical practice in the 2015 survey was unprecedentedly low in this unique series of 40 years of surveys.

Whither knowledge translation: an international research agenda.

PubMed

Graham, Ian D; Tetroe, Jacqueline

2007-01-01

The articles in this supplement illustrate the potential value of developing an international research agenda on the science of knowledge translation. Building on the suggestions made by the contributors to the supplement, we offer a number of topics for such an agenda.

History of Inclusive Design in the UK.

PubMed

John Clarkson, P; Coleman, Roger

2015-01-01

The UK Design Council describes Inclusive Design as neither a new genre of design, nor a separate specialism, but as a general approach to designing in which designers ensure that their products and services address the needs of the widest possible audience, irrespective of age or ability. Inclusive Design (also known [in Europe] as Design for All and as Universal Design in the USA) is in essence the inverse of earlier approaches to designing for disabled and elderly people as a sub-set of the population, and an integral part of a more recent international trend towards the integration of older and disabled people in the mainstream of society. This paper describes the development of Inclusive Design in the UK, from its early beginnings, through its subsequent adoption as a topic of academic research, leading to its recent emergence embodied as a framework and toolkit for design. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd and The Ergonomics Society. All rights reserved.

Operation GRITROCK: the Defence Medical Services' story and emerging lessons from supporting the UK response to the Ebola crisis.

PubMed

Bricknell, Martin; Hodgetts, T; Beaton, K; McCourt, A

2016-06-01

This paper is a record of the UK Defence Medical Services (DMS) contribution to the UK response to the Ebola crisis in West Africa from the start of planning in July 2014 to the closure of the Ministry of Defence Ebola Virus Disease Treatment Unit at the end of June 2015. The context and wider UK government decisions are summarised. This paper describes the decisions and processes that resulted in the deployment of a DMS delivered Ebola Treatment Unit in conjunction with the Department for International Development and Save the Children. It covers arrangements for medical care for disease and non-battle injury, the Air Transportable Isolator and Force Health Protection policy, and finally, considers the medical lessons from this deployment. The core message is that the UK DMS are the only part of the UK health sector that is trained, equipped, manned and available to rapidly deploy and operate a complete medical unit as part of an international response to a health crisis. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

The UK Ecosystem for Fostering Innovation in the Earth & Space Sciences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, V. E.

2015-12-01

basic research, can be enhanced through international collaboration and engagement. Approaches taken by UK organisations such as RCUK seek to bring together the correct teams, regardless of nationality, to develop innovations needed to address common challenges.

The Internationality Imperative in Academia. The Ascent of Internationality as an Academic Virtue

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hamann, Julian; Zimmer, Lena M.

2017-01-01

The paper investigates internationality as an academic virtue that is highly relevant for research biographies. The discursive trajectory of this virtue is assessed by comparing ascriptions of internationality in 216 academic obituaries from the US, UK and Germany, from physics, sociology and history, and from the 1960s, 1980s and 2000s. Our…

Promoting SETI in the UK

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Penny, Alan

2013-10-01

MEETING REPORT What does the UK presently do in the search for extraterrestrial intelligence and what are the plans for the future? Alan Penny reports on a meeting of UK academics active in SETI, held as sessions in the recent National Astronomy Meeting in Scotland - and the formation of the UK SETI Research Network to promote UK academic work.

International stem cell collaboration: how disparate policies between the United States and the United Kingdom impact research.

PubMed

Luo, Jingyuan; Flynn, Jesse M; Solnick, Rachel E; Ecklund, Elaine Howard; Matthews, Kirstin R W

2011-03-08

As the scientific community globalizes, it is increasingly important to understand the effects of international collaboration on the quality and quantity of research produced. While it is generally assumed that international collaboration enhances the quality of research, this phenomenon is not well examined. Stem cell research is unique in that it is both politically charged and a research area that often generates international collaborations, making it an ideal case through which to examine international collaborations. Furthermore, with promising medical applications, the research area is dynamic and responsive to a globalizing science environment. Thus, studying international collaborations in stem cell research elucidates the role of existing international networks in promoting quality research, as well as the effects that disparate national policies might have on research. This study examined the impact of collaboration on publication significance in the United States and the United Kingdom, world leaders in stem cell research with disparate policies. We reviewed publications by US and UK authors from 2008, along with their citation rates and the political factors that may have contributed to the number of international collaborations. The data demonstrated that international collaborations significantly increased an article's impact for UK and US investigators. While this applied to UK authors whether they were corresponding or secondary, this effect was most significant for US authors who were corresponding authors. While the UK exhibited a higher proportion of international publications than the US, this difference was consistent with overall trends in international scientific collaboration. The findings suggested that national stem cell policy differences and regulatory mechanisms driving international stem cell research in the US and UK did not affect the frequency of international collaborations, or even the countries with which the US and UK most

International Stem Cell Collaboration: How Disparate Policies between the United States and the United Kingdom Impact Research

PubMed Central

Solnick, Rachel E.; Ecklund, Elaine Howard; Matthews, Kirstin R. W.

2011-01-01

As the scientific community globalizes, it is increasingly important to understand the effects of international collaboration on the quality and quantity of research produced. While it is generally assumed that international collaboration enhances the quality of research, this phenomenon is not well examined. Stem cell research is unique in that it is both politically charged and a research area that often generates international collaborations, making it an ideal case through which to examine international collaborations. Furthermore, with promising medical applications, the research area is dynamic and responsive to a globalizing science environment. Thus, studying international collaborations in stem cell research elucidates the role of existing international networks in promoting quality research, as well as the effects that disparate national policies might have on research. This study examined the impact of collaboration on publication significance in the United States and the United Kingdom, world leaders in stem cell research with disparate policies. We reviewed publications by US and UK authors from 2008, along with their citation rates and the political factors that may have contributed to the number of international collaborations. The data demonstrated that international collaborations significantly increased an article's impact for UK and US investigators. While this applied to UK authors whether they were corresponding or secondary, this effect was most significant for US authors who were corresponding authors. While the UK exhibited a higher proportion of international publications than the US, this difference was consistent with overall trends in international scientific collaboration. The findings suggested that national stem cell policy differences and regulatory mechanisms driving international stem cell research in the US and UK did not affect the frequency of international collaborations, or even the countries with which the US and UK most

Development of a parent version of the Manchester-Minneapolis quality of life survey for use by parents and carers of UK children: MMQL-UK (PF)

PubMed Central

Hutchings, Hayley A; Upton, Penney; Cheung, Wai-Yee; Maddocks, Alison; Eiser, Christine; Williams, John G; Russell, Ian T; Jackson, Sonia; Jenney, Meriel EM

2008-01-01

(PF)) took part in the study. The internal consistency of all the MMQL-UK (PF) components exceeding the accepted criterion of 0.70 and the construct validity was good with moderate correlations being evident between comparable components of the MMQL-UK (PF) and the proxy PedsQL™. Discriminant validity was demonstrated with significant differences being identified between parents of healthy children and those with chronic conditions. Intra-class correlations exceeded 0.65 for all MMQL-UK (PF) components demonstrating good reproducibility. Weak to moderate levels of responsiveness were demonstrated for all but social functioning. The MMQL-UK (PF) showed moderate parent-child correlation with the MMQL-UK (CF) for all components. The best correlations were seen for those components measuring the same construct (Pearson's r ranged from 0.31 to 0.61, p < 0.01 for equivalent components). Conclusion The MMQL-UK (PF) showed moderate to good correlations with the MMQL-UK (CF) component scores. The MMQL-UK (PF) will be of use when comparing child and parent/carer perception of the impact of a child's condition on their HRQL or where the child is too ill or young to provide their own report. PMID:18307771

Funding bombshell hits UK physics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Banks, Michael; Durrani, Matin

2008-01-01

Physicists and astronomers in the UK are coming to terms with a massive funding crisis that engulfed one of the country's main funding agencies last month. As a result of an £80m black hole in the budget of the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC), it has decided to stop funding research into the International Linear Collider (ILC), withdraw from the Gemini telescopes in Hawaii and Chile, and cease all support for high-energy gamma-ray astronomy and ground-based solar-terrestrial physics. Research grants in particle physics and astronomy could also be cut by up to 25%, which may lead to job losses at university departments.

PISA 2015: Findings and Some Implications for UK Science Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Osborne, Jonathan; Millar, Robin

2017-01-01

This article provides an overview of the main findings for the countries of the UK from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) in 2015, where science was the major focus. The nature of the tests, the key findings and how they might be interpreted are discussed--in…

Professional Development in International Schools; Issues of Inclusion Identified by a Group of International School Teaching Assistants

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tarry, Estelle; Cox, Anna

2014-01-01

With the growth in numbers of teaching assistants (TAs) in the UK, it has been identified through research carried out on behalf of the Council of British International Schools (COBIS) research that TAs in British international schools have specific and unmet training needs. Following the development of a course for TAs in international contexts,…

Passing MRCP (UK) PACES: a cross-sectional study examining the performance of doctors by sex and country.

PubMed

Unwin, Emily; Potts, Henry W W; Dacre, Jane; Elder, Andrew; Woolf, Katherine

2018-04-06

There is much discussion about the sex differences that exist in medical education. Research from the United Kingdom (UK) and United States has found female doctors earn less, and are less likely to be senior authors on academic papers, but female doctors are also less likely to be sanctioned, and have been found to perform better academically and clinically. It is also known that international medical graduates tend to perform more poorly academically compared to home-trained graduates in the UK, US, and Canada. It is uncertain whether the magnitude and direction of sex differences in doctors' performance is variable by country. We explored the association between doctors' sex and their performance at a large international high-stakes clinical examination: the Membership of the Royal Colleges of Physicians (UK) Practical Assessment of Clinical Examination Skills (PACES). We examined how sex differences varied by the country in which the doctor received their primary medical qualification, the country in which they took the PACES examination, and by the country in which they are registered to practise. Seven thousand six hundred seventy-one doctors attempted PACES between October 2010 and May 2013. We analysed sex differences in first time pass rates, controlling for ethnicity, in three groups: (i) UK medical graduates (N = 3574); (ii) non-UK medical graduates registered with the UK medical regulator, the General Medical Council (GMC), and thus likely to be working in the UK (N = 1067); and (iii) non-UK medical graduates without GMC registration and so legally unable to work or train in the UK (N = 2179). Female doctors were statistically significantly more likely to pass at their first attempt in all three groups, with the greatest sex effect seen in non-UK medical graduates without GMC registration (OR = 1.99; 95% CI = 1.65-2.39; P < 0.0001) and the smallest in the UK graduates (OR = 1.18; 95% CI = 1.03-1.35; P = 0.02). As

Identifying the most likely contributors to a Y-STR mixture using the discrete Laplace method.

PubMed

Andersen, Mikkel Meyer; Eriksen, Poul Svante; Mogensen, Helle Smidt; Morling, Niels

2015-03-01

In some crime cases, the male part of the DNA in a stain can only be analysed using Y chromosomal markers, e.g. Y-STRs. This may be the case in e.g. rape cases, where the male components can only be detected as Y-STR profiles, because the fraction of male DNA is much smaller than that of female DNA, which can mask the male results when autosomal STRs are investigated. Sometimes, mixtures of Y-STRs are observed, e.g. in rape cases with multiple offenders. In such cases, Y-STR mixture analysis is required, e.g. by mixture deconvolution, to deduce the most likely DNA profiles from the contributors. We demonstrate how the discrete Laplace method can be used to separate a two person Y-STR mixture, where the Y-STR profiles of the true contributors are not present in the reference dataset, which is often the case for Y-STR profiles in real case work. We also briefly discuss how to calculate the weight of the evidence using the likelihood ratio principle when a suspect's Y-STR profile fits into a two person mixture. We used three datasets with between 7 and 21 Y-STR loci: Denmark (n=181), Somalia (n=201) and Germany (n=3443). The Danish dataset with 21 loci was truncated to 15 and 10 loci to examine the effect of the number of loci. For each of these datasets, an out of sample simulation study was performed: A total of 550 mixtures were composed by randomly sampling two haplotypes, h1 and h2, from the dataset. We then used the discrete Laplace method on the remaining data (excluding h1 and h2) to rank the contributor pairs by the product of the contributors' estimated haplotype frequencies. Successful separation of mixtures (defined by the observation that the true contributor pair was among the 10 most likely contributor pairs) was found in 42-52% of the cases for 21 loci, 69-75% for 15 loci and 92-99% for 10 loci or less depending on the dataset and how the discrete Laplace model was chosen. Y-STR mixtures with many loci are difficult to separate, but even haplotypes

A Critical Evaluation of Academic Internal Audit

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Blackmore, Jacqueline Ann

2004-01-01

This account of internal audit is set within the context of higher education in the UK and a fictitiously named Riverbank University. The study evaluates the recent introduction of "Internal Academic Audit" to the University and compares the process with that of the internationally recognized ISO 19011 Guidelines for Auditing Quality…

Devolution and Geographies of Education: The Use of the Millennium Cohort Study for "Home International" Comparisons across the UK

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Taylor, Chris; Rees, Gareth; Davies, Rhys

2013-01-01

Following political devolution in the late 1990s and the establishment of the governments for Wales and Scotland, the education systems of the four home countries of the UK have significantly diverged. Consequently, not only does that mean that education research in the UK has to be sensitive to such divergence, but that the divergence of policy…

Challenges Facing Chinese Academic Staff in a UK University in Terms of Language, Relationships and Culture

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hsieh, Hui-hua

2012-01-01

The recruitment of international academic staff is viewed as one of the strategies to internationalise the universities. International academic staff, however, usually encounter many challenges when in a foreign context. This study aims to investigate the challenges of Chinese academic staff teaching in the UK in terms of language, relationships…

Effects of Contributor Experience on the Quality of Health-Related Wikipedia Articles

PubMed Central

Fetahu, Besnik; Kimmerle, Joachim

2018-01-01

Background Consulting the Internet for health-related information is a common and widespread phenomenon, and Wikipedia is arguably one of the most important resources for health-related information. Therefore, it is relevant to identify factors that have an impact on the quality of health-related Wikipedia articles. Objective In our study we have hypothesized a positive effect of contributor experience on the quality of health-related Wikipedia articles. Methods We mined the edit history of all (as of February 2017) 18,805 articles that were listed in the categories on the portal health & fitness in the English language version of Wikipedia. We identified tags within the articles’ edit histories, which indicated potential issues with regard to the respective article’s quality or neutrality. Of all of the sampled articles, 99 (99/18,805, 0.53%) articles had at some point received at least one such tag. In our analysis we only considered those articles with a minimum of 10 edits (10,265 articles in total; 96 tagged articles, 0.94%). Additionally, to test our hypothesis, we constructed contributor profiles, where a profile consisted of all the articles edited by a contributor and the corresponding number of edits contributed. We did not differentiate between rollbacks and edits with novel content. Results Nonparametric Mann-Whitney U-tests indicated a higher number of previously edited articles for editors of the nontagged articles (mean rank tagged 2348.23, mean rank nontagged 5159.29; U=9.25, P<.001). However, we did not find a significant difference for the contributors’ total number of edits (mean rank tagged 4872.85, mean rank nontagged 5135.48; U=0.87, P=.39). Using logistic regression analysis with the respective article’s number of edits and number of editors as covariates, only the number of edited articles yielded a significant effect on the article’s status as tagged versus nontagged (dummy-coded; Nagelkerke R2 for the full model=.17; B [SE B]=-0

Human Resource Development for International Operation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Coulson-Thomas, Colin J.

A 1990 questionnaire and interview survey identified requirements for programs and courses relating to human resource development for international operation. The survey was designed to seek the views of United Kingdom (UK) and European and international companies, professional associations, and accounting firms. Of 540 organizations, 91 returned…

Reflections on Teaching Research Ethics in Education for International Postgraduate Students in the UK

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Jan

2016-01-01

Research ethics in education is a challenging topic to teach and to learn. As the staff and student body in UK higher education and elsewhere diversifies, the challenges increase as shared reference points diminish. My teaching reflections focus on a key tension explored in this article: how the imperative of internationalising the curriculum…

Internal validation of STRmix™ for the interpretation of single source and mixed DNA profiles.

PubMed

Moretti, Tamyra R; Just, Rebecca S; Kehl, Susannah C; Willis, Leah E; Buckleton, John S; Bright, Jo-Anne; Taylor, Duncan A; Onorato, Anthony J

2017-07-01

The interpretation of DNA evidence can entail analysis of challenging STR typing results. Genotypes inferred from low quality or quantity specimens, or mixed DNA samples originating from multiple contributors, can result in weak or inconclusive match probabilities when a binary interpretation method and necessary thresholds (such as a stochastic threshold) are employed. Probabilistic genotyping approaches, such as fully continuous methods that incorporate empirically determined biological parameter models, enable usage of more of the profile information and reduce subjectivity in interpretation. As a result, software-based probabilistic analyses tend to produce more consistent and more informative results regarding potential contributors to DNA evidence. Studies to assess and internally validate the probabilistic genotyping software STRmix™ for casework usage at the Federal Bureau of Investigation Laboratory were conducted using lab-specific parameters and more than 300 single-source and mixed contributor profiles. Simulated forensic specimens, including constructed mixtures that included DNA from two to five donors across a broad range of template amounts and contributor proportions, were used to examine the sensitivity and specificity of the system via more than 60,000 tests comparing hundreds of known contributors and non-contributors to the specimens. Conditioned analyses, concurrent interpretation of amplification replicates, and application of an incorrect contributor number were also performed to further investigate software performance and probe the limitations of the system. In addition, the results from manual and probabilistic interpretation of both prepared and evidentiary mixtures were compared. The findings support that STRmix™ is sufficiently robust for implementation in forensic laboratories, offering numerous advantages over historical methods of DNA profile analysis and greater statistical power for the estimation of evidentiary weight, and

Applying Foreign Entry Market Strategies to UK Higher Education Transnational Education Models

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lindsay, Victoria; Antoniou, Christos

2016-01-01

We take a multidisciplinary approach mapping the models used by UK higher education (HE) institutions against established international business foreign market entry strategies. We review the conditions in host markets that facilitate market entry and consider how these will determine foreign market entry strategy. We specifically consider four…

Psychosocial working conditions and work-related stressors among UK veterinary surgeons.

PubMed

Bartram, David J; Yadegarfar, Ghasem; Baldwin, David S

2009-08-01

Anecdotally, veterinary surgeons report high levels of work-related stress. To investigate psychosocial working conditions, self-reported causes of work-related stress and satisfaction among a representative sample of vets practising in the UK. A cross-sectional study using a questionnaire mailed to a stratified random sample of 3200 vets. The Health & Safety Executive Management Standards Indicator Tool and a series of bespoke questions were embedded in a 120 item questionnaire, which also assessed anxiety and depressive symptoms, alcohol consumption, suicidal ideation, positive mental well-being and work-home interaction. A total of 1796 useable questionnaires were returned (response rate 56%). Number of hours worked and making professional mistakes were the main reported contributors to stress. Good clinical outcomes and relationships with colleagues were the greatest sources of satisfaction. Anxiety and depressive symptoms are associated with less favourable working conditions. Compared to the general population, the sample reported higher risk of work-related stress for demands and managerial support but lower risk for relationships and change. The results could be used to inform the development of targeted interventions.

Strategic marketing in the UK tobacco industry.

PubMed

Anderson, Susan; Hastings, Gerard; MacFadyen, Lynn

2002-08-01

Tobacco-industry marketing has played a central part in the global spread of tobacco use and addiction. Although the absolute size of the tobacco market has dwindled, the industry is still immensely successful, largely due to sophisticated and manipulative marketing strategies. The UK tobacco industry identifies target groups and builds enduring relationships based on careful brand management. Potential customers are exposed to brands which are likely to appeal to them most. Tobacco companies tailor their products to target markets by altering the content of tar and nicotine, and by adding flavourings to produce a distinctive taste. Marketing strategies ensure that the products are promoted heavily at the point of sale, and directed advertising and sponsorship agreements are used to increase the visibility of the brand and strengthen its image. Tobacco companies also target non-consumer organisations such as retailers and policy makers with the aim of creating the best possible business environment for tobacco sales. We review published evidence, internal-advertising-agency documents, and observational data about tobacco promotion, and discuss the use of targeted marketing strategies in the UK.

UK birth registration and its present discontents.

PubMed

Higgs, Edward

2018-04-01

Calls for reform of the United Kingdom (UK) birth registration system to allow it to be more flexible regarding subsequent name changes, gender recording and to contain information about 'third parties' involved in procreation are justified and important. However, we need to ask exactly when discussions about the birth registration system in the country became primarily about the welfare of the individual child being registered? This was hardly the case at the system's inception in 1836, or during much of its history. In addition, it is also interesting how far calls for reform show the extent to which those involved have internalized the norms of the bureaucratic state - hence, people seem to feel that they have been 'living a lie' because of the gender on their birth certificate. Also, how do we understand 'privacy' in the context of birth registration when some people are desperate to publically proclaim their new gender status, whilst others are eager to maintain privacy with regard to their genealogy? Overall, the problems of birth registration reflect the broader muddle of identification in the UK.

High-intensity interval training versus moderate-intensity steady-state training in UK cardiac rehabilitation programmes (HIIT or MISS UK): study protocol for a multicentre randomised controlled trial and economic evaluation.

PubMed

McGregor, Gordon; Nichols, Simon; Hamborg, Thomas; Bryning, Lucy; Tudor-Edwards, Rhiannon; Markland, David; Mercer, Jenny; Birkett, Stefan; Ennis, Stuart; Powell, Richard; Begg, Brian; Haykowsky, Mark J; Banerjee, Prithwish; Ingle, Lee; Shave, Rob; Backx, Karianne

2016-11-16

Current international guidelines for cardiac rehabilitation (CR) advocate moderate-intensity exercise training (MISS, moderate-intensity steady state). This recommendation predates significant advances in medical therapy for coronary heart disease (CHD) and may not be the most appropriate strategy for the 'modern' patient with CHD. High-intensity interval training (HIIT) appears to be a safe and effective alternative, resulting in greater improvements in peak oxygen uptake (VO 2 peak ). To date, HIIT trials have predominantly been proof-of-concept studies in the laboratory setting and conducted outside the UK. The purpose of this multicentre randomised controlled trial is to compare the effects of HIIT and MISS training in patients with CHD attending UK CR programmes. This pragmatic study will randomly allocate 510 patients with CHD to 8 weeks of twice weekly HIIT or MISS training at 3 centres in the UK. HIIT will consist of 10 high-intensity (85-90% peak power output (PPO)) and 10 low-intensity (20-25% PPO) intervals, each lasting 1 min. MISS training will follow usual care recommendations, adhering to currently accepted UK guidelines (ie, >20 min continuous exercise at 40-70% heart rate reserve). Outcome measures will be assessed at baseline, 8 weeks and 12 months. The primary outcome for the trial will be change in VO 2 peak as determined by maximal cardiopulmonary exercise testing. Secondary measures will assess physiological, psychosocial and economic outcomes. The study protocol V.1.0, dated 1 February 2016, was approved by the NHS Health Research Authority, East Midlands-Leicester South Research Ethics Committee (16/EM/0079). Recruitment will start in August 2016 and will be completed in June 2018. Results will be published in peer-reviewed journals, presented at national and international scientific meetings and are expected to inform future national guidelines for exercise training in UK CR. NCT02784873; pre-results. Published by the BMJ

High-intensity interval training versus moderate-intensity steady-state training in UK cardiac rehabilitation programmes (HIIT or MISS UK): study protocol for a multicentre randomised controlled trial and economic evaluation

PubMed Central

McGregor, Gordon; Nichols, Simon; Hamborg, Thomas; Bryning, Lucy; Tudor-Edwards, Rhiannon; Markland, David; Mercer, Jenny; Birkett, Stefan; Ennis, Stuart; Powell, Richard; Begg, Brian; Haykowsky, Mark J; Banerjee, Prithwish; Ingle, Lee; Shave, Rob; Backx, Karianne

2016-01-01

Introduction Current international guidelines for cardiac rehabilitation (CR) advocate moderate-intensity exercise training (MISS, moderate-intensity steady state). This recommendation predates significant advances in medical therapy for coronary heart disease (CHD) and may not be the most appropriate strategy for the ‘modern’ patient with CHD. High-intensity interval training (HIIT) appears to be a safe and effective alternative, resulting in greater improvements in peak oxygen uptake (VO2 peak). To date, HIIT trials have predominantly been proof-of-concept studies in the laboratory setting and conducted outside the UK. The purpose of this multicentre randomised controlled trial is to compare the effects of HIIT and MISS training in patients with CHD attending UK CR programmes. Methods and analysis This pragmatic study will randomly allocate 510 patients with CHD to 8 weeks of twice weekly HIIT or MISS training at 3 centres in the UK. HIIT will consist of 10 high-intensity (85–90% peak power output (PPO)) and 10 low-intensity (20–25% PPO) intervals, each lasting 1 min. MISS training will follow usual care recommendations, adhering to currently accepted UK guidelines (ie, >20 min continuous exercise at 40–70% heart rate reserve). Outcome measures will be assessed at baseline, 8 weeks and 12 months. The primary outcome for the trial will be change in VO2 peak as determined by maximal cardiopulmonary exercise testing. Secondary measures will assess physiological, psychosocial and economic outcomes. Ethics and dissemination The study protocol V.1.0, dated 1 February 2016, was approved by the NHS Health Research Authority, East Midlands—Leicester South Research Ethics Committee (16/EM/0079). Recruitment will start in August 2016 and will be completed in June 2018. Results will be published in peer-reviewed journals, presented at national and international scientific meetings and are expected to inform future national guidelines for exercise

Why International Students Have Been "TEF-ed Out"?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hayes, Aneta

2017-01-01

The article offers a critical review of the developments in the proposals for the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) in the UK, focusing particularly on international students. The analysis points to the absence of views and discussions regarding the group of international learners, which warrants the claim that international students have been…

The moral economy of austerity: analysing UK welfare reform.

PubMed

Morris, Lydia

2016-03-01

This paper notes the contemporary emergence of 'morality' in both sociological argument and political rhetoric, and analyses its significance in relation to ongoing UK welfare reforms. It revisits the idea of 'moral economy' and identifies two strands in its contemporary application; that all economies depend on an internal moral schema, and that some external moral evaluation is desirable. UK welfare reform is analysed as an example of the former, with reference to three distinct orientations advanced in the work of Freeden (1996), Laclau (2014), and Lockwood (1996). In this light, the paper then considers challenges to the reform agenda, drawn from third sector and other public sources. It outlines the forms of argument present in these challenges, based respectively on rationality, legality, and morality, which together provide a basis for evaluation of the welfare reforms and for an alternative 'moral economy'. © London School of Economics and Political Science 2016.

UK medical tourists in Thailand: they are not who you think they are.

PubMed

Noree, Thinakorn; Hanefeld, Johanna; Smith, Richard

2014-05-06

Travel for medical treatment is an aspect of globalization and health that is comparatively less understood. Little is known about volume, characteristic and motivation of medical tourists, limiting understanding of effects on health systems and patients. Thailand is amongst a handful of countries that have positioned themselves as medical tourism destination. This paper examines in unprecedented detail volume and characteristics of medical tourists who travel from the UK to Thailand for treatment. As part of a wider medical tourism study, authors gained access to over 4000 patient records from the five largest private hospitals in Thailand. These included information on country of origin, gender, age, arrival month, hospitalization, diagnosis, procedures, length of stay, medical expenditure and type of payment. Patient records were analysed to understand who travels and findings were triangulated with data from the UK International Passenger Survey (IPS). 104,830 medical tourists visited these hospitals in Thailand in 2010. While patients originate all over the world, UK medical tourists represent the largest group amongst Europeans. The majority UK medical tourists (60%) have comparatively small, elective procedures, costing less than USD 500. A significant minority of patients travel for more serious orthopedic and cardiothoracic procedures. Data of individual patient records from Thailand shows a higher number of UK patients traveled to Thailand than indicated by the IPS. Thailand is attracting a large number of medical tourists including larger numbers of UK patients than previously estimated. However, as many patients travel for comparatively minor procedures treatment may not be their primary motivation for travel. The small but significant proportion of older UK residents traveling for complex procedures may point to challenges within the NHS.

Acute myocardial infarction: a comparison of short-term survival in national outcome registries in Sweden and the UK

PubMed Central

Chung, Sheng-Chia; Gedeborg, Rolf; Nicholas, Owen; James, Stefan; Jeppsson, Anders; Wolfe, Charles; Heuschmann, Peter; Wallentin, Lars; Deanfield, John; Timmis, Adam; Jernberg, Tomas; Hemingway, Harry

2014-01-01

Summary Background International research for acute myocardial infarction lacks comparisons of whole health systems. We assessed time trends for care and outcomes in Sweden and the UK. Methods We used data from national registries on consecutive patients registered between 2004 and 2010 in all hospitals providing care for acute coronary syndrome in Sweden and the UK. The primary outcome was all-cause mortality 30 days after admission. We compared effectiveness of treatment by indirect casemix standardisation. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT01359033. Findings We assessed data for 119 786 patients in Sweden and 391 077 in the UK. 30-day mortality was 7·6% (95% CI 7·4–7·7) in Sweden and 10·5% (10·4–10·6) in the UK. Mortality was higher in the UK in clinically relevant subgroups defined by troponin concentration, ST-segment elevation, age, sex, heart rate, systolic blood pressure, diabetes mellitus status, and smoking status. In Sweden, compared with the UK, there was earlier and more extensive uptake of primary percutaneous coronary intervention (59% vs 22%) and more frequent use of β blockers at discharge (89% vs 78%). After casemix standardisation the 30-day mortality ratio for UK versus Sweden was 1·37 (95% CI 1·30–1·45), which corresponds to 11 263 (95% CI 9620–12 827) excess deaths, but did decline over time (from 1·47, 95% CI 1·38–1·58 in 2004 to 1·20, 1·12–1·29 in 2010; p=0·01). Interpretation We found clinically important differences between countries in acute myocardial infarction care and outcomes. International comparisons research might help to improve health systems and prevent deaths. Funding Seventh Framework Programme for Research, National Institute for Health Research, Wellcome Trust (UK), Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions, Swedish Heart-Lung Foundation. PMID:24461715

Acute myocardial infarction: a comparison of short-term survival in national outcome registries in Sweden and the UK.

PubMed

Chung, Sheng-Chia; Gedeborg, Rolf; Nicholas, Owen; James, Stefan; Jeppsson, Anders; Wolfe, Charles; Heuschmann, Peter; Wallentin, Lars; Deanfield, John; Timmis, Adam; Jernberg, Tomas; Hemingway, Harry

2014-04-12

International research for acute myocardial infarction lacks comparisons of whole health systems. We assessed time trends for care and outcomes in Sweden and the UK. We used data from national registries on consecutive patients registered between 2004 and 2010 in all hospitals providing care for acute coronary syndrome in Sweden and the UK. The primary outcome was all-cause mortality 30 days after admission. We compared effectiveness of treatment by indirect casemix standardisation. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT01359033. We assessed data for 119,786 patients in Sweden and 391,077 in the UK. 30-day mortality was 7·6% (95% CI 7·4-7·7) in Sweden and 10·5% (10·4-10·6) in the UK. Mortality was higher in the UK in clinically relevant subgroups defined by troponin concentration, ST-segment elevation, age, sex, heart rate, systolic blood pressure, diabetes mellitus status, and smoking status. In Sweden, compared with the UK, there was earlier and more extensive uptake of primary percutaneous coronary intervention (59% vs 22%) and more frequent use of β blockers at discharge (89% vs 78%). After casemix standardisation the 30-day mortality ratio for UK versus Sweden was 1·37 (95% CI 1·30-1·45), which corresponds to 11,263 (95% CI 9620-12,827) excess deaths, but did decline over time (from 1·47, 95% CI 1·38-1·58 in 2004 to 1·20, 1·12-1·29 in 2010; p=0·01). We found clinically important differences between countries in acute myocardial infarction care and outcomes. International comparisons research might help to improve health systems and prevent deaths. Seventh Framework Programme for Research, National Institute for Health Research, Wellcome Trust (UK), Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions, Swedish Heart-Lung Foundation. Copyright © 2014 Chung et al. Open Access article distributed under the terms of CC BY-NC-ND. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Does the Students' Preferred Pedagogy Relate to Their Ethnicity: UK and Asian Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Winch, Junko

2016-01-01

An increasing number of international students, whose culture of teaching and learning practices are very different from UK students, are studying at British universities. This study investigates multicultural students' preferences using two different teaching approaches in the 2009/2010 academic year, which is explained in the framework of this…

A mapping review of the literature on UK-focused health and social care databases.

PubMed

Cooper, Chris; Rogers, Morwenna; Bethel, Alison; Briscoe, Simon; Lowe, Jenny

2015-03-01

Bibliographic databases are a day-to-day tool of the researcher: they offer the researcher easy and organised access to knowledge, but how much is actually known about the databases on offer? The focus of this paper is UK health and social care databases. These databases are often small, specialised by topic, and provide a complementary literature to the large, international databases. There is, however, good evidence that these databases are overlooked in systematic reviews, perhaps because little is known about what they can offer. To systematically locate and map, published and unpublished literature on the key UK health and social care bibliographic databases. Systematic searching and mapping. Two hundred and forty-two items were identified which specifically related to the 24 of the 34 databases under review. There is little published or unpublished literature specifically analysing the key UK health and social care databases. Since several UK databases have closed, others are at risk, and some are overlooked in reviews, better information is required to enhance our knowledge. Further research on UK health and social care databases is required. This paper suggests the need to develop the evidence base through a series of case studies on each of the databases. © 2014 The authors. Health Information and Libraries Journal © 2014 Health Libraries Journal.

Nursing shortages and international nurse migration.

PubMed

Ross, S J; Polsky, D; Sochalski, J

2005-12-01

The United Kingdom and the United States are among several developed countries currently experiencing nursing shortages. While the USA has not yet implemented policies to encourage nurse immigration, nursing shortages will likely result in the growth of foreign nurse immigration to the USA. Understanding the factors that drive the migration of nurses is critical as the USA exerts more pull on the foreign nurse workforce. To predict the international migration of nurses to the UK using widely available data on country characteristics. The Nursing and Midwifery Council serves as the source of data on foreign nurse registrations in the UK between 1998 and 2002. We develop and test a regression model that predicts the number of foreign nurse registrants in the UK based on source country characteristics. We collect country-level data from sources such as the World Bank and the World Health Organization. The shortage of nurses in the UK has been accompanied by massive and disproportionate growth in the number of foreign nurses from poor countries. Low-income, English-speaking countries that engage in high levels of bilateral trade experience greater losses of nurses to the UK. Poor countries seeking economic growth through international trade expose themselves to the emigration of skilled labour. This tendency is currently exacerbated by nursing shortages in developed countries. Countries at risk for nurse emigration should adjust health sector planning to account for expected losses in personnel. Moreover, policy makers in host countries should address the impact of recruitment on source country health service delivery.

The (mis)management of migrant nurses in the UK: a sociological study.

PubMed

Adhikari, Radha; Melia, Kath M

2015-04-01

To examine Nepali migrant nurses' professional life in the UK. In the late 1990 s the UK experienced an acute nursing shortage. Within a decade over 1000 Nepali nurses migrated to the UK. A multi-sited ethnographic approach was chosen for this study. Between 2006 and 2009, 21 in-depth interviews with Nepali nurses were conducted in the UK using snowballing sampling. Nepali migrant nurses are highly qualified and experienced in specialised areas such as critical care, management and education. However, these nurses end up working in the long-term care sector, providing personal care for elderly people - an area commonly described by migrant nurses as British Bottom Care (BBC). This means that migrant nurses lack career choices and professional development opportunities, causing them frustration and lack of job satisfaction. International nurse migration is an inevitable part of globalisation in health. Nurse managers and policy makers need to explore ways to make better use of the talents of the migrant workforce. We offer a management strategy to bring policies for the migrant workforce into line with the wider workforce plans by supporting nurses in finding jobs relevant to their expertise and providing career pathways. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Have women born outside the U.K. driven the rise in U.K. births since 2001?

PubMed

Tromans, Nicola; Natamba, Eva; Jefferie, Julie

2009-01-01

The number of births in the U.K. has increased each year since 2001. This article examines the demographic drivers underlying this rise, assessing the contribution of U.K. born and foreign born women. It brings together key information from across the U.K. to provide a coherent picture of childbearing trends among U.K. born and foreign born women since 2001. Geographical variations in the proportion of births to foreign born women are also explored at the local authority level.

CosmoQuest: Building a Community of Skilled Citizen Science Contributors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gay, P.; Lehan, C.; Bracey, G.; Durrell, P.; Komatsu, T.; Yamani, A.; Francis, M. R.

2016-12-01

The CosmoQuest Virtual Research Facility invites the public to participate in NASA Science Mission Directorate related research that leads to publishable results and data catalogues. CosmoQuest projects range in difficulty from simple crater and transient marking tasks to more complicated mapping tasks. To successfully engage contributors in creating usable results, training and validation are required. This is accomplished through activities that are designed to mirror the experiences students would have in a university, and include mentoring by team scientists, feedback on contributor efforts, seminars to learn about new science, and even formal classes to provide needed background. Recruitment is accomplished using new and social media, and planetarium and Science on the Sphere™ trailers and shows, and community is built through online and real-world collaboration spaces and events. In this presentation, we detail CosmoQuest's four-pronged approach of media recruitment, science education, citizen science, and community collaboration. We also discuss how it is leveraged to create a skilled collaboration of citizen scientists. Training and data validation activities will be be emphasized, with examples of both what can go right and lessons learned from when things go wrong. We conclude with strategies on how to utilize best practices in user interface design to create virtual experiences that allow major citizen science efforts to be scalable to large audiences.

Internal validation of STRmix™ - A multi laboratory response to PCAST.

PubMed

Bright, Jo-Anne; Richards, Rebecca; Kruijver, Maarten; Kelly, Hannah; McGovern, Catherine; Magee, Alan; McWhorter, Andrew; Ciecko, Anne; Peck, Brian; Baumgartner, Chase; Buettner, Christina; McWilliams, Scott; McKenna, Claire; Gallacher, Colin; Mallinder, Ben; Wright, Darren; Johnson, Deven; Catella, Dorothy; Lien, Eugene; O'Connor, Craig; Duncan, George; Bundy, Jason; Echard, Jillian; Lowe, John; Stewart, Joshua; Corrado, Kathleen; Gentile, Sheila; Kaplan, Marla; Hassler, Michelle; McDonald, Naomi; Hulme, Paul; Oefelein, Rachel H; Montpetit, Shawn; Strong, Melissa; Noël, Sarah; Malsom, Simon; Myers, Steven; Welti, Susan; Moretti, Tamyra; McMahon, Teresa; Grill, Thomas; Kalafut, Tim; Greer-Ritzheimer, MaryMargaret; Beamer, Vickie; Taylor, Duncan A; Buckleton, John S

2018-05-01

We report a large compilation of the internal validations of the probabilistic genotyping software STRmix™. Thirty one laboratories contributed data resulting in 2825 mixtures comprising three to six donors and a wide range of multiplex, equipment, mixture proportions and templates. Previously reported trends in the LR were confirmed including less discriminatory LRs occurring both for donors and non-donors at low template (for the donor in question) and at high contributor number. We were unable to isolate an effect of allelic sharing. Any apparent effect appears to be largely confounded with increased contributor number. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.

UK medicines regulation: responding to current challenges

PubMed Central

Richards, Natalie

2016-01-01

The medicines regulatory environment is evolving rapidly in response to the changing environment. Advances in science and technology have led to a vast field of increasingly complicated pharmaceutical and medical device products; increasing globalization of the pharmaceutical industry, advances in digital technology and the internet, changing patient populations, and shifts in society also affect the regulatory environment. In the UK, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) regulates medicines, medical devices and blood products to protect and improve public health, and supports innovation through scientific research and development. It works closely with other bodies in a single medicines network across Europe and takes forward UK health priorities. This paper discusses the range of initiatives in the UK and across Europe to support innovation in medicines regulation. The MHRA leads a number of initiatives, such as the Innovation Office, which helps innovators to navigate the regulatory processes to progress their products or technologies; and simplification of the Clinical Trials Regulations and the Early Access to Medicines Scheme, to bring innovative medicines to patients faster. The Accelerated Access Review will identify reforms to accelerate access for National Health Service patients to innovative medicines and medical technologies. PRIME and Adaptive Pathways initiatives are joint endeavours within the European regulatory community. The MHRA runs spontaneous reporting schemes and works with INTERPOL to tackle counterfeiting and substandard products sold via the internet. The role of the regulator is changing rapidly, with new risk‐proportionate, flexible approaches being introduced. International collaboration is a key element of the work of regulators, and is set to expand. PMID:27580254

Contributors to primary care guidelines: What are their professions and how many of them have conflicts of interest?

PubMed

Allan, G Michael; Kraut, Roni; Crawshay, Aven; Korownyk, Christina; Vandermeer, Ben; Kolber, Michael R

2015-01-01

To determine the professions of those who contribute to guidelines, guideline variables associated with differing contributor participation, and whether conflict of interest statements are provided in primary care guidelines. Retrospective analysis of the primary care guidelines from the Canadian Medical Association website. Two independent data extractors reviewed the guidelines and extracted relevant data. Canada. Sponsors of guidelines, jurisdiction (national or provincial) of guidelines, the professions of those who contribute to guidelines, and the reported conflict of interest statements within guidelines. Of the 296 guidelines in the family medicine section of the CMA Infobase, 65 were duplicates and 35 had limited relevance to family medicine. Twenty did not provide contributor information, leaving 176 guidelines for analysis. In total, there were 2495 contributors (authors and committee members): 1343 (53.8%) non-family physician specialists, 423 (17.0%) family physicians, 141 (5.7%) nurses, 75 (3.0%) pharmacists, 269 (10.8%) other clinicians, 203 (8.1%) nonclinician scientists, and 41 (1.6%) unknown professions. The proportion of contributors from the various professions differed significantly between provincial and national guidelines, as well as between industry-funded and non-industry-funded guidelines (both P < .001). For provincial guidelines, 30.8% of contributors were family physicians and 37.3% were other specialists compared with 13.9% and 57.4%, respectively, for national guidelines. Of industry-funded guidelines, 7.8% of contributors were family physicians and 68.6% were other specialists compared with 19.4% and 49.9%, respectively, for non-industry-funded guidelines. Conflicts of interest were not reported in 68.9% of guidelines. When reported, conflict of interest statements were present for 48.6% of non-family physician specialists, 30.0% of pharmacists, 27.7% of family physicians, and 10.0% or less of the remaining groups; differences were

Why Linguistic Territorialism in the UK Does Not Justify Differential Minority Language Rights

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gates, Shaun

2010-01-01

Despite the declarations of international documents on minority language rights, provision is patchy for supporting minority languages in the UK, where since the 1980s governments have deliberately or unwittingly greatly raised the profile and comparative standing of English. The partial exception to this trend has been the treatment of…

A Review of Curriculum in the UK: Internationalising in a Changing Context

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hayden, Mary

2013-01-01

The present article focuses on the growing emphasis on international dimensions of the curriculum in the UK. Educators and policymakers increasingly grapple with the thorny issue of how best to prepare future generations for life in a world changing so rapidly that no-one is able to predict precisely what knowledge and skills will be relevant for…

Benchmarking of DFLAW Solid Secondary Wastes and Processes with UK/Europe Counterparts

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Brown, Elvie E.; Swanberg, David J.; Surman, J.

This report provides information and background on UK solid wastes and waste processes that are similar to those which will be generated by the Direct-Feed Low Activity Waste (DFLAW) facilities at Hanford. The aim is to further improve the design case for stabilizing and immobilizing of solid secondary wastes, establish international benchmarking and review possibilities for innovation.

Innovative UK Approaches to Acquisition Management

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-05-01

Financial and Operational Imperatives Size of UK armed forces UK Industry ? Political influence PFI / PPP Increased Scrutiny - NAO “ Commercialisation “ of the...acquisition KNOWLEDGE (EXPERIENCE – Lessons learned) KNOWLEDGE (Training) KNOWLEDGE ( Education ) OPTIMAL OPERATIONAL PERFORMANCE Operational Capability UK

Gender and Management Issues in Education. An International Perspective.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Drake, Pat, Ed.; Owen, Patricia, Ed.

In this book, women in senior educational management positions discuss issues of internationality, management, gender, and education in various developing countries. Contributors examine power relations within organizations; choices men and women make that affect how they plan their lives, education, and careers; and characteristics of men and…

UK medical tourists in Thailand: they are not who you think they are

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Travel for medical treatment is an aspect of globalization and health that is comparatively less understood. Little is known about volume, characteristic and motivation of medical tourists, limiting understanding of effects on health systems and patients. Thailand is amongst a handful of countries that have positioned themselves as medical tourism destination. This paper examines in unprecedented detail volume and characteristics of medical tourists who travel from the UK to Thailand for treatment. Methods As part of a wider medical tourism study, authors gained access to over 4000 patient records from the five largest private hospitals in Thailand. These included information on country of origin, gender, age, arrival month, hospitalization, diagnosis, procedures, length of stay, medical expenditure and type of payment. Patient records were analysed to understand who travels and findings were triangulated with data from the UK International Passenger Survey (IPS). Results 104,830 medical tourists visited these hospitals in Thailand in 2010. While patients originate all over the world, UK medical tourists represent the largest group amongst Europeans. The majority UK medical tourists (60%) have comparatively small, elective procedures, costing less than USD 500. A significant minority of patients travel for more serious orthopedic and cardiothoracic procedures. Data of individual patient records from Thailand shows a higher number of UK patients traveled to Thailand than indicated by the IPS. Conclusions Thailand is attracting a large number of medical tourists including larger numbers of UK patients than previously estimated. However, as many patients travel for comparatively minor procedures treatment may not be their primary motivation for travel. The small but significant proportion of older UK residents traveling for complex procedures may point to challenges within the NHS. PMID:24885204

Report on primate supply for biomedical scientific work in the UK. EUPREN UK Working Party.

PubMed

Owen, S; Thomas, C; West, P; Wolfensohn, S; Wood, M

1997-10-01

A Working Party of the UK group of European Primate Resources Network (EUPREN) considered primate supply for scientific work in the UK. Through a questionnaire, which achieved a very good response, it obtained details of primate use, sources and breeding in the UK and it put forward options to ensure that animal welfare is the best possible whilst ensuring continued supply. The questionnaire showed that contract research laboratories and pharmaceutical companies use about 80% of the 4233 primates used annually at the moment, with the rest accounted for by academic establishments and public sector laboratories. Fifty-four per cent are cynomolgus macaques (Macaca fascicularis), of which nearly 90% are captive-bred outside the European Union (EU), the remainder being bred in the UK. Nearly 90% of cynomolgus macaques are used by only five institutions. Thirty-seven per cent of primates used are marmosets (Callithrix jacchus jacchus), all of which are bred in the UK. Most of the rest are rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta), about half of which are captive-bred outside the EU, the other half being bred in the UK. Overall primate use has increased from about 3000 per year in 1990 and users predict that requirements for all species except baboons (Papio sp.) will be maintained or increase. Marmoset breeding in the UK is already closely matched to use, and it could be increased reasonably easily if necessary. Some of the existing breeding centres of macaques in the UK would be prepared to consider expanding to supply others, although investment and imported breeding stock would be needed and it is likely that a large investment would be needed to breed a significant fraction of the macaque use in the UK. A further problem is that the users of only about 10% of the cynomolgus macaques said that they could replace this species by rhesus macaques, which are easier to breed in the UK. The questionnaire showed that much of the use of macaques would be transferred to other countries

Evolution of primary care databases in UK: a scientometric analysis of research output.

PubMed

Vezyridis, Paraskevas; Timmons, Stephen

2016-10-11

To identify publication and citation trends, most productive institutions and countries, top journals, most cited articles and authorship networks from articles that used and analysed data from primary care databases (CPRD, THIN, QResearch) of pseudonymised electronic health records (EHRs) in UK. Descriptive statistics and scientometric tools were used to analyse a SCOPUS data set of 1891 articles. Open access software was used to extract networks from the data set (Table2Net), visualise and analyse coauthorship networks of scholars and countries (Gephi) and density maps (VOSviewer) of research topics co-occurrence and journal cocitation. Research output increased overall at a yearly rate of 18.65%. While medicine is the main field of research, studies in more specialised areas include biochemistry and pharmacology. Researchers from UK, USA and Spanish institutions have published the most papers. Most of the journals that publish this type of research and most cited papers come from UK and USA. Authorship varied between 3 and 6 authors. Keyword analyses show that smoking, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and mental illnesses, as well as medication that can treat such medical conditions, such as non-steroid anti-inflammatory agents, insulin and antidepressants constitute the main topics of research. Coauthorship network analyses show that lead scientists, directors or founders of these databases are, to various degrees, at the centre of clusters in this scientific community. There is a considerable increase of publications in primary care research from EHRs. The UK has been well placed at the centre of an expanding global scientific community, facilitating international collaborations and bringing together international expertise in medicine, biochemical and pharmaceutical research. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

Changes needed to medicine in the UK before senior UK-trained doctors, working outside the UK, will return: questionnaire surveys undertaken between 2004 and 2015.

PubMed

Lambert, Trevor W; Smith, Fay; Goldacre, Michael J

2017-12-01

To report the changes to UK medicine which doctors who have emigrated tell us would increase their likelihood of returning to a career in UK medicine. Questionnaire survey. UK-trained medical graduates. Questionnaires were sent 11 years after graduation to 7158 doctors who qualified in 1993 and 1996 in the UK: 4763 questionnaires were returned. Questionnaires were sent 17 and 19 years after graduation to the same cohorts: 4554 questionnaires were returned. Comments from doctors working abroad about changes needed to UK medicine before they would return. Eleven years after graduation, 290 (6%) of respondents were working in medicine abroad; 277 (6%) were doing so 17/19 years after graduation. Eleven years after graduation, 53% of doctors working abroad indicated that they did not intend to return, and 71% did so 17/19 years after graduation. These respondents reported a number of changes which would need to be made to UK medicine in order to increase the likelihood of them returning. The most frequently mentioned changes cited concerned 'politics/management/funding', 'pay/pension', 'posts/security/opportunities', 'working conditions/hours', and 'factors outside medicine'. Policy attention to factors including funding, pay, management and particularly the clinical-political interface, working hours, and work-life balance may pay dividends for all, both in terms of persuading some established doctors to return and, perhaps more importantly, encouraging other, younger doctors to believe that the UK and the National Health Service can offer them a satisfying and rewarding career.

Challenges in undertaking mosquito surveillance at UK seaports and airports to prevent the entry and establishment of invasive vector species.

PubMed

Murphy, Gai; Vaux, Alex; Medlock, Jolyon

2013-01-01

Port health authorities have played an important role in the control of infectious diseases worldwide. The International Health Regulations (2005) further clarifies this role and provides a legal statutory instrument that aims to assist the international community to prevent and respond to global public health risks. Eleven UK sea and airports participated in a pilot, investigating the challenges ports could face in attempting to monitor for mosquitoes. The study also examined the types of habitat that could support mosquitoes. There is a concern that exotic vector species, such as Aedes albopictus, could invade and become established in the UK. Environments in and around the ports differed, and this was reflected in the species of mosquitoes caught. Ports used different methods to collect mosquitoes and developed a range of techniques for surveying, which suited the conditions at their port. This paper discusses the implications of invasive mosquito surveillance to UK port health authorities.

Cancer survival in Australia, Canada, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and the UK, 1995–2007 (the International Cancer Benchmarking Partnership): an analysis of population-based cancer registry data

PubMed Central

Coleman, MP; Forman, D; Bryant, H; Butler, J; Rachet, B; Maringe, C; Nur, U; Tracey, E; Coory, M; Hatcher, J; McGahan, CE; Turner, D; Marrett, L; Gjerstorff, ML; Johannesen, TB; Adolfsson, J; Lambe, M; Lawrence, G; Meechan, D; Morris, EJ; Middleton, R; Steward, J; Richards, MA

2011-01-01

Summary Background Cancer survival is a key measure of the effectiveness of health-care systems. Persistent regional and international differences in survival represent many avoidable deaths. Differences in survival have prompted or guided cancer control strategies. This is the first study in a programme to investigate international survival disparities, with the aim of informing health policy to raise standards and reduce inequalities in survival. Methods Data from population-based cancer registries in 12 jurisdictions in six countries were provided for 2·4 million adults diagnosed with primary colorectal, lung, breast (women), or ovarian cancer during 1995–2007, with follow-up to Dec 31, 2007. Data quality control and analyses were done centrally with a common protocol, overseen by external experts. We estimated 1-year and 5-year relative survival, constructing 252 complete life tables to control for background mortality by age, sex, and calendar year. We report age-specific and age-standardised relative survival at 1 and 5 years, and 5-year survival conditional on survival to the first anniversary of diagnosis. We also examined incidence and mortality trends during 1985–2005. Findings Relative survival improved during 1995–2007 for all four cancers in all jurisdictions. Survival was persistently higher in Australia, Canada, and Sweden, intermediate in Norway, and lower in Denmark, England, Northern Ireland, and Wales, particularly in the first year after diagnosis and for patients aged 65 years and older. International differences narrowed at all ages for breast cancer, from about 9% to 5% at 1 year and from about 14% to 8% at 5 years, but less or not at all for the other cancers. For colorectal cancer, the international range narrowed only for patients aged 65 years and older, by 2–6% at 1 year and by 2–3% at 5 years. Interpretation Up-to-date survival trends show increases but persistent differences between countries. Trends in cancer incidence and

Stakeholders' Perceptions of IELTS as an Entry Requirement for Higher Education in the UK

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hyatt, David

2013-01-01

This project explores stakeholders' perceptions of the role of the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) in the admissions processes of UK higher education (HE) institutions. The term "stakeholders" here refers to HE academic and administrative staff responsible for the acceptance of students whose first language is not…

Advanced Carbon Materials Center Established At UK

Science.gov Websites

UK Home Academics Athletics Medical Center Research Site Index Search UK University Master ] [research at UK] Advanced Carbon Materials Center Established At UK The tiny but mighty nanotube will continue to be the subject of several research projects at the University of Kentucky, thanks in part to a

Changes needed to medicine in the UK before senior UK-trained doctors, working outside the UK, will return: questionnaire surveys undertaken between 2004 and 2015

PubMed Central

Lambert, Trevor W; Goldacre, Michael J

2017-01-01

Objective To report the changes to UK medicine which doctors who have emigrated tell us would increase their likelihood of returning to a career in UK medicine. Design Questionnaire survey. Setting UK-trained medical graduates. Participants Questionnaires were sent 11 years after graduation to 7158 doctors who qualified in 1993 and 1996 in the UK: 4763 questionnaires were returned. Questionnaires were sent 17 and 19 years after graduation to the same cohorts: 4554 questionnaires were returned. Main outcome measures Comments from doctors working abroad about changes needed to UK medicine before they would return. Results Eleven years after graduation, 290 (6%) of respondents were working in medicine abroad; 277 (6%) were doing so 17/19 years after graduation. Eleven years after graduation, 53% of doctors working abroad indicated that they did not intend to return, and 71% did so 17/19 years after graduation. These respondents reported a number of changes which would need to be made to UK medicine in order to increase the likelihood of them returning. The most frequently mentioned changes cited concerned ‘politics/management/funding’, ‘pay/pension’, ‘posts/security/opportunities’, ‘working conditions/hours’, and ‘factors outside medicine’. Conclusions Policy attention to factors including funding, pay, management and particularly the clinical–political interface, working hours, and work–life balance may pay dividends for all, both in terms of persuading some established doctors to return and, perhaps more importantly, encouraging other, younger doctors to believe that the UK and the National Health Service can offer them a satisfying and rewarding career. PMID:29230305

Embedding Marketing in International Campus Development: Lessons from UK Universities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lewis, Vicky

2016-01-01

This paper provides recommendations for embedding a market- and marketing-informed approach within the development process for a new international campus. It includes a brief outline of the current global profile of international campuses (as one form of transnational education) before highlighting the role of marketing at key stages of campus…

Systematic Review of the Role of External Contributors in School Substance Use Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Buckley, Emily J.; White, David G.

2007-01-01

Purpose: A literature review was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of external contributors (anyone other than a teacher at the school) in delivering school-based drug, alcohol and tobacco education (substance use education) programmes. Design/methodology/approach: The review focused upon literature published from 1990 onwards in English.…

Temperamental, Parental, and Contextual Contributors to Early-Emerging Internalizing Problems: A New Integrative Analysis Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mills, Rosemary S. L.; Hastings, Paul D.; Helm, Jonathan; Serbin, Lisa A.; Etezadi, Jamshid; Stack, Dale M.; Schwartzman, Alex E.; Li, Hai Hong

2012-01-01

This study evaluated a comprehensive model of factors associated with internalizing problems (IP) in early childhood, hypothesizing direct, mediated, and moderated pathways linking child temperamental inhibition, maternal overcontrol and rejection, and contextual stressors to IP. In a novel approach, three samples were integrated to form a large…

UK medicines regulation: responding to current challenges.

PubMed

Richards, Natalie; Hudson, Ian

2016-12-01

The medicines regulatory environment is evolving rapidly in response to the changing environment. Advances in science and technology have led to a vast field of increasingly complicated pharmaceutical and medical device products; increasing globalization of the pharmaceutical industry, advances in digital technology and the internet, changing patient populations, and shifts in society also affect the regulatory environment. In the UK, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) regulates medicines, medical devices and blood products to protect and improve public health, and supports innovation through scientific research and development. It works closely with other bodies in a single medicines network across Europe and takes forward UK health priorities. This paper discusses the range of initiatives in the UK and across Europe to support innovation in medicines regulation. The MHRA leads a number of initiatives, such as the Innovation Office, which helps innovators to navigate the regulatory processes to progress their products or technologies; and simplification of the Clinical Trials Regulations and the Early Access to Medicines Scheme, to bring innovative medicines to patients faster. The Accelerated Access Review will identify reforms to accelerate access for National Health Service patients to innovative medicines and medical technologies. PRIME and Adaptive Pathways initiatives are joint endeavours within the European regulatory community. The MHRA runs spontaneous reporting schemes and works with INTERPOL to tackle counterfeiting and substandard products sold via the internet. The role of the regulator is changing rapidly, with new risk-proportionate, flexible approaches being introduced. International collaboration is a key element of the work of regulators, and is set to expand. © 2016 The British Pharmacological Society.

UK technical activities associated with the return to Earth of the MIR space station

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Crowther, Richard; Tremayne-Smith, Richard

2002-11-01

The British National Space Centre (BNSC) acts as the focus in the United Kingdom (UK) for space-related activities. With the anticipated return to Earth of the MIR space station, BNSC established a group of technical experts to consider the associated implications for the UK, and to address both national and international activities relating to the planned de-orbit. In particular, the risk to the UK of an uncontrolled re-entry was considered in contingency planning and the means for the provision of accurate information to the public and media were established to ensure balanced view of the potential hazards that MIR posed to persons and property on the ground. The MIR de-orbit was exemplary, both in terms of the technical activities of the Rosaviakosmos and the safe disposal of MIR in the Pacific, and in relation to the open and effective communication between agencies and the positive reporting by the media.

Epidemiology of U.K. Military Burns 2008-2013.

PubMed

Page, Felicity; Hamnett, Nathan; D'Asta, Federica; Jeffery, Steven

After sustaining burn injuries overseas, U.K. Armed Forces personnel are evacuated to the Royal Centre for Defence Medicine. The objective was to review the etiology of U.K. Military burns managed at the center between 2008 and 2013. Analysis will aid provision planning and assist in the prevention of burn injuries for future tours. The International Burn Injury Database database of all U.K. Armed Forces burn injured patients evacuated to the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital Birmingham between 2008 and 2013 were reviewed retrospectively. Analysis included patient demographics, injury mechanism, burn severity, management, and mortality. There were 65 military personnel with burn injuries requiring repatriation to the United Kingdom. Percentage of 78.5 were sustained in Afghanistan. The mean age was 25 (18-46) years. Percentage of 70.8 were considered noncombat burn injuries. Of the noncombat burns, the mechanism of injury most commonly involved burning waste and misuse of fuels and scalds. The mean TBSA for all patients was 6% (0.05-51%). Areas most commonly affected included arms, legs, and face. The length of hospital stay for combat vs noncombat burn injury patients was 10 vs 7 days. There were no fatalities. In conclusion, substantially fewer military personnel sustained combat burns between 2008 and 2013 than in preceding study period (19 vs 79). The number of accidental noncombat burns remained constant. The decrease in combat burns may reflect a relative decrease in military intensity and effective protective equipment and safety measures. Further education may allow for an additional decrease in preventable burn injuries.

Teaching International Business across Multiple Modes of Delivery: How to Maintain Equivalence in Learning Outcomes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Drew, Antony

2014-01-01

The drivers of globalization are changing how, where, and when international business (IB) is being taught, and increasing student diversity. Concomitantly, education is becoming an important contributor to GDP in developed economies. Today, the same course may be taught at home to domestic and in-bound international students, in host countries,…

Honorary authorship epidemic in scholarly publications? How the current use of citation-based evaluative metrics make (pseudo)honorary authors from honest contributors of every multi-author article.

PubMed

Kovacs, Jozsef

2013-08-01

The current use of citation-based metrics to evaluate the research output of individual researchers is highly discriminatory because they are uniformly applied to authors of single-author articles as well as contributors of multi-author papers. In the latter case, these quantitative measures are counted, as if each contributor were the single author of the full article. In this way, each and every contributor is assigned the full impact-factor score and all the citations that the article has received. This has a multiplication effect on each contributor's citation-based evaluative metrics of multi-author articles, because the more contributors an article has, the more undeserved credit is assigned to each of them. In this paper, I argue that this unfair system could be made fairer by requesting the contributors of multi-author articles to describe the nature of their contribution, and to assign a numerical value to their degree of relative contribution. In this way, we could create a contribution-specific index of each contributor for each citation metric. This would be a strong disincentive against honorary authorship and publication cartels, because it would transform the current win-win strategy of accepting honorary authors in the byline into a zero-sum game for each contributor.

The UK population: how does it compare?

PubMed

Matheson, Jil

2010-01-01

This is the fourth demographic report for the UK, providing an overview of the latest statistics on the population. This year's article compares the UK with other European countries and a range of nations from around the world. Statistical comparisons are made for fertility, mortality, ageing, migration and population density. The UK has an ageing population, but one that is not ageing as rapidly as some other countries such as Germany, Italy and Japan. Although life expectation in the UK is improving in line with most western European countries, relatively high levels of fertility ensure that the proportion of the population that is young remains high. Around one in ten residents of the UK are foreign born, a lower proportion than many developed countries. UK population density has increased steadily and is the fourth highest in the EU.

Who Are the Top Contributors in a MOOC? Relating Participants' Performance and Contributions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alario-Hoyos, C.; Muñoz-Merino, P. J.; Pérez-Sanagustín, M.; Delgado Kloos, C.; Parada Gelvez, H. A.

2016-01-01

The role of social tools in massive open online courses (MOOCs) is essential as they connect participants. Of all the participants in an MOOC, top contributors are the ones who more actively contribute via social tools. This article analyses and reports empirical data from five different social tools pertaining to an actual MOOC to characterize…

Review of the UK transport energy outlook: And policy recommendations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

1981-12-01

Liquid fuel consumption for transport (excluding international bunkers for ships) in 1979 is analyzed and used to forecast the position at the end of the century. Car population is expected to increase by 6 million to over 20 million, but fuel saving designs mean that fuel consumption increases only slightly. Truck fuel consumption stays the same. Fuel consumption by UK airlines is expected to double. The proportion of a barrel of crude oil which is refined as transport fuel must be increased.

Artistry and Analysis: Student Experiences of UK Practice-Based Doctorates in Art and Design

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Collinson, Jacquelyn Allen

2005-01-01

During the last decade, doctoral education has been the focus of much international academic attention. This period has also witnessed the rapid growth of practice-based research degrees in art and design in the UK. To date, however, there has been no extensive empirical research on the subjective experiences of students undertaking this form of…

An International Perspective on Regulated Family Day Care Systems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Davis, Elise; Freeman, Ramona; Doherty, Gillian; Karlsson, Malene; Everiss, Liz; Couch, Jane; Foote, Lyn; Murray, Patricia; Modigliani, Kathy; Owen, Sue; Griffin, Sue; Friendly, Martha; McDonald, Grace; Bohanna, India; Corr, Lara; Smyth, Lisa; Morkeseth, Elisabeth Ianke; Morreaunet, Sissel; Ogi, Mari; Fukukawa, Sumi; Hinke-Rahnau, Jutta

2012-01-01

Despite emerging evidence of the contributors to high-quality family day care, a comprehensive comparison of international family day care systems has not been undertaken. The aim of this paper is to compare regulated family day care (FDC) in Australia, Canada, England and Wales, Germany, Ireland, Japan, Norway, New Zealand, Sweden, and the USA,…

A Gendered Approach to Science Ethics for US and UK Physicists.

PubMed

Ecklund, Elaine Howard; Di, Di

2017-02-01

Some research indicates that women professionals-when compared to men-may be more ethical in the workplace. Existing literature that discusses gender and ethics is confined to the for-profit business sector and primarily to a US context. In particular, there is little attention paid to gender and ethics in science professions in a global context. This represents a significant gap, as science is a rapidly growing and global professional sector, as well as one with ethically ambiguous areas. Adopting an international comparative perspective, this paper relies on 121 semi-structured interviews with US and UK academic physicists to examine how physicists perceive the impact of gender on science ethics. Findings indicate that some US and UK physicists believe that female scientists handle ethical issues within science in a feminine way whereas their male colleagues approach ethics in a masculine way. Some of these physicists further claim that these different approaches to science ethics lead to male and female scientists' different levels of competitiveness in academic physics. In both the US and the UK, there are "gender-blind" physicists, who do not think gender is related to professional ethics. Relying on physicists' nuanced descriptions this paper contributes to the current understanding of gender and science and engineering ethics.

"Strategic Repositioning of Institutional Frameworks": Balancing Competing Demands within the Modular UK Higher Education Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Turnbull, Wayne; Burton, Diana; Mullins, Pat

2008-01-01

The UK higher education sector is grounded in an academic culture protective of its autonomy in the exercise of academic judgement within a flexible and internally validated tradition. However, the socio-political demands placed upon this sector articulate an outcomes-based, transparent and consistent model of higher education provision, as…

Ebola 2014: Setting up a port health screening programme at an international train station.

PubMed

Cleary, Vivien; Wynne-Evans, Edward; Freed, James; Fleet, Katie; Thorn, Simone; Turbitt, Deborah

2017-12-01

An outbreak of Ebola virus disease (EVD) began in Guinea in December 2013 and was declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern by the World Health Organization in August 2014. In October, the UK government tasked Public Health England (PHE) to set up EVD screening at key ports. The key aim of port-of-entry screening was to identify passengers coming from areas with high risk of EVD, and give them advice to raise their awareness of symptoms and what actions to take. Direct flights from Sierra Leone, Guinea or Liberia had all been cancelled, so intelligence on passenger numbers and routes was used to identify the most commonly used routes from the affected countries into the UK. One of these was St Pancras International train station. Screening had never previously been implemented at a UK train station so had to be set up from scratch. Key to the success of this was excellent multi-agency working between PHE, the UK Border Force, Eurostar, Network Rail and the Cabinet Office. This paper gives an overview of the activation of EVD screening at St Pancras International and the subsequent decommissioning.

Diary of a parliamentary intern.

PubMed

Chitty, John

2017-08-12

How the loss of non-UK EU vets could threaten animal welfare, public health and our ability to trade was discussed at a BVA/RCVS reception in Parliament in June. Parliamentary intern Anthony Ridge reports how the discussions will influence the Government's future immigration policy. British Veterinary Association.

System of Monitoring the Quality of Higher Education in UK Universities: Experience for Ukraine

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Krasilnikova, Hanna

2014-01-01

The article deals with the experience of the use of the system of internal monitoring of the quality of higher education in UK Universities. There has been analyzed the existing model of the system of higher education monitoring at the level of a higher education institution within the scope of the British higher education model, discovered by a…

Spring viraemia of carp (SVC) in the UK: the road to freedom.

PubMed

Taylor, N G H; Peeler, E J; Denham, K L; Crane, C N; Thrush, M A; Dixon, P F; Stone, D M; Way, K; Oidtmann, B C

2013-08-01

Spring viraemia of carp (SVC) is a disease of international importance that predominantly affects cyprinid fish and can cause significant mortality. In the United Kingdom (UK), SVC was first detected in 1977 with further cases occurring in fisheries, farms, wholesale and retail establishments throughout England and Wales (but not Scotland, where few cyprinid populations exist, nor Northern Ireland where SVC has never been detected) over the subsequent 30 years. Following a control and eradication programme for the disease initiated in 2005, the UK was recognised free of the disease in 2010. This study compiles historic records of SVC cases in England and Wales with a view to understanding its routes of introduction and spread, and assessing the effectiveness of the control and eradication programme in order to improve contingency plans to prevent and control future disease incursions in the cyprinid fish sectors. Between 1977 and 2010 the presence of SVC was confirmed on 108 occasions, with 65 of the cases occurring in sport fisheries and the majority of the remainder occurring in the ornamental fish sector. The study found that throughout the history of SVC in the UK, though cases were widely distributed, their occurrence was sporadic and the virus did not become endemic. All evidence indicates that SVC was not able to persist under UK environmental conditions, suggesting that the majority of cases were a result of new introductions to the UK as opposed to within-country spread. The control and eradication programme adopted in 2005 was highly effective and two years after its implementation cases of SVC ceased. Given the non-persistent nature of the pathogen the most important aspect of the control programme focused on preventing re-introduction of the virus to the UK. Despite the effectiveness of these controls against SVC, this approach is likely to be less effective against more persistent pathogens such as koi herpesvirus, which are likely to require more

International Partnerships for Clinical Cancer Research

Cancer.gov

CGH co-sponsors the 2015 International Symposium on Cancer Clinical Trials and related meetings held in partnership with the Japanese National Cancer Center (JNCC) and Embassies of France, Korea, United Kingdom (UK), and United States (US) in Tokyo on May 14 - 15, 2015.

The UK National Quantum Technologies Hub in sensors and metrology (Keynote Paper)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bongs, K.; Boyer, V.; Cruise, M. A.; Freise, A.; Holynski, M.; Hughes, J.; Kaushik, A.; Lien, Y.-H.; Niggebaum, A.; Perea-Ortiz, M.; Petrov, P.; Plant, S.; Singh, Y.; Stabrawa, A.; Paul, D. J.; Sorel, M.; Cumming, D. R. S.; Marsh, J. H.; Bowtell, R. W.; Bason, M. G.; Beardsley, R. P.; Campion, R. P.; Brookes, M. J.; Fernholz, T.; Fromhold, T. M.; Hackermuller, L.; Krüger, P.; Li, X.; Maclean, J. O.; Mellor, C. J.; Novikov, S. V.; Orucevic, F.; Rushforth, A. W.; Welch, N.; Benson, T. M.; Wildman, R. D.; Freegarde, T.; Himsworth, M.; Ruostekoski, J.; Smith, P.; Tropper, A.; Griffin, P. F.; Arnold, A. S.; Riis, E.; Hastie, J. E.; Paboeuf, D.; Parrotta, D. C.; Garraway, B. M.; Pasquazi, A.; Peccianti, M.; Hensinger, W.; Potter, E.; Nizamani, A. H.; Bostock, H.; Rodriguez Blanco, A.; Sinuco-Leon, G.; Hill, I. R.; Williams, R. A.; Gill, P.; Hempler, N.; Malcolm, G. P. A.; Cross, T.; Kock, B. O.; Maddox, S.; John, P.

2016-04-01

The UK National Quantum Technology Hub in Sensors and Metrology is one of four flagship initiatives in the UK National of Quantum Technology Program. As part of a 20-year vision it translates laboratory demonstrations to deployable practical devices, with game-changing miniaturized components and prototypes that transform the state-of-the-art for quantum sensors and metrology. It brings together experts from the Universities of Birmingham, Glasgow, Nottingham, Southampton, Strathclyde and Sussex, NPL and currently links to over 15 leading international academic institutions and over 70 companies to build the supply chains and routes to market needed to bring 10-1000x improvements in sensing applications. It seeks, and is open to, additional partners for new application development and creates a point of easy open access to the facilities and supply chains that it stimulates or nurtures.

Power and Control: Managing Agents for International Student Recruitment in Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Huang, Iona Yuelu; Raimo, Vincenzo; Humfrey, Christine

2016-01-01

This multiple case-based study investigates the relationship between recruiting agents and the UK universities who act as their principals. The current extensive use of agents in UK higher education may be seen as an indicator of the financial impact made by international students. The study analyses the practice of agent management and explores…

Differentiation between non-neural and neural contributors to ankle joint stiffness in cerebral palsy

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Spastic paresis in cerebral palsy (CP) is characterized by increased joint stiffness that may be of neural origin, i.e. improper muscle activation caused by e.g. hyperreflexia or non-neural origin, i.e. altered tissue viscoelastic properties (clinically: “spasticity” vs. “contracture”). Differentiation between these components is hard to achieve by common manual tests. We applied an assessment instrument to obtain quantitative measures of neural and non-neural contributions to ankle joint stiffness in CP. Methods Twenty-three adolescents with CP and eleven healthy subjects were seated with their foot fixated to an electrically powered single axis footplate. Passive ramp-and-hold rotations were applied over full ankle range of motion (RoM) at low and high velocities. Subject specific tissue stiffness, viscosity and reflexive torque were estimated from ankle angle, torque and triceps surae EMG activity using a neuromuscular model. Results In CP, triceps surae reflexive torque was on average 5.7 times larger (p = .002) and tissue stiffness 2.1 times larger (p = .018) compared to controls. High tissue stiffness was associated with reduced RoM (p < .001). Ratio between neural and non-neural contributors varied substantially within adolescents with CP. Significant associations of SPAT (spasticity test) score with both tissue stiffness and reflexive torque show agreement with clinical phenotype. Conclusions Using an instrumented and model based approach, increased joint stiffness in CP could be mainly attributed to higher reflexive torque compared to control subjects. Ratios between contributors varied substantially within adolescents with CP. Quantitative differentiation of neural and non-neural stiffness contributors in CP allows for assessment of individual patient characteristics and tailoring of therapy. PMID:23880287

Differentiation between non-neural and neural contributors to ankle joint stiffness in cerebral palsy.

PubMed

de Gooijer-van de Groep, Karin L; de Vlugt, Erwin; de Groot, Jurriaan H; van der Heijden-Maessen, Hélène C M; Wielheesen, Dennis H M; van Wijlen-Hempel, Rietje M S; Arendzen, J Hans; Meskers, Carel G M

2013-07-23

Spastic paresis in cerebral palsy (CP) is characterized by increased joint stiffness that may be of neural origin, i.e. improper muscle activation caused by e.g. hyperreflexia or non-neural origin, i.e. altered tissue viscoelastic properties (clinically: "spasticity" vs. "contracture"). Differentiation between these components is hard to achieve by common manual tests. We applied an assessment instrument to obtain quantitative measures of neural and non-neural contributions to ankle joint stiffness in CP. Twenty-three adolescents with CP and eleven healthy subjects were seated with their foot fixated to an electrically powered single axis footplate. Passive ramp-and-hold rotations were applied over full ankle range of motion (RoM) at low and high velocities. Subject specific tissue stiffness, viscosity and reflexive torque were estimated from ankle angle, torque and triceps surae EMG activity using a neuromuscular model. In CP, triceps surae reflexive torque was on average 5.7 times larger (p = .002) and tissue stiffness 2.1 times larger (p = .018) compared to controls. High tissue stiffness was associated with reduced RoM (p < .001). Ratio between neural and non-neural contributors varied substantially within adolescents with CP. Significant associations of SPAT (spasticity test) score with both tissue stiffness and reflexive torque show agreement with clinical phenotype. Using an instrumented and model based approach, increased joint stiffness in CP could be mainly attributed to higher reflexive torque compared to control subjects. Ratios between contributors varied substantially within adolescents with CP. Quantitative differentiation of neural and non-neural stiffness contributors in CP allows for assessment of individual patient characteristics and tailoring of therapy.

Approaching Gender Equity in Academic Chemistry: Lessons Learned from Successful Female Chemists in the UK

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miller-Friedmann, Jaimie; Childs, Ann; Hillier, Judith

2018-01-01

The internationally acknowledged gender gap in science continues to be an unrelenting concern to science educators; aggregate data in the UK show that both recruitment and retention of women in academic science remain relatively low. Most published research focuses on women in the broad field of science, generates correlations or predictions, or…

Comparing human papillomavirus vaccine concerns on Twitter: a cross-sectional study of users in Australia, Canada and the UK

PubMed Central

Shapiro, Gilla K; Surian, Didi; Dunn, Adam G; Perry, Ryan; Kelaher, Margaret

2017-01-01

Objective Opposition to human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination is common on social media and has the potential to impact vaccine coverage. This study aims to conduct an international comparison of the proportions of tweets about HPV vaccines that express concerns, the types of concerns expressed and the social connections among users posting about HPV vaccines in Australia, Canada and the UK. Design Using a cross-sectional design, an international comparison of English language tweets about HPV vaccines and social connections among Twitter users posting about HPV vaccines between January 2014 and April 2016 was conducted. The Health Belief Model, one of the most widely used theories in health psychology, was used as the basis for coding the types of HPV vaccine concerns expressed on Twitter. Setting The content of tweets and the social connections between users who posted tweets about HPV vaccines from Australia, Canada and the UK. Population 16 789 Twitter users who posted 43 852 tweets about HPV vaccines. Main outcome measures The proportions of tweets expressing concern, the type of concern expressed and the proportions of local and international social connections between users. Results Tweets expressing concerns about HPV vaccines made up 14.9% of tweets in Canada, 19.4% in Australia and 22.6% in the UK. The types of concerns expressed were similar across the three countries, with concerns related to ‘perceived barriers’ being the most common. Users expressing concerns about HPV vaccines in each of the three countries had a relatively high proportion of international followers also expressing concerns. Conclusions The proportions and types of HPV vaccine concerns expressed on Twitter were similar across the three countries. Twitter users who mostly expressed concerns about HPV vaccines were better connected to international users who shared their concerns compared with users who did not express concerns about HPV vaccines. PMID:28982821

Lighting the Blue Touchpaper for UK e-Science - Closing Conference of ESLEA Project. ESLEA, March 26-28, 2007, Edinburgh

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Clarke, Peter; Davenhall, Clive; Greenwood, Colin; Strong, Matthew

ESLEA, an EPSRC-funded project, aims to demonstrate the potential benefits of circuit-switched optical networks (lightpaths) to the UK e-Science community. This is being achieved by running a number of "proof of benefit" pilot applications over UKLight, the UK's first national optical research network. UKLight provides a new way for researchers to obtain dedicated "lightpaths" between remote sites and to deploy and test novel networking methods and technologies. It facilitates collaboration on global projects by providing a point of access to the fast growing international optical R&D infrastructure. A diverse range of data-intensive fields of academic endeavour are participating in the ESLEA project; all these groups require the integration of high-bandwidth switched lightpath circuits into their experimental and analysis infrastructure for international transport of high-volume applications data. In addition, network protocol research and development of circuit reservation mechanisms has been carried out to help the pilot applications to exploit the UKLight infrastructure effectively. Further information about ESLEA can be viewed at www.eslea.uklight.ac.uk. ESLEA activities are now coming to an end and work will finish from February to July 2007, depending upon the terms of funding of each pilot application. The first quarter of 2007 is considered the optimum time to hold a closing conference for the project. The objectives of the conference are to: 1. Provide a forum for the dissemination of research findings and learning experiences from the ESLEA project. 2. Enable colleagues from the UK and international e-Science communities to present, discuss and learn about the latest developments in networking technology. 3. Raise awareness about the deployment of the UKLight infrastructure and its relationship to SuperJANET 5. 4. Identify potential uses of UKLight by existing or future research projects

Accuracy of a history of blood donation from surrogate witnesses: data from the UK TMER study.

PubMed

Mackenzie, J M; Turner, M; Morris, K; Field, S; Molesworth, A M; Pal, S; Will, R G; Llewelyn, C A; Hewitt, P E

2018-05-15

Look-back studies of blood transfusion in Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease commonly rely on reported history from surrogate witnesses. Data from the UK Transfusion Medicine Epidemiology Review have been analysed to determine the accuracy of the blood donation history provided by the relatives of cases. Our results show that only a small percentage of cases were found to be registered as donors on UK Blood Service (UKBS) databases when there was no family report of blood donation. In contrast, a history of reported donation was less accurate. © 2018 The Authors. Vox Sanguinis published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of International Society of Blood Transfusion.

The Effect of Tuition Fees on Student Mobility: The UK and Ireland as a Natural Experiment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wakeling, Paul; Jefferies, Katie

2013-01-01

We exploit changes in student funding policies across the four UK nations and the Republic of Ireland to conduct a natural experiment investigating the marginal effect of differing tuition fee levels on students' enrolment behaviour. Whilst previous international research suggests increases in fees suppress demand and disincentivise cross-border…

Supporting UK adaptation: building services for the next set of UK climate projections

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fung, Fai; Lowe, Jason

2016-04-01

As part of the Climate Change Act 2008, the UK Government sets out a national adaptation programme to address the risks and opportunities identified in a national climate change risk assessment (CCRA) every five years. The last risk assessment in 2012 was based on the probabilistic projections for the UK published in 2009 (UKCP09). The second risk assessment will also use information from UKCP09 alongside other evidence on climate projections. However, developments in the science of climate projeciton, and evolving user needs (based partly on what has been learnt about the diverse user requirements of the UK adaptation community from the seven years of delivering and managing UKCP09 products, market research and the peer-reviewed literature) suggest now is an appropriate time to update the projections and how they are delivered. A new set of UK climate projections are now being produced to upgrade UKCP09 to reflect the latest developments in climate science, the first phase of which will be delivered in 2018 to support the third CCRA. A major component of the work is the building of a tailored service to support users of the new projections during their development and to involve users in key decisions so that the projections are of most use. We will set out the plan for the new climate projections that seek to address the evolving user need. We will also present a framework which aims to (i) facilitate the dialogue between users, boundary organisations and producers, reflecting their different decision-making roles (ii) produce scientifically robust, user-relevant climate information (iii) provide the building blocks for developing further climate services to support adaptation activities in the UK.

Mental health services commissioning and provision: Lessons from the UK?

PubMed

Ikkos, G; Sugarman, Ph; Bouras, N

2015-01-01

The commissioning and provision of healthcare, including mental health services, must be consistent with ethical principles - which can be summarised as being "fair", irrespective of the method chosen to deliver care. They must also provide value to both patients and society in general. Value may be defined as the ratio of patient health outcomes to the cost of service across the whole care pathway. Particularly in difficult times, it is essential to keep an open mind as to how this might be best achieved. National and regional policies will necessarily vary as they reflect diverse local histories, cultures, needs and preferences. As systems of commissioning and delivering mental health care vary from country to country, there is the opportunity to learn from others. In the future international comparisons may help identify policies and systems that can work across nations and regions. However a persistent problem is the lack of clear evidence over cost and quality delivered by different local or national models. The best informed economists, when asked about the international evidence do not provide clear answers, stating that it depends how you measure cost and quality, the national governance model and the level of resources. The UK has a centrally managed system funded by general taxation, known as the National Health Service (NHS). Since 2010, the UK's new Coalition* government has responded by further reforming the system of purchasing and providing NHS services - aiming to strengthen choice and competition between providers on the basis of quality and outcomes as well as price. Although the present coalition government's intention is to maintain a tax-funded system, free at the point of delivery, introducing market-style purchasing and provider-side reforms to encompass all of these bring new risks, whilst not pursuing reforms of a system in crisis is also seen to carry risks. Competition might bring efficiency, but may weaken cooperation between providers

Adiposity among 132 479 UK Biobank participants; contribution of sugar intake vs other macronutrients.

PubMed

Anderson, J J; Celis-Morales, C A; Mackay, D F; Iliodromiti, S; Lyall, D M; Sattar, N; Gill, Jmr; Pell, J P

2017-04-01

Policy makers are being encouraged to specifically target sugar intake in order to combat obesity. We examined the extent to which sugar, relative to other macronutrients, was associated with adiposity. We used baseline data from UK Biobank to examine the associations between energy intake (total and individual macronutrients) and adiposity [body mass index (BMI), percentage body fat and waist circumference]. Linear regression models were conducted univariately and adjusted for age, sex, ethnicity and physical activity. Among 132 479 participants, 66.3% of men and 51.8% of women were overweight/obese. There was a weak correlation (r = 0.24) between energy from sugar and fat; 13% of those in the highest quintile for sugar were in the lowest for fat, and vice versa. Compared with normal BMI, obese participants had 11.5% higher total energy intake and 14.6%, 13.8%, 9.5% and 4.7% higher intake from fat, protein, starch and sugar, respectively. Hence, the proportion of energy derived from fat was higher (34.3% vs 33.4%, P < 0.001) but from sugar was lower (22.0% vs 23.4%, P < 0.001). BMI was more strongly associated with total energy [coefficient 2.47, 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.36-2.55] and energy from fat (coefficient 1.96, 95% CI 1.91-2.06) than sugar (coefficient 0.48, 95% CI 0.41-0.55). The latter became negative after adjustment for total energy. Fat is the largest contributor to overall energy. The proportion of energy from fat in the diet, but not sugar, is higher among overweight/obese individuals. Focusing public health messages on sugar may mislead on the need to reduce fat and overall energy consumption. © The Author 2016; all rights reserved. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the International Epidemiological Association

Policy Options for Managing International Student Migration: The Sending Country's Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gribble, Cate

2008-01-01

A consequence of the dramatic rise in international student mobility is the trend for international students to remain in the country in which they study after graduation. Countries such as Australia, the UK and Canada stand to benefit from international student migration, as they are able to fill skill shortages with locally trained foreign…

Ten commandments for the future of ageing research in the UK: a vision for action

PubMed Central

Franco, Oscar H; Kirkwood, Thomas BL; Powell, Jonathan R; Catt, Michael; Goodwin, James; Ordovas, Jose M; van der Ouderaa, Frans

2007-01-01

Increases in longevity resulting from improvements in health care and living conditions together with a decrease in fertility rates have contributed to a shift towards an aged population profile. For the first time the UK has more people over age 60 than below 16 years of age. The increase in longevity has not been accompanied by an increase in disease-free life expectancy and research into ageing is required to improve the health and quality of life of older people. However, as the House of Lords reported, ageing research in the UK is not adequately structured and a clear vision and plan are urgently required. Hence, with the aim of setting a common vision for action in ageing research in the UK, a 'Spark Workshop' was organised. International experts from different disciplines related to ageing research gathered to share their perspectives and to evaluate the present status of ageing research in the UK. A detailed assessment of potential improvements was conducted and the prospective secondary gains were considered, which were subsequently distilled into a list of 'ten commandments'. We believe that these commandments, if followed, will help to bring about the necessary implementation of an action plan for ageing research in the UK, commensurate with the scale of the challenge, which is to transform the manifold opportunities of increased longevity into actual delivery of a society living not only for longer, but also healthier, wealthier and happier. PMID:17477869

Present and future of the undergraduate ophthalmology curriculum: a survey of UK medical schools

PubMed Central

Hill, Sophie; Dennick, Reg

2017-01-01

Objectives To investigate the current undergraduate ophthalmology curricula provided by the UK medical schools, evaluate how they compare with the guidelines of the Royal College of Ophthalmologists (RCOphth) and International Council for Ophthalmology (ICO), and determine the views of the UK ophthalmology teaching leads on the future direction of the curriculum. Methods A cross-sectional questionnaire was sent to teaching leads in 31 medical schools across the UK. The questionnaire evaluated eight themes of the curriculum: content and learning outcomes, communication of learning outcomes, organisation of the curriculum, assessment, educational resources, teaching methods used, and the educational environment. The ophthalmology teaching leads were also asked their opinion on the current and future management of the curriculum. These were compared with RCOphth and ICO guidelines and descriptive statistical analysis performed. Results A response rate of 93% (n=29/31) was achieved. The knowledge and clinical skills taught by the UK medical schools match the  RCOphth guidelines, but fail to meet the ICO recommendations. A diverse range of assessment methods are used by UK medical schools during ophthalmology rotations. Variation was also observed in the organisation and methods of ophthalmology teaching.  However, a significant consensus about the future direction of the curriculum was reported by teaching leads. Conclusions Comprehensive RCOphth guidance, and resource sharing between medical schools could help to ensure ophthalmology’s continuing presence in the medical curriculum and improve the effectiveness of undergraduate ophthalmology teaching, while reducing the workload of local teaching departments and medical schools.  PMID:29103017

Challenges of University Adjustment in the UK: A Study of East Asian Master's Degree Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wu, Wenli; Hammond, Michael

2011-01-01

This paper reports on the adjustment of East Asian Master's level students who came to study at a campus-based university in the UK during 2004-05. International students face challenges in respect to language proficiency, academic expectations and social participation. In this longitudinal study the experiences of a group of students from East…

Contributors to Assessments of Risk in Intimate Partner Violence: How Victims and Professionals Differ

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cattaneo, Lauren Bennett

2007-01-01

This article explores what factors contribute to victims' vs. victim advocates' assessments of risk of repeat intimate partner violence. A sample of 169 court-involved victims and the advocates who conducted intake with them were asked to rate victims' risk of repeat abuse. Significant contributors to victim assessments were her level of…

The medline UK filter: development and validation of a geographic search filter to retrieve research about the UK from OVID medline.

PubMed

Ayiku, Lynda; Levay, Paul; Hudson, Tom; Craven, Jenny; Barrett, Elizabeth; Finnegan, Amy; Adams, Rachel

2017-07-13

A validated geographic search filter for the retrieval of research about the United Kingdom (UK) from bibliographic databases had not previously been published. To develop and validate a geographic search filter to retrieve research about the UK from OVID medline with high recall and precision. Three gold standard sets of references were generated using the relative recall method. The sets contained references to studies about the UK which had informed National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidance. The first and second sets were used to develop and refine the medline UK filter. The third set was used to validate the filter. Recall, precision and number-needed-to-read (NNR) were calculated using a case study. The validated medline UK filter demonstrated 87.6% relative recall against the third gold standard set. In the case study, the medline UK filter demonstrated 100% recall, 11.4% precision and a NNR of nine. A validated geographic search filter to retrieve research about the UK with high recall and precision has been developed. The medline UK filter can be applied to systematic literature searches in OVID medline for topics with a UK focus. © 2017 Crown copyright. Health Information and Libraries Journal © 2017 Health Libraries GroupThis article is published with the permission of the Controller of HMSO and the Queen's Printer for Scotland.

The Geomatics.org.UK Project

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bramald, Tom; Powell, Jonathan

2006-01-01

In this article, the authors describe how pupils can benefit from some unusual and exciting free resources of geomatics.org.uk. Geomatics.org.uk is a project that provides free resources to support teaching and learning in a variety of subjects including maths and geography, often in a cross-curricular way. Via the project website, it is possible,…

Exploring the potential duty of care in clinical genomics under UK law.

PubMed

Mitchell, Colin; Ploem, Corrette; Chico, Victoria; Ormondroyd, Elizabeth; Hall, Alison; Wallace, Susan; Fay, Michael; Goodwin, Deirdre; Bell, Jessica; Phillips, Simon; Taylor, Jenny C; Hennekam, Raoul; Kaye, Jane

2017-09-01

Genome-wide sequencing technologies are beginning to be used in projects that have both clinical diagnostic and research components. The clinical application of this technology, which generates a huge amount of information of varying diagnostic certainty, involves addressing a number of challenges to establish appropriate standards. In this article, we explore the way that UK law may respond to three of these key challenges and could establish new legal duties in relation to feedback of findings that are unrelated to the presenting condition (secondary, additional or incidental findings); duties towards genetic relatives as well as the patient and duties on the part of researchers and professionals who do not have direct contact with patients. When considering these issues, the courts will take account of European and international comparisons, developing guidance and relevant ethical, social and policy factors. The UK courts will also be strongly influenced by precedent set in case law.

Can UK NHS research ethics committees effectively monitor publication and outcome reporting bias?

PubMed

Begum, Rasheda; Kolstoe, Simon

2015-07-25

Publication and outcome reporting bias is often caused by researchers selectively choosing which scientific results and outcomes to publish. This behaviour is ethically significant as it distorts the literature used for future scientific or clinical decision-making. This study investigates the practicalities of using ethics applications submitted to a UK National Health Service (NHS) research ethics committee to monitor both types of reporting bias. As part of an internal audit we accessed research ethics database records for studies submitting an end of study declaration to the Hampshire A research ethics committee (formerly Southampton A) between 1st January 2010 and 31st December 2011. A literature search was used to establish the publication status of studies. Primary and secondary outcomes stated in application forms were compared with outcomes reported in publications. Out of 116 studies the literature search identified 57 publications for 37 studies giving a publication rate of 32%. Original Research Ethics Committee (REC) applications could be obtained for 28 of the published studies. Outcome inconsistencies were found in 16 (57%) of the published studies. This study showed that the problem of publication and outcome reporting bias is still significant in the UK. The method described here demonstrates that UK NHS research ethics committees are in a good position to detect such bias due to their unique access to original research protocols. Data gathered in this way could be used by the Health Research Authority to encourage higher levels of transparency in UK research.

Silicon concentrations in UK surface waters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Neal, Colin; Neal, Margaret; Reynolds, Brian; Maberly, Stephen C.; May, Linda; Ferrier, Robert C.; Smith, Jennifer; Parker, Julie E.

2005-03-01

This paper describes the variations in silicon concentrations in UK waters for a wide range of catchment systems (near pristine, rural, and agricultural and urban impacted systems). The paper largely concerns silicon levels in streams, rivers and lakes based on extensive data collected as part of several research and monitoring initiatives of national and international standing. For a detailed study of an upland catchment in mid-Wales, information on atmospheric inputs and groundwater chemistries is provided to supply background information to cross link to the surface water chemistry. Several hundred streams/rivers and lakes are dealt with within the study, dealing with the main types of freshwater riverine and lacustrine environments. The streams/rivers vary from small ephemeral runoff to the major rivers of the UK. The geographical location of sites vary from local sites in mid-Wales, to regional studies across Scotland, to the major eastern UK rivers entering the North Sea and to acid sensitive upland sites across Wales, the English Lake District, Scotland and Northern Ireland. The surface waters range in silicon concentration from 0 to 19 mg-Si l -1 (average for individual sites vary between 0.7 and 7.6 mg-Si l -1) and there are some clear variations which link to two primary processes (1) the relative inputs of groundwaters enriched in silicon and near surface waters more depleted in silicon and (2) plankton uptake of silicon during the summer months under baseflow conditions. Thermodynamic analysis reveals that the waters are approximately saturated with respect to either quartz or chalcedony except for two circumstances when undersaturation occurs. Firstly, undersaturation occurs at pH less than 5.5 in the upland areas and this is because the waters are mainly sourced from the acidic organic soils which are depleted in inorganic minerals. Secondly, undersaturation occurs in the lowland rivers when biological activity is at its highest and this leads to

China's rise as a major contributor to science and technology.

PubMed

Xie, Yu; Zhang, Chunni; Lai, Qing

2014-07-01

In the past three decades, China has become a major contributor to science and technology. China now employs an increasingly large labor force of scientists and engineers at relatively high earnings and produces more science and engineering degrees than the United States at all levels, particularly bachelor's. China's research and development expenditure has been rising. Research output in China has been sharply increasing since 2002, making China the second largest producer of scientific papers after the United States. The quality of research by Chinese scientists has also been improving steadily. However, China's rise in science also faces serious difficulties, partly attributable to its rigid, top-down administrative system, with allegations of scientific misconduct trending upward.

Dispersion Forces and the Molecular Origin of Internal Friction in Protein.

PubMed

Sashi, Pulikallu; Ramakrishna, Dasari; Bhuyan, Abani K

2016-08-23

Internal friction in macromolecules is one of the curious phenomena that control conformational changes and reaction rates. It is held here that dispersion interactions and London-van der Waals forces between nonbonded atoms are major contributors to internal friction. To demonstrate this, the flipping motion of aromatic rings of F10 and Y97 amino acid residues of cytochrome c has been studied in glycerol/water mixtures by cross relaxation-suppressed exchange nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. The ring-flip rate is highly overdamped by glycerol, but this is not due to the effect of protein-solvent interactions on the Brownian dynamics of the protein, because glycerol cannot penetrate into the protein to slow the internal collective motions. Sound velocity in the protein under matching solvent conditions shows that glycerol exerts its effect by rather smothering the protein interior to produce reduced molecular compressibility and root-mean-square volume fluctuation (δVRMS), implying an increased number of dispersion interactions of nonbonded atoms. Hence, δVRMS can be used as a proxy for internal friction. By using the ansatz that internal friction is related to nonbonded interactions by the equation f(n) = f0 + f1n + f2n(2) + ..., where the variable n is the extent of nonbonded interactions with fi coefficients, the barrier to aromatic ring rotation is found to be flat. Also interesting is the appearance of a turnover region in the δVRMS dependence of the ring-flip rate, suggesting anomalous internal diffusion. We conclude that cohesive forces among nonbonded atoms are major contributors to the molecular origin of internal friction.

Current status of kilovoltage (kV) radiotherapy in the UK: installed equipment, clinical workload, physics quality control and radiation dosimetry.

PubMed

Palmer, Antony L; Pearson, Michael; Whittard, Paul; McHugh, Katie E; Eaton, David J

2016-12-01

To assess the status and practice of kilovoltage (kV) radiotherapy in the UK. 96% of the radiotherapy centres in the UK responded to a comprehensive survey. An analysis of the installed equipment base, patient numbers, clinical treatment sites, quality control (QC) testing and radiation dosimetry processes were undertaken. 73% of UK centres have at least one kV treatment unit, with 58 units installed across the UK. Although 35% of units are over 10 years old, 39% units have been installed in the last 5 years. Approximately 6000 patients are treated with kV units in the UK each year, the most common site (44%) being basal cell carcinoma. A benchmark of QC practice in the UK is presented, against which individual centres can compare their procedures, frequency of testing and acceptable tolerance values. We propose the use of internal "notification" and "suspension" levels for analysis. All surveyed centres were using recommended Codes of Practice for kV dosimetry in the UK; approximately the same number using in-air and in-water methodologies for medium energy, with two-thirds of all centres citing "clinical relevance" as the reason for choice of code. 64% of centres had hosted an external dosimetry audit within the last 3 years, with only one centre never being independently audited. The majority of centres use locally measured applicator factors and published backscatter factors for treatments. Monitor unit calculations are performed using software in only 36% of centres. A comprehensive review of current kV practice in the UK is presented. Advances in knowledge: Data and discussion on contemporary kV radiotherapy in the UK, with a particular focus on physics aspects.

Paediatric home care in the UK.

PubMed Central

Tatman, M A; Woodroffe, C

1993-01-01

Paediatric home care services in the UK were ascertained in 1991 and 1992. Respondents from 209 (97%) UK health districts and boards identified 62 general and 124 specialist paediatric home care services by January 1993, 15% having opened in the previous year. Of all UK children, 30% lived in a district with a general home care service. Five health regions had only specialist services. Districts differed widely in the availability of home care for different disorders. The home care services were small, general services employing a mean (SD) of 2.5 (1.6) whole time equivalent (WTE) nurses, and specialist services 1.3 (0.8) WTE nurses. Few services were available 24 hours a day. Funding arrangements were diverse and some services had difficulties in obtaining consumables and equipment for home use. Despite rapid growth there remains considerable scope for the development of paediatric home care throughout the UK. PMID:8285782

The Returns to UK Degrees for Foreign-Educated Graduates

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Valbuena, Javier; Zhu, Yu

2018-01-01

Exploiting information on foreign qualifications for the first time, we estimate the returns to obtaining UK higher degrees for foreign graduates who migrated to the UK in their 20s. Accounting for direct measures of foreign and UK qualifications and country-of-origin fixed effects, we find substantial returns to obtaining UK (higher) degrees on…

Professional Learning of Observers, Collaborators, and Contributors in a Teacher-Created Online Community in Korea

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Seo, Kyounghye

2014-01-01

This study investigated professional learning taking place in a teacher-created online community. In particular, this aimed to explore how teachers at different levels of participation learn in an online community. The results showed that teachers usually began as observers, reading others' postings and using contributors' teaching resources, and…

A Critical Account of Employability Construction through the Eyes of Chinese Postgraduate Students in the UK

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Li, Zhen

2013-01-01

This paper presents a multiple ("n"?=?23), longitudinal case study of the construction of personal employability by Chinese students at a UK university. It draws on the work of Brown and Hesketh to frame notions of employability in order to understand how these students engage with the international and Chinese labour markets from their…

Retrotransposons Are the Major Contributors to the Expansion of the Drosophila ananassae Muller F Element

PubMed Central

Shaffer, Christopher D.; Chen, Elizabeth J.; Quisenberry, Thomas J.; Ko, Kevin; Braverman, John M.; Giarla, Thomas C.; Mortimer, Nathan T.; Reed, Laura K.; Smith, Sheryl T.; Robic, Srebrenka; McCartha, Shannon R.; Perry, Danielle R.; Prescod, Lindsay M.; Sheppard, Zenyth A.; Saville, Ken J.; McClish, Allison; Morlock, Emily A.; Sochor, Victoria R.; Stanton, Brittney; Veysey-White, Isaac C.; Revie, Dennis; Jimenez, Luis A.; Palomino, Jennifer J.; Patao, Melissa D.; Patao, Shane M.; Himelblau, Edward T.; Campbell, Jaclyn D.; Hertz, Alexandra L.; McEvilly, Maddison F.; Wagner, Allison R.; Youngblom, James; Bedi, Baljit; Bettincourt, Jeffery; Duso, Erin; Her, Maiye; Hilton, William; House, Samantha; Karimi, Masud; Kumimoto, Kevin; Lee, Rebekah; Lopez, Darryl; Odisho, George; Prasad, Ricky; Robbins, Holly Lyn; Sandhu, Tanveer; Selfridge, Tracy; Tsukashima, Kara; Yosif, Hani; Kokan, Nighat P.; Britt, Latia; Zoellner, Alycia; Spana, Eric P.; Chlebina, Ben T.; Chong, Insun; Friedman, Harrison; Mammo, Danny A.; Ng, Chun L.; Nikam, Vinayak S.; Schwartz, Nicholas U.; Xu, Thomas Q.; Burg, Martin G.; Batten, Spencer M.; Corbeill, Lindsay M.; Enoch, Erica; Ensign, Jesse J.; Franks, Mary E.; Haiker, Breanna; Ingles, Judith A.; Kirkland, Lyndsay D.; Lorenz-Guertin, Joshua M.; Matthews, Jordan; Mittig, Cody M.; Monsma, Nicholaus; Olson, Katherine J.; Perez-Aragon, Guillermo; Ramic, Alen; Ramirez, Jordan R.; Scheiber, Christopher; Schneider, Patrick A.; Schultz, Devon E.; Simon, Matthew; Spencer, Eric; Wernette, Adam C.; Wykle, Maxine E.; Zavala-Arellano, Elizabeth; McDonald, Mitchell J.; Ostby, Kristine; Wendland, Peter; DiAngelo, Justin R.; Ceasrine, Alexis M.; Cox, Amanda H.; Docherty, James E.B.; Gingras, Robert M.; Grieb, Stephanie M.; Pavia, Michael J.; Personius, Casey L.; Polak, Grzegorz L.; Beach, Dale L.; Cerritos, Heaven L.; Horansky, Edward A.; Sharif, Karim A.; Moran, Ryan; Parrish, Susan; Bickford, Kirsten; Bland, Jennifer; Broussard, Juliana; Campbell, Kerry; Deibel, Katelynn E.; Forka, Richard; Lemke, Monika C.; Nelson, Marlee B.; O'Keeffe, Catherine; Ramey, S. Mariel; Schmidt, Luke; Villegas, Paola; Jones, Christopher J.; Christ, Stephanie L.; Mamari, Sami; Rinaldi, Adam S.; Stity, Ghazal; Hark, Amy T.; Scheuerman, Mark; Silver Key, S. Catherine; McRae, Briana D.; Haberman, Adam S.; Asinof, Sam; Carrington, Harriette; Drumm, Kelly; Embry, Terrance; McGuire, Richard; Miller-Foreman, Drew; Rosen, Stella; Safa, Nadia; Schultz, Darrin; Segal, Matt; Shevin, Yakov; Svoronos, Petros; Vuong, Tam; Skuse, Gary; Paetkau, Don W.; Bridgman, Rachael K.; Brown, Charlotte M.; Carroll, Alicia R.; Gifford, Francesca M.; Gillespie, Julie Beth; Herman, Susan E.; Holtcamp, Krystal L.; Host, Misha A.; Hussey, Gabrielle; Kramer, Danielle M.; Lawrence, Joan Q.; Martin, Madeline M.; Niemiec, Ellen N.; O'Reilly, Ashleigh P.; Pahl, Olivia A.; Quintana, Guadalupe; Rettie, Elizabeth A.S.; Richardson, Torie L.; Rodriguez, Arianne E.; Rodriguez, Mona O.; Schiraldi, Laura; Smith, Joanna J.; Sugrue, Kelsey F.; Suriano, Lindsey J.; Takach, Kaitlyn E.; Vasquez, Arielle M.; Velez, Ximena; Villafuerte, Elizabeth J.; Vives, Laura T.; Zellmer, Victoria R.; Hauke, Jeanette; Hauser, Charles R.; Barker, Karolyn; Cannon, Laurie; Parsamian, Perouza; Parsons, Samantha; Wichman, Zachariah; Bazinet, Christopher W.; Johnson, Diana E.; Bangura, Abubakarr; Black, Jordan A.; Chevee, Victoria; Einsteen, Sarah A.; Hilton, Sarah K.; Kollmer, Max; Nadendla, Rahul; Stamm, Joyce; Fafara-Thompson, Antoinette E.; Gygi, Amber M.; Ogawa, Emmy E.; Van Camp, Matt; Kocsisova, Zuzana; Leatherman, Judith L.; Modahl, Cassie M.; Rubin, Michael R.; Apiz-Saab, Susana S.; Arias-Mejias, Suzette M.; Carrion-Ortiz, Carlos F.; Claudio-Vazquez, Patricia N.; Espada-Green, Debbie M.; Feliciano-Camacho, Marium; Gonzalez-Bonilla, Karina M.; Taboas-Arroyo, Mariela; Vargas-Franco, Dorianmarie; Montañez-Gonzalez, Raquel; Perez-Otero, Joseph; Rivera-Burgos, Myrielis; Rivera-Rosario, Francisco J.; Eisler, Heather L.; Alexander, Jackie; Begley, Samatha K.; Gabbard, Deana; Allen, Robert J.; Aung, Wint Yan; Barshop, William D.; Boozalis, Amanda; Chu, Vanessa P.; Davis, Jeremy S.; Duggal, Ryan N.; Franklin, Robert; Gavinski, Katherine; Gebreyesus, Heran; Gong, Henry Z.; Greenstein, Rachel A.; Guo, Averill D.; Hanson, Casey; Homa, Kaitlin E.; Hsu, Simon C.; Huang, Yi; Huo, Lucy; Jacobs, Sarah; Jia, Sasha; Jung, Kyle L.; Wai-Chee Kong, Sarah; Kroll, Matthew R.; Lee, Brandon M.; Lee, Paul F.; Levine, Kevin M.; Li, Amy S.; Liu, Chengyu; Liu, Max Mian; Lousararian, Adam P.; Lowery, Peter B.; Mallya, Allyson P.; Marcus, Joseph E.; Ng, Patrick C.; Nguyen, Hien P.; Patel, Ruchik; Precht, Hashini; Rastogi, Suchita; Sarezky, Jonathan M.; Schefkind, Adam; Schultz, Michael B.; Shen, Delia; Skorupa, Tara; Spies, Nicholas C.; Stancu, Gabriel; Vivian Tsang, Hiu Man; Turski, Alice L.; Venkat, Rohit; Waldman, Leah E.; Wang, Kaidi; Wang, Tracy; Wei, Jeffrey W.; Wu, Dennis Y.; Xiong, David D.; Yu, Jack; Zhou, Karen; McNeil, Gerard P.; Fernandez, Robert W.; Menzies, Patrick Gomez; Gu, Tingting; Buhler, Jeremy; Mardis, Elaine R.; Elgin, Sarah C.R.

2017-01-01

The discordance between genome size and the complexity of eukaryotes can partly be attributed to differences in repeat density. The Muller F element (∼5.2 Mb) is the smallest chromosome in Drosophila melanogaster, but it is substantially larger (>18.7 Mb) in D. ananassae. To identify the major contributors to the expansion of the F element and to assess their impact, we improved the genome sequence and annotated the genes in a 1.4-Mb region of the D. ananassae F element, and a 1.7-Mb region from the D element for comparison. We find that transposons (particularly LTR and LINE retrotransposons) are major contributors to this expansion (78.6%), while Wolbachia sequences integrated into the D. ananassae genome are minor contributors (0.02%). Both D. melanogaster and D. ananassae F-element genes exhibit distinct characteristics compared to D-element genes (e.g., larger coding spans, larger introns, more coding exons, and lower codon bias), but these differences are exaggerated in D. ananassae. Compared to D. melanogaster, the codon bias observed in D. ananassae F-element genes can primarily be attributed to mutational biases instead of selection. The 5′ ends of F-element genes in both species are enriched in dimethylation of lysine 4 on histone 3 (H3K4me2), while the coding spans are enriched in H3K9me2. Despite differences in repeat density and gene characteristics, D. ananassae F-element genes show a similar range of expression levels compared to genes in euchromatic domains. This study improves our understanding of how transposons can affect genome size and how genes can function within highly repetitive domains. PMID:28667019

Deep Learning: Enriching Teacher Training through Mobile Technology and International Collaboration

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Naylor, Amanda; Gibbs, Janet

2018-01-01

This article presents results from an international collaboration between college students and pre-service teachers in Norway and the UK. This research is part of a large, international project exploring and developing the interrelationship between mobile technology and teachers' perceptions of teaching and learning. Data was collected for this…

SSTL UK-DMC SLIM-6 data quality assessment

USGS Publications Warehouse

Chander, G.; Saunier, S.; Choate, M.J.; Scaramuzza, P.L.

2009-01-01

Satellite data from the Surrey Satellite Technology Limited (SSTL) United Kingdom (UK) Disaster Monitoring Constellation (DMC) were assessed for geometric and radiometric quality. The UK-DMC Surrey Linear Imager 6 (SLIM-6) sensor has a 32-m spatial resolution and a ground swath width of 640 km. The UK-DMC SLIM-6 design consists of a three-band imager with green, red, and near-infrared bands that are set to similar bandpass as Landsat bands 2, 3, and 4. The UK-DMC data consisted of imagery registered to Landsat orthorectified imagery produced from the GeoCover program. Relief displacements within the UK-DMC SLIM-6 imagery were accounted for by using global 1-km digital elevation models available through the Global Land One-km Base Elevation (GLOBE) Project. Positional accuracy and relative band-to-band accuracy were measured. Positional accuracy of the UK-DMC SLIM-6 imagery was assessed by measuring the imagery against digital orthophoto quadrangles (DOQs), which are designed to meet national map accuracy standards at 1 : 24 000 scales; this corresponds to a horizontal root-mean-square accuracy of about 6 m. The UK-DMC SLIM-6 images were typically registered to within 1.0-1.5 pixels to the DOQ mosaic images. Several radiometric artifacts like striping, coherent noise, and flat detector were discovered and studied. Indications are that the SSTL UK-DMC SLIM-6 data have few artifacts and calibration challenges, and these can be adjusted or corrected via calibration and processing algorithms. The cross-calibration of the UK-DMC SLIM-6 and Landsat 7 Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus was performed using image statistics derived from large common areas observed by the two sensors.

To What Extent Is Capital Expenditure in UK Higher Education Meeting the Pedagogical Needs of Staff and Students?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jones, Steven; Sutcliffe, Michael J.; Bragg, Joanna; Harris, Diane

2016-01-01

Capital expenditure at United Kingdom (UK) universities is rapidly rising, with new buildings erected on the premise that national and international competitiveness must be maintained. We examine students' engagement with and conceptualisation of university estate, and explore broader questions about the extent to which building design can…

Exploring the potential duty of care in clinical genomics under UK law

PubMed Central

Mitchell, Colin; Ploem, Corrette; Chico, Victoria; Ormondroyd, Elizabeth; Hall, Alison; Wallace, Susan; Fay, Michael; Goodwin, Deirdre; Bell, Jessica; Phillips, Simon; Taylor, Jenny C.; Hennekam, Raoul; Kaye, Jane

2017-01-01

Genome-wide sequencing technologies are beginning to be used in projects that have both clinical diagnostic and research components. The clinical application of this technology, which generates a huge amount of information of varying diagnostic certainty, involves addressing a number of challenges to establish appropriate standards. In this article, we explore the way that UK law may respond to three of these key challenges and could establish new legal duties in relation to feedback of findings that are unrelated to the presenting condition (secondary, additional or incidental findings); duties towards genetic relatives as well as the patient and duties on the part of researchers and professionals who do not have direct contact with patients. When considering these issues, the courts will take account of European and international comparisons, developing guidance and relevant ethical, social and policy factors. The UK courts will also be strongly influenced by precedent set in case law. PMID:28943725

Interprofessional care co-ordinators: the benefits and tensions associated with a new role in UK acute health care.

PubMed

Bridges, Jackie; Meyer, Julienne; Glynn, Michael; Bentley, Jane; Reeves, Scott

2003-08-01

While more flexible models of service delivery are being introduced in UK health and social care, little is known about the impact of new roles, particularly support worker roles, on the work of existing practitioners. This action research study aimed to explore the impact of one such new role, that of interprofessional care co-ordinators (IPCCs). The general (internal) medical service of a UK hospital uses IPCCs to provide support to the interprofessional team and, in doing so, promote efficiency of acute bed use. Using a range of methods, mainly qualitative, this action research study sought to explore the characteristics and impact of the role on interprofessional team working. While the role's flexibility, autonomy and informality contributed to success in meeting its intended objectives, these characteristics also caused some tensions with interprofessional colleagues. These benefits and tensions mirror wider issues associated with the current modernisation agenda in UK health care.

Concurrent and Longitudinal Neuropsychological Contributors to Written Language Expression in First and Second Grade Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hooper, Stephen R.; Costa, Lara-Jeane; McBee, Matthew; Anderson, Kathleen L.; Yerby, Donna C.; Knuth, Sean B.; Childress, Amy

2011-01-01

The primary purpose of this study was to examine several key questions related to the neuropsychological contributors to early written language. First, can we develop an empirical measurement model that encompasses many of the neuropsychological components that have been deemed as important to the development of written language? Second, once…

The Role of China in the UK Relative Imports from Three Selected Trading Regions: The Case of Textile Raw Material Industry.

PubMed

Xu, Junqian

2017-11-30

The UK textile industry was very prosperous in the past but in the 1970s Britain started to import textile materials from abroad. Since 1990, half of its textile materials have been imported from the EEA (European Economic Area), ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) and North America countries. Meanwhile, UK imports from China have increased dramatically. Through comparisons, this paper calculates the trade competitiveness index and relative competitive advantages of regions and investigates the impact of Chinese textiles on UK imports from three key free trade regions across the textile sectors in the period 1990-2016 on the basis of United Nation Comtrade Rev. 3. We find that China's textile prices, product techniques, political trade barriers and even tax system have made a varied impact on the UK's imports across related sectors in the context of green trade and the strengthening of barriers, which helps us recognize China's competitiveness in international trading and also provides advice on China's sustainable development of textile exports.

Beyond a Discourse of Deficit: The Meaning of Silence in the International Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yates, Lynda; Nguyen, Thi Quynh Trang

2012-01-01

English language proficiency and entry standards have dominated discussion of why many international students from Asia appear to be reluctant contributors in Australian university classrooms, a reticence that is usually understood to result from difficulty in forming and expressing their ideas in English. This paper draws on a qualitative…

Reporting and appraising the context, process and impact of PPI on contributors, researchers and the trial during a randomised controlled trial - the 3D study.

PubMed

Mann, Cindy; Chilcott, Simon; Plumb, Katrina; Brooks, Edmund; Man, Mei-See

2018-01-01

Including patient and public involvement (PPI) in health research is thought to improve research but it is hard to be clear exactly how it helps. This is because PPI takes many forms, is sometimes only token and is not always reported clearly. This makes it difficult to combine the evidence so that clear conclusions can be reached about the ingredients of successful PPI and what PPI achieves. Previous research that has tried to combine the evidence has led to several guidelines for researchers to use in setting up and reporting PPI.This paper was written jointly by researchers and PPI contributors as a reflection on our experiences. The aim was to add to the evidence, by giving detail about the use of PPI in a large randomised controlled trial and the effect it had. We were guided by published PPI reporting guidelines. The effects on the trial are shown in a table of changes made because of suggestions from the PPI group. A survey was used to ask PPI contributors and researchers about their experience and effects they had noticed. Three themes were noted: impact on the trial, the effect of involvement on individual researchers and group members, and group environment. The PPI work affected the trial in many ways, including changes to documents used in the trial and advice on qualitative data collection methods and analysis. Individuals reported positive effects, including enjoying being in the group, gaining confidence, and learning how to share views. Patient and public involvement (PPI) is believed to enhance health care delivery research, and is widely required in research proposals. Detailed, standardised reporting of PPI is needed so that strategies to implement more than token PPI that achieves impact can be identified, properly evaluated and reproduced. Impact includes effects on the research, PPI contributors and researchers. Using contributor and researcher perspectives and drawing on published guidelines for reporting PPI, we aimed to reflect on our

Allergy to oxidized limonene and linalool is frequent in the U.K.

PubMed

Audrain, H; Kenward, C; Lovell, C R; Green, C; Ormerod, A D; Sansom, J; Chowdhury, M M U; Cooper, S M; Johnston, G A; Wilkinson, M; King, C; Stone, N; Horne, H L; Holden, C R; Wakelin, S; Buckley, D A

2014-08-01

The oxidized forms of the fragrance terpenes limonene and linalool are known to cause allergic contact dermatitis. Significant rates of contact allergy to these fragrances have been reported in European studies and in a recent worldwide study. Patch testing to oxidized terpenes is not routinely carried out either in the U.K. or in other centres internationally. To investigate the prevalence of contact allergy to oxidized limonene and linalool in the U.K. Between 1 August 2011 and 31 December 2012, 4731 consecutive patients in 13 U.K. dermatology departments were tested for hydroperoxides of limonene 0·3% pet., hydroperoxides of linalool 1·0% pet., stabilized limonene 10·0% pet. and stabilized linalool 10·0% pet. Doubtful (?+) and equivocal (±) reactions were grouped together as irritant reactions. Two hundred and thirty-seven patients (5·0%) had a positive patch test reaction to hydroperoxides of limonene 0·3% pet. and 281 (5·9%) to hydroperoxides of linalool 1·0% pet. Irritant reactions to one or both oxidized terpenes were found in 242 patients (7·3%). Eleven patients (0·2%) had a positive patch test reaction to the stabilized terpenes alone. This large, multicentre U.K. audit shows a significant rate of allergy to the hydroperoxides of limonene and linalool plus a high rate of irritant reactions. Testing to the oxidized forms alone captures the majority (97·0%; 411 of 422) of positive reactions; testing to nonoxidized terpenes appears to be less useful. We recommend that the hydroperoxides of limonene and linalool be added to an extended baseline patch test series. © 2014 British Association of Dermatologists.

Accident sequence precursor events with age-related contributors

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Murphy, G.A.; Kohn, W.E.

1995-12-31

The Accident Sequence Precursor (ASP) Program at ORNL analyzed about 14.000 Licensee Event Reports (LERs) filed by US nuclear power plants 1987--1993. There were 193 events identified as precursors to potential severe core accident sequences. These are reported in G/CR-4674. Volumes 7 through 20. Under the NRC Nuclear Plant Aging Research program, the authors evaluated these events to determine the extent to which component aging played a role. Events were selected that involved age-related equipment degradation that initiated an event or contributed to an event sequence. For the 7-year period, ORNL identified 36 events that involved aging degradation as amore » contributor to an ASP event. Except for 1992, the percentage of age-related events within the total number of ASP events over the 7-year period ({approximately}19%) appears fairly consistent up to 1991. No correlation between plant ape and number of precursor events was found. A summary list of the age-related events is presented in the report.« less

Conscientiousness and Health-Related Behaviors: A Meta-Analysis of the Leading Behavioral Contributors to Mortality

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bogg, Tim; Roberts, Brent W.

2004-01-01

Previous research has established conscientiousness as a predictor of longevity (H. S. Friedman et al., 1993; L. R. Martin & H. S. Friedman, 2000). To better understand this relationship, the authors conducted a meta-analysis of conscientiousness-related traits and the leading behavioral contributors to mortality in the United States (tobacco use,…

Current status of kilovoltage (kV) radiotherapy in the UK: installed equipment, clinical workload, physics quality control and radiation dosimetry

PubMed Central

Pearson, Michael; Whittard, Paul; McHugh, Katie E; Eaton, David J

2016-01-01

Objective: To assess the status and practice of kilovoltage (kV) radiotherapy in the UK. Methods: 96% of the radiotherapy centres in the UK responded to a comprehensive survey. An analysis of the installed equipment base, patient numbers, clinical treatment sites, quality control (QC) testing and radiation dosimetry processes were undertaken. Results: 73% of UK centres have at least one kV treatment unit, with 58 units installed across the UK. Although 35% of units are over 10 years old, 39% units have been installed in the last 5 years. Approximately 6000 patients are treated with kV units in the UK each year, the most common site (44%) being basal cell carcinoma. A benchmark of QC practice in the UK is presented, against which individual centres can compare their procedures, frequency of testing and acceptable tolerance values. We propose the use of internal “notification” and “suspension” levels for analysis. All surveyed centres were using recommended Codes of Practice for kV dosimetry in the UK; approximately the same number using in-air and in-water methodologies for medium energy, with two-thirds of all centres citing “clinical relevance” as the reason for choice of code. 64% of centres had hosted an external dosimetry audit within the last 3 years, with only one centre never being independently audited. The majority of centres use locally measured applicator factors and published backscatter factors for treatments. Monitor unit calculations are performed using software in only 36% of centres. Conclusion: A comprehensive review of current kV practice in the UK is presented. Advances in knowledge: Data and discussion on contemporary kV radiotherapy in the UK, with a particular focus on physics aspects. PMID:27730839

Psychotherapy training for psychiatrists: UK and global perspectives.

PubMed

Holmes, Jeremy; Mizen, Susan; Jacobs, Caroline

2007-02-01

Psychotherapy training for psychiatrists has often been honoured more in the breach than the observance. While most training schemes pay lip service to psychotherapy, few provide the comprehensive training to which national and international bodies aspire. Recent educational changes, especially the move from course completion to competency evaluation, and the implementation of 'requirements' as opposed to 'recommendations', provide an opportunity for psychotherapy to become more central to psychiatric training. Based on international systematic enquiry and specific experience in the UK, this article makes a number of theoretical and practical suggestions: (a) mentalization as a relevant indicator of psychological mindedness for trainees and ways in which it might be measured (b) the importance of identifying the small number of trainees at risk for dangerous practice and remedial measures (c) the importance of local and national leadership if change is to be initiated and followed through over a number of years (d) ways in which the paradox of underdevelopment of psychotherapy training can be overcome via the reinforcement of existing expertise and values as well as the use of visiting 'experts' and modern IT aids.

Science education reforms in the UK.

PubMed

2012-10-01

As children return to school at the end of the summer in the UK, planned reforms aim to increase their science and maths literacy. A comprehensive foundation in these essential subjects is necessary to ensure that the UK remains at the forefront of science and technology for decades to come.

Comparing human papillomavirus vaccine concerns on Twitter: a cross-sectional study of users in Australia, Canada and the UK.

PubMed

Shapiro, Gilla K; Surian, Didi; Dunn, Adam G; Perry, Ryan; Kelaher, Margaret

2017-10-05

Opposition to human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination is common on social media and has the potential to impact vaccine coverage. This study aims to conduct an international comparison of the proportions of tweets about HPV vaccines that express concerns, the types of concerns expressed and the social connections among users posting about HPV vaccines in Australia, Canada and the UK. Using a cross-sectional design, an international comparison of English language tweets about HPV vaccines and social connections among Twitter users posting about HPV vaccines between January 2014 and April 2016 was conducted. The Health Belief Model, one of the most widely used theories in health psychology, was used as the basis for coding the types of HPV vaccine concerns expressed on Twitter. The content of tweets and the social connections between users who posted tweets about HPV vaccines from Australia, Canada and the UK. 16 789 Twitter users who posted 43 852 tweets about HPV vaccines. The proportions of tweets expressing concern, the type of concern expressed and the proportions of local and international social connections between users. Tweets expressing concerns about HPV vaccines made up 14.9% of tweets in Canada, 19.4% in Australia and 22.6% in the UK. The types of concerns expressed were similar across the three countries, with concerns related to 'perceived barriers' being the most common. Users expressing concerns about HPV vaccines in each of the three countries had a relatively high proportion of international followers also expressing concerns. The proportions and types of HPV vaccine concerns expressed on Twitter were similar across the three countries. Twitter users who mostly expressed concerns about HPV vaccines were better connected to international users who shared their concerns compared with users who did not express concerns about HPV vaccines. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights

Stigma, Tensions, and Apprehension: The Academic Writing Experience of International Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maringe, Felix; Jenkins, Jennifer

2015-01-01

Purpose: This paper examines the experiences of engaging with academic writing of international doctoral students in the schools of humanities and education at a UK university. The purpose of this paper is to uncover the real accounts of international students whose cultural and language backgrounds are often marginalised and considered, not as…

Intercultural Competence of English Language Teachers in International Baccalaureate World Schools in Turkey and Abroad

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Demircioglu, Serife; Çakir, Cemal

2015-01-01

The study explores the opinions and attitudes of International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP) English language teachers from Turkey, the USA, the UK, New Zealand and Spain on intercultural language teaching. 16 teachers from Turkey, 15 teachers from the USA, 11 teachers from the UK, 10 teachers from New Zealand and 8 teachers from Spain,…

Systematic and Open Identification of Researchers and Authors: Focus on Open Researcher and Contributor ID

PubMed Central

Akazhanov, Nurbek A.; Voronov, Alexander A.; Kitas, George D.

2014-01-01

Unique identifiers of researchers and authors can help all stakeholders of scientific communications improve their workflows. There have been several attempts to establish professional networks of scholars and list their scholarly achievements on digital platforms. Some of these platforms such as Google Scholar, Web of Knowledge and PubMed are searched to pick relevant peer reviewers, assess authors' publication history or choose suitable candidates for research and academic projects. However, each of these hubs has its specific applications, limiting the universal use for permanent tagging of researcher profiles. The Open Researcher and Contributor ID (ORCID) initiative, launched in 2012, is aimed at registering scholarly contributors and averting the persistent ambiguity of recorded author names. The ORCID registry is growing fast and integrating with other ID-generating platforms, thereby increasing the functionality of the integrated systems. ORCID identifiers are increasingly used for selecting peer reviewers and acknowledging various scholarly contributions (e.g., published articles, reviewer comments, conference presentations). The initiative offers unique opportunities for transparent disclosures of author contributions and competing interests and improving ethical standards of research, editing, and publishing. PMID:25408574

Systematic and open identification of researchers and authors: focus on open researcher and contributor ID.

PubMed

Gasparyan, Armen Yuri; Akazhanov, Nurbek A; Voronov, Alexander A; Kitas, George D

2014-11-01

Unique identifiers of researchers and authors can help all stakeholders of scientific communications improve their workflows. There have been several attempts to establish professional networks of scholars and list their scholarly achievements on digital platforms. Some of these platforms such as Google Scholar, Web of Knowledge and PubMed are searched to pick relevant peer reviewers, assess authors' publication history or choose suitable candidates for research and academic projects. However, each of these hubs has its specific applications, limiting the universal use for permanent tagging of researcher profiles. The Open Researcher and Contributor ID (ORCID) initiative, launched in 2012, is aimed at registering scholarly contributors and averting the persistent ambiguity of recorded author names. The ORCID registry is growing fast and integrating with other ID-generating platforms, thereby increasing the functionality of the integrated systems. ORCID identifiers are increasingly used for selecting peer reviewers and acknowledging various scholarly contributions (e.g., published articles, reviewer comments, conference presentations). The initiative offers unique opportunities for transparent disclosures of author contributions and competing interests and improving ethical standards of research, editing, and publishing.

The future of learning disabilities nursing in the UK.

PubMed

Clapham, Anthony

2014-07-02

This article appraises the report Strengthening the Commitment, which is a UK-wide review of learning disabilities nursing by the UK's four chief nursing officers. Strengthening the Commitment has strategic importance in reviewing progress in the care of people with learning disabilities in the UK. It also has a role in helping to guide future strategies and initiatives addressing the continuing health inequalities experienced by people with learning disabilities throughout the UK.

Conceptualizing the Transition from Education to Work as Vocational Practice: Lessons from the UK's Creative and Cultural Sector

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Guile, David

2009-01-01

The paper argues that: (1) the demise of "occupational" and "internal" and the spread of "external" labour markets in growth areas of UK economy such as the creative and cultural sector, coupled with the massification of higher education which has created a new type of post-degree "vocational need", means…

Healthcare resource utilization among patients with relapsed multiple myeloma in the UK, France, and Italy.

PubMed

Gonzalez-McQuire, Sebastian; Yong, Kwee; Leleu, Henri; Mennini, Francesco S; Flinois, Alain; Gazzola, Carlotta; Schoen, Paul; Campioni, Marco; DeCosta, Lucy; Fink, Leah

2018-05-01

To assess the real-world healthcare resource utilization (HRU) and costs associated with different treatment regimens used in the management of patients with relapsed multiple myeloma in the UK, France, and Italy. Retrospective medical chart review of characteristics, time to progression, level of response, HRU during treatment, and adverse events (AEs). Data collection started on June 1, 2015 and was completed on July 15, 2015. In the 3 months before record abstraction, eligible patients had either disease progression after receiving one of their country's most commonly prescribed regimens or had received the best supportive care and died. Costs were calculated based on HRU and country-specific diagnosis-related group and/or unit reference costs, amongst other standard resources. Physicians provided data for 1,282 patients (387 in the UK, 502 in France, 393 in Italy) who met the inclusion criteria. Mean [median] total healthcare costs associated with a single line of treatment were €51,717 [35,951] in the UK, €37,009 [32,538] for France, and €34,496 [42,342] for Italy, driven largely by anti-myeloma medications costs (contributing 95.0%, 90.0%, and 94.2% of total cost, respectively). During active treatment, the highest costs were associated with lenalidomide- and pomalidomide-based regimens. Mean cost per month was lowest for patients achieving a very good partial response or better. Unscheduled events (i.e. not considered part of routine management, whether or not related to multiple myeloma, such as unscheduled hospitalization, AEs, fractures) accounted for 1-9% of total costs and were highest for bendamustine. The use of retrospective data means that clinical practice (e.g. use of medical procedures, evaluation of treatment response) is not standardized across participating countries/centers, and some data (e.g. low-grade AEs) may be incomplete or differently adjudicated/reported. The centers involved may not be fully representative of national practice

Grade Inflation in UK Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bachan, Ray

2017-01-01

This paper examines the continual increase in the proportion of "good" honour degrees awarded by UK universities since the mid-2000s. This trend has brought with it the charge of "grade inflation" that may reflect falling standards in UK higher education. This issue has been raised in the national press and in government which…

Performance of the JULES land surface model for UK Biogenic VOC emissions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hayman, Garry; Comyn-Platt, Edward; Vieno, Massimo; Langford, Ben

2017-04-01

Emissions of biogenic non-methane volatile organic compounds (NMVOCs) are important for air quality and tropospheric composition. Through their contribution to the production of tropospheric ozone and secondary organic aerosol (SOA), biogenic VOCs indirectly contribute to climate forcing and climate feedbacks [1]. Biogenic VOCs encompass a wide range of compounds and are produced by plants for growth, development, reproduction, defence and communication [2]. There are both biological and physico-chemical controls on emissions [3]. Only a few of the many biogenic VOCs are of wider interest and only two or three (isoprene and the monoterpenes, α- and β-pinene) are represented in chemical transport models. We use the Joint UK Land Environment Simulator (JULES), the UK community land surface model, to estimate biogenic VOC emission fluxes. JULES is a process-based model that describes the water, energy and carbon balances and includes temperature, moisture and carbon stores [4, 5]. JULES currently provides emission fluxes of the 4 largest groups of biogenic VOCs: isoprene, terpenes, methanol and acetone. The JULES isoprene scheme uses gross primary productivity (GPP), leaf internal carbon and the leaf temperature as a proxy for the electron requirement for isoprene synthesis [6]. In this study, we compare JULES biogenic VOC emission estimates of isoprene and terepenes with (a) flux measurements made at selected sites in the UK and Europe and (b) gridded estimates for the UK from the EMEP/EMEP4UK atmospheric chemical transport model [7, 8], using site-specific or EMEP4UK driving meteorological data, respectively. We compare the UK-scale emission estimates with literature estimates. We generally find good agreement in the comparisons but the estimates are sensitive to the choice of the base or reference emission potentials. References (1) Unger, 2014: Geophys. Res. Lett., 41, 8563, doi:10.1002/2014GL061616; (2) Laothawornkitkul et al., 2009: New Phytol., 183, 27, doi

A survey of UK optometry trainees' smoking cessation training.

PubMed

Lorencatto, Fabiana; Harper, Alice M; Francis, Jill J; Lawrenson, John G

2016-07-01

Smoking is a risk factor for a number of eye conditions, including age-related macular degeneration, cataracts and thyroid eye disease. Smoking cessation interventions have been shown to be highly cost-effective when delivered by a range of healthcare professionals. Optometrists are well placed to deliver smoking cessation advice to a wide population of otherwise healthy smokers. Yet optometrists remain a relatively neglected healthcare professional group in smoking cessation research and policy. Surveys of UK medical/nursing schools and of optometrists' training internationally demonstrate significant deficits in current curricular coverage regarding smoking cessation. This study aimed to identify the extent of smoking cessation training in UK optometry trainees' undergraduate and pre-registration training. All undergraduate optometry schools in the UK (n = 9) were invited to participate in a web-based survey of their curricular coverage and assessment related to smoking cessation, and of perceived barriers to delivering smoking cessation training. A content analysis of the College of Optometrists Scheme for Registration Trainee Handbook 2014 was conducted to identify competence indicators related to smoking cessation. Nine undergraduate optometry schools (100%) responded to the survey. The majority reported dedicating limited hours (0-3) to teaching smoking cessation, and predominantly focused on teaching the harmful effects of smoking (89%). Only one school provides practical skills training for delivering evidence-based smoking cessation interventions, including very brief advice. The majority of schools (78%) reported that they did not formally examine students on their knowledge or skills for supporting smoking cessation, and rated confidence in their graduates' abilities to deliver smoking cessation interventions as 'poor' (78%). Lack of knowledge amongst staff was identified as the key barrier to teaching about smoking cessation support. The pre

The risk of hydraulic fracturing on public health in the UK and the UK's fracking legislation.

PubMed

Reap, Elisabeth

2015-01-01

Hydraulic fracturing to extract natural gas from shale rock is a new, rapidly expanding industry in the United States (US). However, there is concern that these operations could be having large negative impacts such as groundwater contamination, increased air pollution and seismic events. The United Kingdom (UK) is looking at the potential for emulating the success of 'shale gas' in the US. Differences in population density and geological conditions mean that the public health impacts recorded in the US cannot be directly extrapolated to the UK. There is limited academic literature available but findings suggest that the UK government is not fully recognising the inherent risks of hydraulic fracturing exposed by this literature. Government reports suggest a reliance on engineering solutions and better practice to overcome problems found in the US when evidence suggests that there are inherent risks and impacts that cannot be eliminated. This study applies US results to approximate the impact of one exposure pathway, inhalation of hydrocarbons by the public from operational air emissions over the 30 year lifetime of a well and finds that 7.2 extra cancer cases from exposure to air contamination would be expected in the UK if all test sites, approved test sites and test sites awaiting approval as of January 2015 went on to extract gas. In conclusion, limited assessment of the public health implications of hydraulic fracturing operations is available but the UK government appears to not be applying the precautionary principle to potentially significant legislation.

Breast cancer survival and stage at diagnosis in Australia, Canada, Denmark, Norway, Sweden and the UK, 2000-2007: a population-based study

PubMed Central

Walters, S; Maringe, C; Butler, J; Rachet, B; Barrett-Lee, P; Bergh, J; Boyages, J; Christiansen, P; Lee, M; Wärnberg, F; Allemani, C; Engholm, G; Fornander, T; Gjerstorff, M L; Johannesen, T B; Lawrence, G; McGahan, C E; Middleton, R; Steward, J; Tracey, E; Turner, D; Richards, M A; Coleman, M P

2013-01-01

Background: We investigate whether differences in breast cancer survival in six high-income countries can be explained by differences in stage at diagnosis using routine data from population-based cancer registries. Methods: We analysed the data on 257 362 women diagnosed with breast cancer during 2000–7 and registered in 13 population-based cancer registries in Australia, Canada, Denmark, Norway, Sweden and the UK. Flexible parametric hazard models were used to estimate net survival and the excess hazard of dying from breast cancer up to 3 years after diagnosis. Results: Age-standardised 3-year net survival was 87–89% in the UK and Denmark, and 91–94% in the other four countries. Stage at diagnosis was relatively advanced in Denmark: only 30% of women had Tumour, Nodes, Metastasis (TNM) stage I disease, compared with 42–45% elsewhere. Women in the UK had low survival for TNM stage III–IV disease compared with other countries. Conclusion: International differences in breast cancer survival are partly explained by differences in stage at diagnosis, and partly by differences in stage-specific survival. Low overall survival arises if the stage distribution is adverse (e.g. Denmark) but stage-specific survival is normal; or if the stage distribution is typical but stage-specific survival is low (e.g. UK). International differences in staging diagnostics and stage-specific cancer therapies should be investigated. PMID:23449362

European Association of Urology - 32nd Annual Congress (March 24-28, 2017 - London, UK).

PubMed

Sharman, R

2017-04-01

The European Association of Urology (EAU) Congress is Europe's biggest urological event and this year's meeting, in London, UK, brought together more than 13,000 participants from over 100 countries to discuss the latest research in this field. With 5 days' worth of lectures, debates, learning courses, presentations and live surgeries the congress provided plenty of opportunity to learn from the 1,400 experts presenting, as well as to network with international peers.

Leisure and Quality of Life in an International and Multicultural Context: What Are Major Pathways Linking Leisure to Quality of Life?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Iwasaki, Yoshitaka

2007-01-01

This paper aims at advancing the conceptualization of leisure as a contributor to quality of life (QOL) in an international and multicultural context, based on an extensive and critical review of literature on leisure and QOL from a global, international perspective. Given the central role of culture in conceptualizing this notion, this paper…

UK National Data Guardian for Health and Care's Review of Data Security: Trust, better security and opt-outs.

PubMed

Chan, Tom; Di Iorio, Concetta Tania; De Lusignan, Simon; Lo Russo, Daniel; Kuziemsky, Craig; Liaw, Siaw-Teng

2016-12-20

Sharing health and social care data is essential to the delivery of high quality health care as well as disease surveillance, public health, and for conducting research. However, these societal benefits may be constrained by privacy and data protection principles. Hence, societies are striving to find a balance between the two competing public interests. Whilst the spread of IT advancements in recent decades has increased the demand for an increased privacy and data protection in many ways health is a special case. UK are adopting guidelines, codes of conduct and regulatory instruments aimed to implement privacy principles into practical settings and enhance public trust. Accordingly, in 2015, the UK National Data Guardian (NDG) requested to conduct a further review of data protection, referred to as Caldicott 3.  The scope of this review is to strengthen data security standards and confidentiality. It also proposes a consent system based on an "opt-out" model rather than on "opt-in.Across Europe as well as internationally the privacy-health data sharing balance is not fixed.  In Europe enactment of the new EU Data Protection Regulation in 2016 constitute a major breakthrough, which is likely to have a profound effect on European countries and beyond.  In Australia and across North America different ways are being sought to balance out these twin requirements of a modern society - to preserve privacy alongside affording high quality health care for an ageing population.  Whilst in the UK privacy legal framework remains complex and fragmented into different layers of legislation, which may negatively impact on both the rights to privacy and health the UK is at the forefront in the uptake of international and EU privacy and data protection principles. And, if the privacy regime were reorganised in a more comprehensive manner, it could be used as a sound implementation model for other countries.

Public Management Reform and Organizational Performance: An Empirical Assessment of the U.K. Labour Government's Public Service Improvement Strategy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Walker, Richard M.; Boyne, George A.

2006-01-01

We present the first empirical assessment of the U.K. Labour government's program of public management reform. This reform program is based on rational planning, devolution and delegation, flexibility and incentives, and enhanced choice. Measures of these variables are tested against external and internal indicators of organizational performance.…

Perceived causes of differential attainment in UK postgraduate medical training: a national qualitative study

PubMed Central

Viney, Rowena; Needleman, Sarah; Griffin, Ann

2016-01-01

Objectives Explore trainee doctors’ experiences of postgraduate training and perceptions of fairness in relation to ethnicity and country of primary medical qualification. Design Qualitative semistructured focus group and interview study. Setting Postgraduate training in England (London, Yorkshire and Humber, Kent Surrey and Sussex) and Wales. Participants 137 participants (96 trainees, 41 trainers) were purposively sampled from a framework comprising: doctors from all stages of training in general practice, medicine, obstetrics and gynaecology, psychiatry, radiology, surgery or foundation, in 4 geographical areas, from white and black and minority ethnic (BME) backgrounds, who qualified in the UK and abroad. Results Most trainees described difficult experiences, but BME UK graduates (UKGs) and international medical graduates (IMGs) could face additional difficulties that affected their learning and performance. Relationships with senior doctors were crucial to learning but bias was perceived to make these relationships more problematic for BME UKGs and IMGs. IMGs also had to deal with cultural differences and lack of trust from seniors, often looking to IMG peers for support instead. Workplace-based assessment and recruitment were considered vulnerable to bias whereas examinations were typically considered more rigorous. In a system where success in recruitment and assessments determines where in the country you can get a job, and where work–life balance is often poor, UK BME and international graduates in our sample were more likely to face separation from family and support outside of work, and reported more stress, anxiety or burnout that hindered their learning and performance. A culture in which difficulties are a sign of weakness made seeking support and additional training stigmatising. Conclusions BME UKGs and IMGs can face additional difficulties in training which may impede learning and performance. Non-stigmatising interventions should focus on

The carbon component of the UK power price

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kris Voorspools

2006-08-01

CO{sub 2} emissions trading is in full swing in Europe and is already having an impact on the price of power in the UK. If EU allowances (EUAs) trade at euro 20/t-CO{sub 2}, the EUA component in the power price is estimated to be slightly < euro 10/MW.h. In the case of UK power for delivery 1 year ahead, this is {approximately} 10% of the market price of power. The introduction of a carbon components into the UK power prices took place along before the 'official' start of ETS in 2005. Analysis of historical data of the price of power,more » gas, coal and EUAs shows that the first trace of a CO{sub 2} component in UK power dates back to August 2003, shortly after EUAs first started to trade. In April 2004, CO{sub 2} was fully integrated into the UK power price. 4 refs., 5 figs.« less

Development of the UK Engagement Survey

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kandiko Howson, Camille; Buckley, Alex

2017-01-01

Student engagement has become a key feature of UK higher education, but until recently there has been a lack of data to track, benchmark and drive enhancement. In 2015 the first full administration ran in the UK a range of survey items drawn from the US-based National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE). This is the latest example of international…

The International year of light 2015 and the “Cosmic light” message: awareness & dissemination in the UK

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marchetti, Lucia

2015-08-01

By proclaiming the IYL2015, the United Nations recognizes the importance of light and light based technology in the lives of the citizens of the world and for the development of global society on many levels. Light and application of light science and technology are vital for existing and future advances in many scientific areas (from medicine to information & communication technology) and culture. Light is a key element in Astronomy: as astronomers, it is what we study and makes our science possible, but it is also what threatens our observations when it is set-off from the ground (light pollution). This year represents a magnificent and unique opportunity for the global Astronomical community to disseminate these messages and raise the awareness of the importance and preservation of dark skies for heritage and the natural environment. Global and National initiatives are taking place during the year of 2015 (and beyond) and in my talk I will give an overview of what, as IYL National Committee and Gold Sponsor of the year, we are carrying out in the UK. I will explain how we developed our National Programme and I will discuss how we can build-up a long-lasting “cosmic light” communication strategy exploiting the lesson learnt while carrying out our IYL UK year plan.

Towards a measurement-based national verification system for GHG emissions: UK emission estimates of CO2 from the GAUGE experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gonzi, Siegfried; Palmer, Paul; O'Doherty, Simon; Young, Dickon; Stanley, Kieran; Stavert, Ann; Grant, Aoife; Helfter, Carole; Mullinger, Neil; Nemitz, Eiko; Allen, Grant; Pitt, Joseph; Le Breton, Michael; Bösch, Hartmut; Sembhi, Harjinder; Sonderfeld, Hannah; Parker, Robert; Bauguitte, Stephane

2016-04-01

Robust quantification of emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG) is central to the success of ongoing international efforts to slow current emissions and mitigate future climate change. The Greenhouse gAs Uk and Global Emissions (GAUGE) project aims to quantify the magnitude and uncertainty of country-scale emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O) using concentration measurements from a network of tall towers and mobile platforms (aircraft and ferry) distributed across the UK. The GAUGE measurement programme includes: (a) GHG measurements on a regular ferry route down the North Sea aimed at sampling UK outflow; (b) campaign deployment of the UK BAe-146 research aircraft to provide vertical profile measurements of GHG over and around the UK; (c) a high-density GHG measurement network over East Anglia that is primarily focused on the agricultural sector; and (d) regular measurements of CO2 and CH4 isotopologues used for GHG source attribution. We also use satellite observations from the Japanese Greenhouse gases Observing SATellite (GOSAT) to provide continental-scale constraints on GHG flux estimates. We present CO2 flux estimates for the UK inferred from GAUGE measurements using a nested, high-resolution (25 km) version of the GEOS-Chem global atmospheric chemistry and transport model and an ensemble Kalman filter. We will present our current best estimate for CO2 fluxes and a preliminary assessment of the efficacy of individual GAUGE data sources to spatially resolve CO2 flux estimates over the UK. We will also discuss how flux estimates inferred from the different models used within GAUGE can help to assess the role of transport model error and to determine an ensemble CO2 flux estimate for the UK.

Health and safety executive inspection of U.K. semiconductor manufacturers.

PubMed

Watterson, Andrew; LaDou, Joseph

2003-01-01

Europe plays a major role in the international semiconductor industry, but has conducted few studies of the occupational health of its workers. An exception is in the United Kingdom, where, in two small studies, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) evaluated some health effects of semiconductor work. Neither of these studies, largely restricted to Scotland, produced definitive results, and both were misused by industry to assert that they demonstrated no adverse health effect on workers. The results of the studies prompted semiconductor industry inspections recently completed by the HSE that included chip manufacturers in Scotland and other U.K. areas. The results of these inspections are disappointing.

"The Norm Is a Flux of Change": Teachers' Experiences in International Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hacohen, Caroline

2012-01-01

This article explores teachers' perceptions of the effects of high student turnover in international schools in the UK. The research used a "grounded theory" approach for qualitative data collection and analysis, based on interviews with eight teachers in four international primary schools. The results of the grounded theory suggest that a process…

Inquiry-Based Learning and the International Student

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bache, Ian; Hayton, Richard

2012-01-01

The relationship between inquiry-based learning (IBL) and international students is of rising importance in the UK in the context of a growing focus on the connection between research and teaching and the increasing number of overseas students. This article explores this relationship, drawing on the findings of research undertaken in a Department…

Using social media to promote international student partnerships.

PubMed

Garrett, Bernard M; Cutting, Roger

2012-11-01

This paper describes a project to establish and evaluate online study partnerships, using social networking applications, between final year Canadian nursing students at the University of British Columbia (UBC) and second year undergraduate science education students at the University of Plymouth (UoP) in the UK. The project took place between 2009 and 2010 and evaluated the use of social networking applications with international interdisciplinary partnerships between Canadian and UK students. A multi-method evaluation strategy incorporating questionnaires, online focus groups and web analytics was used to explore the value of social media to promote the exchange of ideas and discussion of scientific philosophy in different contexts, between students working in disciplines with differing philosophical perspectives principally modern/post-modern, quantitative/qualitative, empirical/theoretical. This project resulted in a very successful collaborative partnership between UK and Canadian students. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Metastasis Research Society VII International Congress (Part II). 7-10 October 1998, San Diego, CA, USA.

PubMed

Chambers, A F

1999-02-01

The Metastasis Research Society (MRS) has held its International Congress every two years since 1986, and alternates between European and North American meeting venues. The next MRS International Congress will be held in London, UK in the year 2000, and will be hosted by the current MRS President, Dr. Suzanne Eccles (Institute of Cancer Research, Sutton, UK). Dr. Eccles took over from the out-going President, Dr. William Stetler-Stevenson (National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA), at the San Diego meeting. Information on joining the Metastasis Research Society, which includes a subscription to the Society's journal, Clinical and Experimental Metastasis, can be obtained from Dr. Eccles (suzan@icr.ac.uk) or from the newly-elected Secretary/Treasurer Dr. Danny Welch (Hershey, PA, USA; drw9@psu.edu). The meeting was organized by Darwin Medical Communications Ltd (Gill Heaton, Oxford, UK), who have placed the full program on the meeting web site (http:@www.sparks.co.uk/mrs). It is envisaged that full abstracts of all the presentations will be placed on the Metastasis Research Society web site, which is currently under construction. Corporate sponsors for the San Diego meeting included Agouron Pharmaceuticals, Becton Dickinson & Co, Zeneca Pharma SA, Schering AG, AntiCancer Inc, Oncogene Research Products, Daiichi Seiyaku Co Ltd and Novartis Pharma AG.

Biofortification of UK food crops with selenium.

PubMed

Broadley, Martin R; White, Philip J; Bryson, Rosie J; Meacham, Mark C; Bowen, Helen C; Johnson, Sarah E; Hawkesford, Malcolm J; McGrath, Steve P; Zhao, Fang-Jie; Breward, Neil; Harriman, Miles; Tucker, Mark

2006-05-01

Se is an essential element for animals. In man low dietary Se intakes are associated with health disorders including oxidative stress-related conditions, reduced fertility and immune functions and an increased risk of cancers. Although the reference nutrient intakes for adult females and males in the UK are 60 and 75 microg Se/d respectively, dietary Se intakes in the UK have declined from >60 microg Se/d in the 1970s to 35 microg Se/d in the 1990s, with a concomitant decline in human Se status. This decline in Se intake and status has been attributed primarily to the replacement of milling wheat having high levels of grain Se and grown on high-Se soils in North America with UK-sourced wheat having low levels of grain Se and grown on low-Se soils. An immediate solution to low dietary Se intake and status is to enrich UK-grown food crops using Se fertilisers (agronomic biofortification). Such a strategy has been adopted with success in Finland. It may also be possible to enrich food crops in the longer term by selecting or breeding crop varieties with enhanced Se-accumulation characteristics (genetic biofortification). The present paper will review the potential for biofortification of UK food crops with Se.

UK114, a YjgF/Yer057p/UK114 family protein highly conserved from bacteria to mammals, is localized in rat liver peroxisomes.

PubMed

Antonenkov, Vasily D; Ohlmeier, Steffen; Sormunen, Raija T; Hiltunen, J Kalervo

2007-05-25

Mammalian UK114 belongs to a highly conserved family of proteins with unknown functions. Although it is believed that UK114 is a cytosolic or mitochondrial protein there is no detailed study of its intracellular localization. Using analytical subcellular fractionation, electron microscopic colloidal gold technique, and two-dimensional gel electrophoresis of peroxisomal matrix proteins combined with mass spectrometric analysis we show here that a large portion of UK114 is present in rat liver peroxisomes. The peroxisomal UK114 is a soluble matrix protein and it is not inducible by the peroxisomal proliferator clofibrate. The data predict involvement of UK114 in peroxisomal metabolism.

Internal anal sphincter: Clinical perspective.

PubMed

Kumar, Lalit; Emmanuel, Anton

2017-08-01

To summarise current knowledge of Internal anal sphincter. The internal anal sphincter (IAS) is the involuntary ring of smooth muscle in the anal canal and is the major contributor to the resting pressure in the anus. Structural injury or functional weakness of the muscle results in passive incontinence of faeces and flatus. With advent of new assessment and treatment modalities IAS has become an important topic for surgeons. This review was undertaken to summarise our current knowledge of internal anal sphincter and highlight the areas that need further research. The PubMed database was used to identify relevant studies relating to internal anal sphincter. The available evidence has been summarised and advantages and limitations highlighted for the different diagnostic and therapeutic techniques. Our understanding of the physiology and pharmacology of IAS has increased greatly in the last three decades. Additionally, there has been a rise in diagnostic and therapeutic techniques specifically targeting the IAS. Although these are promising, future research is required before these can be incorporated into the management algorithm. Copyright © 2016 Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh (Scottish charity number SC005317) and Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

International educational partnerships for doctors in training: a collaborative framework with the RCP.

PubMed

Thomson, George A; Foster, Matthew; Sheriff, Rezvi; Mendis, Lalitha; Fernando, Devaka J S; Blundell, Caroline; Worrall, Jeffrey; Black, Carol

2005-01-01

The UK offers excellent postgraduate medical education, and overseas doctors in training often covet a period of training in the UK. Some overseas training authorities make UK training mandatory prior to appointment as a consultant. Unfortunately, the organisation of such training often proves to be ad hoc, and may lack educational value. UK training faces challenges as a result of reduced hours of work, more structured and intensive educational needs, and pressures of increasing clinical demand. A plethora of new 'trust' posts have developed, often with limited educational value, creating a risk that training quality for overseas doctors is reduced. Against this background, such posts can be used to create international training partnerships such as that at Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Trust (SFHT), providing high-quality general and specialty training. Given the success of this strategy, it would be desirable for other UK trusts to provide similar schemes offering specialties not covered at SFHT.

A Mixed Methods Study Examining a Successful International Collaborative Partnership: The Efficacy of Textbooks

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Drammeh, Lamin E.

2013-01-01

For nearly three decades, foreign assistance from the United States and Europe was the major contributor to funding education development in Sub-Saharan Africa. There was, however limited research on international collaboration as a strategic approach. Many African countries are facing a serious education crisis, at the heart of which lays a…

Cost viability of 3D printed house in UK

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tobi, A. L. Mohd; Omar, S. A.; Yehia, Z.; Al-Ojaili, S.; Hashim, A.; Orhan, O.

2018-03-01

UK has been facing housing crisis due to the rising price of the property on sale. This paper will look into the viability of 3D printing technology as an alternative way for house construction on UK. The analysis will be carried out based on the data until the year of 2014 due to limited resources availability. Details cost breakdown on average size house construction cost in UK were analysed and relate to the cost viability of 3D printing technology in reducing the house price in UK. It is found that the 3D printing generates saving of up to around 35% out of total house price in UK. This cost saving comes from the 3D printed construction of walls and foundations for material and labour cost.

Project SEARCH UK - Evaluating Its Employment Outcomes.

PubMed

Kaehne, Axel

2016-11-01

The study reports the findings of an evaluation of Project SEARCH UK. The programme develops internships for young people with intellectual disabilities who are about to leave school or college. The aim of the evaluation was to investigate at what rate Project SEARCH provided employment opportunities to participants. The evaluation obtained data from all sites operational in the UK at the time of evaluation (n = 17) and analysed employment outcomes. Data were available for 315 young people (n = 315) in the programme and pay and other employment related data were available for a subsample. The results of the analysis suggest that Project SEARCH achieves on average employment rates of around 50 per cent. Project SEARCH UK represents a valuable addition to the supported employment provision in the UK. Its unique model should inform discussions around best practice in supported employment. Implications for other supported employment programmes are discussed. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Sense International Romania: 15 Years Working on Behalf of Children with Deafblindness

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Buica, Cristian B.

2018-01-01

Sense International Romania (SIR) was established in 2001 as a local branch of Sense International UK. Until 1999, little has been done for children with dual sensory loss or multiple sensory impairments. Ms. Cristiana Salomie, the director of SIR, and Dr. Cristian B. Buica describe how things have been changing since then, highlighting SIR's…

Is international travel useful for general practitioners? A survey of international travel scholarships.

PubMed Central

Holden, J; Evans, P

1998-01-01

BACKGROUND: The Royal College of General Practitioners has offered international travel scholarships for the past decade. Each year a number of general practitioners travel from the UK to work or study assisted by the scheme, while others come to this country for similar purposes. AIM: To investigate the value of international scholarships for recipients and others. METHOD: All those receiving awards in 1988-94 were surveyed by postal questionnaire. RESULTS: Fifty-one out of 58 award winners (88%) replied. Almost all cited some of a wide variety of personal benefits from international travel, and some established continuing links with colleagues overseas. Many gave examples of useful results for others, both patients and colleagues. Scholarships appear to have made a significant contribution to careers, especially for those based outside Britain. CONCLUSION: Relatively modest travel scholarships were viewed both favourably in hindsight and produced a wide range of benefits to recipients, colleagues, and patients. International travel should probably be considered more widely in career planning. PMID:9624751

Verifying the UK N_{2}O emission inventory with tall tower measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carnell, Ed; Meneguz, Elena; Skiba, Ute; Misselbrook, Tom; Cardenas, Laura; Arnold, Tim; Manning, Alistair; Dragosits, Ulli

2016-04-01

Nitrous oxide (N2O) is a key greenhouse gas (GHG), with a global warming potential ˜300 times greater than that of CO2. N2O is emitted from a variety of sources, predominantly from agriculture. Annual UK emission estimates are reported, to comply with government commitments under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The UK N2O inventory follows internationally agreed protocols and emission estimates are derived by applying emission factors to estimates of (anthropogenic) emission sources. This approach is useful for comparing anthropogenic emissions from different countries, but does not capture regional differences and inter-annual variability associated with environmental factors (such as climate and soils) and agricultural management. In recent years, the UK inventory approach has been refined to include regional information into its emissions estimates (e.g. agricultural management data), in an attempt to reduce uncertainty. This study attempts to assess the difference between current published inventory methodology (default IPCC methodology) and a revised approach, which incorporates the latest thinking, using data from recent work. For 2013, emission estimates made using the revised approach were 30 % lower than those made using default IPCC methodology, due to the use of lower emission factors suggested by recent projects (www.ghgplatform.org.uk, Defra projects: AC0116, AC0213 and MinNO). The 2013 emissions estimates were disaggregated on a monthly basis using agricultural management (e.g. sowing dates), climate data and soil properties. The temporally disaggregated emission maps were used as input to the Met Office atmospheric dispersion model NAME, for comparison with measured N2O concentrations, at three observation stations (Tacolneston, E England; Ridge Hill, W England; Mace Head, W Ireland) in the UK DECC network (Deriving Emissions linked to Climate Change). The Mace Head site, situated on the west coast of Ireland, was

Leadership Practices in German and UK Organisations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McCarthy, Grace

2005-01-01

Purpose: The aim of this research was to determine whether leadership practices vary between German and UK organisations. Design/methodology/approach: The author used self-assessment documents submitted by German and UK organisations to the European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM), to identify leadership practices in both countries. A…

The Role of Feedback in Cross-Cultural Learning: A Case Study of Chinese Taught Postgraduate Students in a UK University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tian, Mei; Lowe, John

2013-01-01

Insufficient attention has been given to the role of cultural differences in feedback communication with the UK's increasingly internationalised student body. This issue is particularly significant for international students taking short -- one-year -- postgraduate taught courses and we illustrate this in a study of Chinese students at a UK…

Globalisation and Education: A Review of Conflicting Perspectives and their Effect on Policy and Professional Practice in the UK

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kelly, Anthony

2009-01-01

Many disparate groups have written about the effects of globalisation on education. Some have promoted its benefits; others have warned against its ill-effects. This paper is an attempt at coalescing and juxtaposing the respective arguments as they relate to schooling policy and practice in the UK. The growing international pressures of…

The cost of pressure ulcers in the UK.

PubMed

Bennett, Gerry; Dealey, Carol; Posnett, John

2004-05-01

To estimate the annual cost of treating pressure ulcers in the UK. Costs were derived from a bottom-up methodology, based on the daily resources required to deliver protocols of care reflecting good clinical practice. Health and social care system in the UK. Patients developing a pressure ulcer. A bottom-up costing approach is used to estimate treatment cost per episode of care and per patient for ulcers of different grades and level of complications. Also, total treatment cost to the health and social care system in the UK. The cost of treating a pressure ulcer varies from pound 1,064 (Grade 1) to pound 10,551 (Grade 4). Costs increase with ulcer grade because the time to heal is longer and because the incidence of complications is higher in more severe cases. The total cost in the UK is pound 1.4- pound 2.1 billion annually (4% of total NHS expenditure). Most of this cost is nurse time. Pressure ulcers represent a very significant cost burden in the UK. Without concerted effort this cost is likely to increase in the future as the population ages. To the extent that pressure ulcers are avoidable, pressure damage may be indicative of clinical negligence and there is evidence that litigation could soon become a significant threat to healthcare providers in the UK, as it is in the USA.

Challenges in process marginality for advanced technology nodes and tackling its contributors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Narayana Samy, Aravind; Schiwon, Roberto; Seltmann, Rolf; Kahlenberg, Frank; Katakamsetty, Ushasree

2013-10-01

Process margin is getting critical in the present node shrinkage scenario due to the physical limits reached (Rayleigh's criterion) using ArF lithography tools. K1 is used to its best for better resolution and to enhance the process margin (28nm metal patterning k1=0.31). In this paper, we would like to give an overview of various contributors in the advanced technology nodes which limit the process margins and how the challenges have been tackled in a modern foundry model. Advanced OPC algorithms are used to make the design content at the mask optimum for patterning. However, as we work at the physical limit, critical features (Hot-spots) are very susceptible to litho process variations. Furthermore, etch can have a significant impact as well. Pattern that still looks healthy at litho can fail due to etch interactions. This makes the traditional 2D contour output from ORC tools not able to predict accurately all defects and hence not able to fully correct it in the early mask tapeout phase. The above makes a huge difference in the fast ramp-up and high yield in a competitive foundry market. We will explain in this paper how the early introduction of 3D resist model based simulation of resist profiles (resist top-loss, bottom bridging, top-rounding, etc.,) helped in our prediction and correction of hot-spots in the early 28nm process development phase. The paper also discusses about the other overall process window reduction contributors due to mask 3D effects, wafer topography (focus shifts/variations) and how this has been addressed with different simulation efforts in a fast and timely manner.

Research investments for UK infectious disease research 1997-2013: A systematic analysis of awards to UK institutions alongside national burden of disease.

PubMed

Head, Michael G; Brown, Rebecca J; Clarke, Stuart C

2018-01-01

Infectious disease remains a significant burden in the UK and the focus of significant amounts of research investment each year. The Research Investments in Global Health study has systematically assessed levels of funding for infection research, and here considers investment alongside UK burden of individual infectious diseases. The study included awards to UK institutions between 1997 and 2013 that were related to infectious disease. Awards related to global health projects were excluded here. UK burden data (mortality, years lived with disability, and disability adjusted life years) was sourced from the Global Burden of Disease study (IHME, USA). Awards were categorised by pathogen, disease, disease area and by type of science along the research pipeline (pre-clinical, phase I-III trials, product development, public health, cross-disciplinary research). New metrics present relative levels of funding by comparing sum investment with measures of disease burden. There were 5685 relevant awards comprising investment of £2.4 billion. By disease, HIV received most funding (£369.7m; 15.6% of the total investment). Pre-clinical science was the predominant type of science (£1.6 billion, 68.7%), with the UK Medical Research Council (MRC) the largest funder (£714.8 million, 30.1%). There is a broad temporal trend to increased fundingper annum. Antimicrobial resistance received (£102.8 million, 4.2%), whilst sepsis received £23.6 million (1.0%). Compared alongside disease burden, acute hepatitis C and measles typically were relatively well-funded, whilst pneumonia, syphilis and gonorrhoea were poorly-funded. The UK has a broad research portfolio across a wide range of infectious diseases and disciplines. There are notable strengths including HIV, some respiratory infections and in pre-clinical science, though there was less funding for UK-relevant trials and public health research. Compared to the UK burden of disease, syphilis, gonorrhoea and pneumonia appear

How effective is good domestic kitchen hygiene at reducing diarrhoeal disease in developed countries? A systematic review and reanalysis of the UK IID study

PubMed Central

Stenberg, Anna; Macdonald, Clare; Hunter, Paul R

2008-01-01

Background To assess whether domestic kitchen hygiene is an important contributor to the development of diarrhoea in the developed world. Methods Electronic searches were carried out in October 2006 in EMBASE, MEDLINE, Web of Knowledge, Cochrane central register of clinical trials and CINAHL. All publications, irrespective of study design, assessing food hygiene practices with an outcome measure of diarrhoea were included in the review. All included studies underwent data extraction and the data was subsequently analysed. The analysis was conducted by qualitative synthesis of the results. Given the substantial heterogeneity in study design and outcome measures meta-analysis was not done. In addition the existing dataset of the UK IID study was reanalysed to investigate possible associations between self-reported diarrhoea and variables indicative of poor domestic kitchen hygiene Results Some 14 studies were finally included in subsequent analyses. Of the 14 studies included in this systematic review, 11 were case-control studies, 2 cross-sectional surveys, and 1 RCT. Very few studies identified any significant association with good environmental kitchen hygiene. Although some of the variables in the reanalysis of the UK IID study were statistically significant no obvious trend was seen. Conclusion The balance of the available evidence does not support the hypothesis that poor domestic kitchen hygiene practices are important risk factors for diarrhoeal disease in developed countries. PMID:18294383

How effective is good domestic kitchen hygiene at reducing diarrhoeal disease in developed countries? A systematic review and reanalysis of the UK IID study.

PubMed

Stenberg, Anna; Macdonald, Clare; Hunter, Paul R

2008-02-22

To assess whether domestic kitchen hygiene is an important contributor to the development of diarrhoea in the developed world. Electronic searches were carried out in October 2006 in EMBASE, MEDLINE, Web of Knowledge, Cochrane central register of clinical trials and CINAHL. All publications, irrespective of study design, assessing food hygiene practices with an outcome measure of diarrhoea were included in the review. All included studies underwent data extraction and the data was subsequently analysed. The analysis was conducted by qualitative synthesis of the results. Given the substantial heterogeneity in study design and outcome measures meta-analysis was not done. In addition the existing dataset of the UK IID study was reanalysed to investigate possible associations between self-reported diarrhoea and variables indicative of poor domestic kitchen hygiene Some 14 studies were finally included in subsequent analyses. Of the 14 studies included in this systematic review, 11 were case-control studies, 2 cross-sectional surveys, and 1 RCT. Very few studies identified any significant association with good environmental kitchen hygiene. Although some of the variables in the reanalysis of the UK IID study were statistically significant no obvious trend was seen. The balance of the available evidence does not support the hypothesis that poor domestic kitchen hygiene practices are important risk factors for diarrhoeal disease in developed countries.

Uncovering degrees of workplace bullying: A comparison of baccalaureate nursing students' experiences during clinical placement in Australia and the UK.

PubMed

Birks, Melanie; Cant, Robyn P; Budden, Lea M; Russell-Westhead, Michele; Sinem Üzar Özçetin, Yeter; Tee, Stephen

2017-07-01

Bullying in health workplaces has a negative impact on nurses, their families, multidisciplinary teams, patient care and the profession. This paper compares the experiences of Australian and UK baccalaureate nursing students in relation to bullying and harassment during clinical placement. A secondary analysis was conducted on two primary cross-sectional studies of bullying experiences of Australian and UK nursing students. Data were collected using the Student Experience of Bullying during Clinical Placement (SEBDCP) questionnaire and analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The total sample was 833 Australian and 561 UK students. Australian nursing students experienced a higher rate of bullying (50.1%) than UK students (35.5%). Students identified other nurses as the main perpetrators (Aust 53%, UK 68%), although patients were the main source of physical acts of bullying. Few bullied students chose to report the episode/s. The main reason for non-reporting was fear of being victimised. Sadly, some students felt bullying and harassment was 'part of the job'. A culture of bullying in nursing persists internationally. Nursing students are vulnerable and can question their future in the 'caring' profession of nursing after experiencing and/or witnessing bullying during clinical placement. Bullying requires a zero tolerance approach. Education providers must develop clearer policies and implement procedures to protect students - the future nursing workforce. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Impact of a reduced red and processed meat dietary pattern on disease risks and greenhouse gas emissions in the UK: a modelling study.

PubMed

Aston, Louise M; Smith, James N; Powles, John W

2012-01-01

Consumption of red and processed meat (RPM) is a leading contributor to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and high intakes of these foods increase the risks of several leading chronic diseases. The aim of this study was to use newly derived estimates of habitual meat intakes in UK adults to assess potential co-benefits to health and the environment from reduced RPM consumption. Modelling study using dietary intake data from the National Diet and Nutrition Survey of British Adults. British general population. Respondents were divided into fifths by energy-adjusted RPM intakes, with vegetarians constituting a sixth stratum. GHG emitted in supplying the diets of each stratum was estimated using data from life-cycle analyses. A feasible counterfactual UK population was specified, in which the proportion of vegetarians measured in the survey population doubled, and the remainder adopted the dietary pattern of the lowest fifth of RPM consumers. Reductions in risks of coronary heart disease, diabetes and colorectal cancer, and GHG emissions, under the counterfactual. Habitual RPM intakes were 2.5 times higher in the top compared with the bottom fifth of consumers. Under the counterfactual, statistically significant reductions in population aggregate risks ranged from 3.2% (95% CI 1.9 to 4.7) for diabetes in women to 12.2% (6.4 to 18.0) for colorectal cancer in men, with those moving from the highest to lowest consumption levels gaining about twice these averages. The expected reduction in GHG emissions was 0.45 tonnes CO(2) equivalent/person/year, about 3% of the current total, giving a reduction across the UK population of 27.8 million tonnes/year. Reduced consumption of RPM would bring multiple benefits to health and environment.

The UK Haemophilia Doctors Organisation triennial audit of UK Comprehensive Care Haemophilia Centres.

PubMed

Wilde, J T

2012-07-01

Under the auspices of the United Kingdom Haemophilia Doctors Organisation (UKHCDO) the UK Comprehensive Care Haemophilia Centres (CCCs) have undergone a three yearly formal audit assessment since 1993. This report describes the evolution of the audit process and details the findings of the most recent audit round, the sixth since inception. The audit reports from the 2009 audit round were reviewed by the audit organizing group and a structured analysis of the data was compiled. CCCs in the UK offer a high standard of comprehensive care services. The main areas of concern were the state of the premises (seven centres), lack of dental services (seven centres), physiotherapy (seven centres) and social work support (11 centres). Major concerns were identified at eight centres requiring a formal letter from the chairman of UKHCDO to the chief executive of the host trust. Since inception of the triennial audit process centre report recommendations have resulted in major improvements in the services available at UK CCCs. The audit process is considered to be a highly effective means of improving the quality of care for patients with bleeding disorders and can be used as a model for the introduction of a similar process in other countries. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Research priorities for respiratory nursing: a UK-wide Delphi study.

PubMed

Kelly, Carol Ann; Kirkcaldy, Andrew J; Pilkington, Melissa; Hodson, Matthew; Welch, Lindsay; Yorke, Janelle; Knighting, Katherine

2018-04-01

Respiratory nurses make a significant contribution to the delivery of respiratory healthcare, but there is a dearth of nurse-led, practice-focused, published research. Using a modified three-round Delphi, this study sought to identify research priorities for respiratory nursing to inform a national research strategy. Study information and the survey link were sent electronically to members of UK professional respiratory organisations. Round 1 had 78 items across 16 topics, informed by a systematic literature review. Respondents suggested additional items which were content analysed to inform Round 2. Respondents rated all items and ranked the topics in all rounds. To ensure rigour, rounds had an explicit focus with pre-determined criteria for consensus (70%). In total, 363 responses were received across Rounds 1, 2 and 3 (n=183, 95 and 85, respectively). The top five research priorities were: 1) "Patient understanding of asthma control"; 2) "The clinical and cost-effectiveness of respiratory nurse interventions"; 3) "The impact of nurse-led clinics on patient care"; 4) "Inhaler technique"; and 5) two topics jointly scored: "Prevention of exacerbations" and "Symptom management". With potential international significance, this is the first UK study to identify research priorities for respiratory nursing, providing direction for those planning or undertaking research.

Research priorities for respiratory nursing: a UK-wide Delphi study

PubMed Central

Pilkington, Melissa; Hodson, Matthew; Welch, Lindsay; Yorke, Janelle

2018-01-01

Respiratory nurses make a significant contribution to the delivery of respiratory healthcare, but there is a dearth of nurse-led, practice-focused, published research. Using a modified three-round Delphi, this study sought to identify research priorities for respiratory nursing to inform a national research strategy. Study information and the survey link were sent electronically to members of UK professional respiratory organisations. Round 1 had 78 items across 16 topics, informed by a systematic literature review. Respondents suggested additional items which were content analysed to inform Round 2. Respondents rated all items and ranked the topics in all rounds. To ensure rigour, rounds had an explicit focus with pre-determined criteria for consensus (70%). In total, 363 responses were received across Rounds 1, 2 and 3 (n=183, 95 and 85, respectively). The top five research priorities were: 1) “Patient understanding of asthma control”; 2) “The clinical and cost-effectiveness of respiratory nurse interventions”; 3) “The impact of nurse-led clinics on patient care”; 4) “Inhaler technique”; and 5) two topics jointly scored: “Prevention of exacerbations” and “Symptom management”. With potential international significance, this is the first UK study to identify research priorities for respiratory nursing, providing direction for those planning or undertaking research. PMID:29692999

Equine uveitis: a UK perspective.

PubMed

Lowe, R C

2010-03-01

Uveitis in the equine population of the UK does not appear to be as prevalent or disastrous as seen across regions of Europe and the USA. Some cases perceived to be recurrent uveitis may be poorly resolved single episodes of uveitis and care should be taken not to make the diagnosis of recurrence without ensuring effective control of the initial episode. Leptospira spp. appear to play only a minor role ERU in the UK which is probably the main reason for the prevalence of the disease being much lower compared to the USA and mainland Europe. Actual data are relatively few on the ground as far as disease surveillance in concerned. This has 2 implications. Firstly unless we are able to effectively monitor the levels of uveitic disease, it will be difficult to pick up early changes in the trend which may allow quicker intervention. Secondly, it is difficult to secure funding for further research if the prevalence of the problem is poorly defined. This may leave the UK equine population at risk should the disease profile suddenly alter for the worse.

Professional Development for Teachers Working with International Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tran, Ly Thi; Pasura, Rinos

2018-01-01

The commercialisation of education and the massive recruitment of international students across different vocational education and training (VET) systems including the US, UK, Canada and Australia have led to significant changes in the VET teaching and learning landscape. This situation compels the VET sector to design and develop new professional…

A case study of machinery maintenance protocols and procedures within the UK utilities sector.

PubMed

Edwards, David J; Love, Peter E D

2016-08-01

Failure to conduct periodic fixed-time-to (or scheduled) maintenance on off-highway plant and equipment represents a significant health and safety hazard and major litigation risk for utility contractors completing service excavation and reinstatement works on public highways. Mini-excavators are a ubiquitous mobile plant item used for such tasks and have recently been responsible for several major injuries and fatalities involving workers and members of the public in the United Kingdom (UK). The research utilises the method of triangulation to examine the maintenance practices of utility contractors in the UK. Findings from the research reveal that a combination of prevailing market forces and internal 'company' pressures have inadvertently removed knowledgeable and trained operators, site foremen and managerial supervisors from hands-on maintenance inspections. Rather, 'virtual' maintenance protocols and procedures are adopted by head office but rarely fully implemented on-site. The research concludes with pragmatic recommendations and direction for future research. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A comparative cross-sectional questionnaire survey of the work of UK and US mental health nurses.

PubMed

Nolan, Peter; Haque, Sayeed; Doran, Maureen

2007-03-01

Comparative inter-country research which identifies similarities and differences in the work of mental health nurses in different social and political contexts is an important means of determining how changes in health care systems could lead to better outcomes for patients. This study sought to compare aspects of the work of nurses in US and UK mental health care settings. Nurses were invited to reflect on aspects of their role including identifying the most and least satisfying elements of their work and suggesting ways in which it could be improved. A 12-item questionnaire, comprising closed and open-ended questions, based on the literature and the authors' own experiences of mental health nursing practice, was piloted and subsequently distributed to respondents in both countries. The US nurses tended to be more willing to accept a wider range of clients than their UK counterparts, although they had lower expectations of their clients' likelihood of recovery. Both groups of nurses felt that being part of a team and having direct contact with clients were the most satisfying aspects of their work, while administration was the least. Although both US and UK nurses utilised a variety of intervention models, it would appear that Cognitive Behavioural Therapy was the favoured model for the majority of nurses. The implications of these findings for the work of nurses and mental health care services in the UK and US, and the purpose, nature and need for future international comparative research are discussed.

Assessment of methodologies for analysis of the dungeness B accidental aircraft crash risk.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

LaChance, Jeffrey L.; Hansen, Clifford W.

2010-09-01

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has requested Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) to review the aircraft crash methodology for nuclear facilities that are being used in the United Kingdom (UK). The scope of the work included a review of one method utilized in the UK for assessing the potential for accidental airplane crashes into nuclear facilities (Task 1) and a comparison of the UK methodology against similar International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), United States (US) Department of Energy (DOE), and the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) methods (Task 2). Based on the conclusions from Tasks 1 and 2, an additionalmore » Task 3 would provide an assessment of a site-specific crash frequency for the Dungeness B facility using one of the other methodologies. This report documents the results of Task 2. The comparison of the different methods was performed for the three primary contributors to aircraft crash risk at the Dungeness B site: airfield related crashes, crashes below airways, and background crashes. The methods and data specified in each methodology were compared for each of these risk contributors, differences in the methodologies were identified, and the importance of these differences was qualitatively and quantitatively assessed. The bases for each of the methods and the data used were considered in this assessment process. A comparison of the treatment of the consequences of the aircraft crashes was not included in this assessment because the frequency of crashes into critical structures is currently low based on the existing Dungeness B assessment. Although the comparison found substantial differences between the UK and the three alternative methodologies (IAEA, NRC, and DOE) this assessment concludes that use of any of these alternative methodologies would not change the conclusions reached for the Dungeness B site. Performance of Task 3 is thus not recommended.« less

UK Schools, CCTV and the Data Protection Act 1998

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Taylor, Emmeline

2011-01-01

The use of CCTV in schools is now commonplace in the UK. It is estimated that 85% of all UK secondary schools currently have CCTV systems in operation. The introduction of the Data Protection Act 1998 (DPA) (enacted in March 2000) meant that for the first time CCTV had direct legislation governing its use in the UK. This paper attempts to apply…

No place called home: the causes and social consequences of the UK housing 'bubble'.

PubMed

Bone, John; O'Reilly, Karen

2010-06-01

This paper examines the key causes and social consequences of the much debated UK 'housing bubble' and its aftermath from a multidimensional sociological approach, as opposed to the economic perspective of many popular discussions. This is a phenomenon that has affected numerous economies in the first decade of the new millennium. The discussion is based on a comprehensive study that includes exhaustive analysis of secondary data, content and debate in the mass media and academia, primary data gathered from the monitoring of weblogs and forums debating housing issues, and case histories of individuals experiencing housing difficulties during this period. This paper is intended to provide a broad overview of the key findings and preliminary analysis of this ongoing study, and is informed by a perspective which considers secure and affordable housing to be an essential foundation of stable and cohesive societies, with its absence contributing to a range of social ills that negatively impact on both individual and collective well being. Overall, it is argued that we must return to viewing decent, affordable housing as an essential social resource, that provides the bedrock of stable individual, family and community life, while recognizing that its increasing treatment as a purely economic asset is a key contributor to our so-called 'broken society'.

How will Brexit affect health and health services in the UK? Evaluating three possible scenarios.

PubMed

Fahy, Nick; Hervey, Tamara; Greer, Scott; Jarman, Holly; Stuckler, David; Galsworthy, Mike; McKee, Martin

2017-11-04

The process of leaving the European Union (EU) will have profound consequences for health and the National Health Service (NHS) in the UK. In this paper, we use the WHO health system building blocks framework to assess the likely effects of three scenarios we term soft Brexit, hard Brexit, and failed Brexit. We conclude that each scenario poses substantial threats. The workforce of the NHS is heavily reliant on EU staff. Financing of health care for UK citizens in the EU and vice versa is threatened, as is access to some capital funds, while Brexit threatens overall economic performance. Access to pharmaceuticals, technology, blood, and organs for transplant is jeopardised. Information used for international comparisons is threatened, as is service delivery, especially in Northern Ireland. Governance concerns relate to public health, competition and trade law, and research. However, we identified a few potential opportunities for improvement in areas such as competition law and flexibility of training, should the UK Government take them. Overall, a soft version of Brexit would minimise health threats whereas failed Brexit would be the riskiest outcome. Effective parliamentary scrutiny of policy and legal changes will be essential, but the scale of the task risks overwhelming parliament and the civil service. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Learning the law: practical proposals for UK medical education.

PubMed

Margetts, J K

2016-02-01

Ongoing serious breaches in medical professionalism might be avoided if UK doctors rethink their approach to law. UK medical education has a role in creating a climate of change by re-examining how law is taught to medical students. Adopting a more insightful approach in the UK to the impact of The Human Rights Act and learning to manipulate legal concepts, such as conflict of interest, need to be taught to medical students now if UK doctors are to manage complex decision-making in the NHS of the future. The literature is reviewed from a unique personal perspective of a doctor and lawyer, and practical proposals for developing medical education in law in the UK are suggested. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

Tobacco imagery on prime time UK television.

PubMed

Lyons, Ailsa; McNeill, Ann; Britton, John

2014-05-01

Smoking in films is a common and well documented cause of youth smoking experimentation and uptake and hence a significant health hazard. The extent of exposure of young people to tobacco imagery in television programming has to date been far less investigated. We have therefore measured the extent to which tobacco content occurs in prime time UK television, and estimated exposure of UK youth. The occurrence of tobacco, categorised as actual tobacco use, implied tobacco use, tobacco paraphernalia, other reference to tobacco, tobacco brand appearances or any of these, occurring in all prime time broadcasting on the five most popularly viewed UK television stations during 3 separate weeks in 2010 were measured by 1-minute interval coding. Youth exposure to tobacco content in the UK was estimated using media viewing figures. Actual tobacco use, predominantly cigarette smoking, occurred in 73 of 613 (12%) programmes, particularly in feature films and reality TV. Brand appearances were rare, occurring in only 18 programmes, of which 12 were news or other factual genres, and 6 were episodes of the same British soap opera. Tobacco occurred with similar frequency before as after 21:00, the UK watershed for programmes suitable for youth. The estimated number of incidences of exposure of the audience aged less than 18 years for any tobacco, actual tobacco use and tobacco branding were 59 million, 16 million and 3 million, respectively on average per week. Television programming is a source of significant exposure of youth to tobacco imagery, before and after the watershed. Tobacco branding is particularly common in Coronation Street, a soap opera popular among youth audiences. More stringent controls on tobacco in prime time television therefore have the potential to reduce the uptake of youth smoking in the UK.

Tobacco imagery on prime time UK television

PubMed Central

Lyons, Ailsa; McNeill, Ann; Britton, John

2014-01-01

Background Smoking in films is a common and well documented cause of youth smoking experimentation and uptake and hence a significant health hazard. The extent of exposure of young people to tobacco imagery in television programming has to date been far less investigated. We have therefore measured the extent to which tobacco content occurs in prime time UK television, and estimated exposure of UK youth. Methods The occurrence of tobacco, categorised as actual tobacco use, implied tobacco use, tobacco paraphernalia, other reference to tobacco, tobacco brand appearances or any of these, occurring in all prime time broadcasting on the five most popularly viewed UK television stations during 3 separate weeks in 2010 were measured by 1-minute interval coding. Youth exposure to tobacco content in the UK was estimated using media viewing figures. Findings Actual tobacco use, predominantly cigarette smoking, occurred in 73 of 613 (12%) programmes, particularly in feature films and reality TV. Brand appearances were rare, occurring in only 18 programmes, of which 12 were news or other factual genres, and 6 were episodes of the same British soap opera. Tobacco occurred with similar frequency before as after 21:00, the UK watershed for programmes suitable for youth. The estimated number of incidences of exposure of the audience aged less than 18 years for any tobacco, actual tobacco use and tobacco branding were 59 million, 16 million and 3 million, respectively on average per week. Conclusions Television programming is a source of significant exposure of youth to tobacco imagery, before and after the watershed. Tobacco branding is particularly common in Coronation Street, a soap opera popular among youth audiences. More stringent controls on tobacco in prime time television therefore have the potential to reduce the uptake of youth smoking in the UK. PMID:23479113

Accelerated technology transfer: the UK quantum initiative

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bennett, Simon D.

2016-10-01

A new generation of quantum technology based systems, exploiting effects such as superposition and entanglement, will enable widespread, highly disruptive applications which are expected to be of great economic significance. However, the technology is only just emerging from the physics laboratory and generally remains at low TRLs. The question is: where, and when, will this impact be first manifest? The UK, with substantial Government backing, has embarked on an ambitious national program to accelerate the process of technology transfer with the objective of seizing a significant and sustainable share of the future economic benefit for the UK. Many challenges and uncertainties remain but the combined and co-ordinated efforts of Government, Industry and Academia are making great progress. The level of collaboration is unusually high and the goal of embedding a "QT Ecosystem" in the UK looks to be attainable. This paper describes the UK national programme, its key players, and their respective roles. It will illustrate some of the likely first commercial applications and provide a status update. Some of the challenges that might prevent realisation of the goal will be highlighted.

Protest and survive, the U.K. Construction Safety Campaign: a case study of workers' and victims' family action and legal and regulatory inaction on construction health and safety.

PubMed

Holder, Mick; O'Brien, Tony

2007-01-01

The U.K. Construction Safety Campaign, based on grass-roots rank-and-file trade union activity, has both a domestic agenda and a wider sphere with regard to international developments. Using organized protests and media exposure to achieve its ends, the Campaign has contributed substantially to reducing injuries and fatalities in the U.K. construction industry, as well as achieving some justice for victims of the industry's neglect of safe management practices.

Marketing of alcohol to young people: a comparison of the UK and Poland.

PubMed

Cooke, Emma; Hastings, Gerard; Wheeler, Colin; Eadie, Douglas; Moskalewicz, Jacek; Dabrowska, Katarzyna

2004-01-01

This paper takes an international perspective on the marketing of alcohol to young people by examining case studies of the marketing of alcohol in the UK and Poland. It is suggested that marketing is a powerful mechanism for attracting young consumers. The alcohol industry is an innovative industry able to use a wide variety of marketing tools to achieve success in the market-place. It is important to recognise that the marketing activities of the industry are becoming increasingly transnational and that policy response has to be equally transnational. Copyright 2004 S. Karger AG, Basel

Motivation, Induction, and Challenge: Examining the Initial Phase of International Students' Educational Sojourn

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cowley, Paul; Hyams-Ssekasi, Denis

2018-01-01

This study explores the initial higher education experiences of first-year international students in the United Kingdom. Questionnaires and semi-structured interviews were carried out with 20 new international students undertaking a business degree at a U.K. university. The students described the key motivating factors for studying abroad and the…

Final quality of life and safety data for patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer treated with cabazitaxel in the UK Early Access Programme (EAP) (NCT01254279).

PubMed

Bahl, Amit; Masson, Susan; Malik, Zafar; Birtle, Alison J; Sundar, Santhanam; Jones, Rob J; James, Nicholas D; Mason, Malcolm D; Kumar, Satish; Bottomley, David; Lydon, Anna; Chowdhury, Simon; Wylie, James; de Bono, Johann S

2015-12-01

To compile the safety profile and quality of life (QoL) data for patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) treated with cabazitaxel in the UK Early Access Programme (UK EAP). A total of 112 patients participated at 12 UK cancer centres. All had mCRPC with disease progression during or after docetaxel. Patients received cabazitaxel 25 mg/m(2) every 3 weeks with prednisolone 10 mg daily for up to 10 cycles. Safety assessments were performed before each cycle and QoL was recorded at alternate cycles using the EQ-5D-3L questionnaire and visual analogue scale (VAS). The safety profile was compiled after completion of the UK EAP and QoL measures were analysed to record trends. No formal statistical analysis was carried out. The incidences of neutropenic sepsis (6.3%), grade 3 and 4 diarrhoea (4.5%) and grade 3 and 4 cardiac toxicity (0%) were low. Neutropenic sepsis episodes, though low, occurred only in patients who did not receive prophylactic granulocyte-colony stimulating factor. There were trends towards improved VAS and EQ-5D-3L pain scores during treatment. The UK EAP experience indicates that cabazitaxel might improve QoL in mCRPC and represents an advance and a useful addition to the armamentarium of treatment for patients whose disease has progressed during or after docetaxel. In view of the potential toxicity, careful patient selection is important. © 2015 The Authors BJU International © 2015 BJU International Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

A survey of occupational skin disease in UK health care workers.

PubMed

Campion, K M

2015-01-01

Occupational skin disease is a common problem among health care workers (HCWs). The prevalence of occupational skin disease in HCWs has been reported in several international studies, but not in the UK. To estimate the prevalence of occupational skin disease in a population of UK HCWs and to explore possible causative factors. Clinical and non-clinical HCWs attending for an influenza vaccine during October and November 2013 were invited to complete a brief skin questionnaire. Data from staff who stated their skin had suffered as a result of work were compared with data from staff who did not, to explore differences in potential causative factors. A total of 2762 questionnaires were analysed. The estimated prevalence of occupational skin disease was 20% for clinical and 7% for non-clinical staff. In total, 424 clinical staff stated their skin had been made worse by work. There were statistically significant differences between clinical staff with and without reported skin symptoms regarding a history of eczema, frequent hand washing and moisturizer use but no statistically significant difference in the relative proportions of soap and alcohol hand gel use. Non-clinical staff reported significantly more use of soap relative to alcohol gel than clinical staff. This study demonstrated the prevalence of occupational skin disease in a population of UK HCWs. More work is indicated to explore if the ratio of soap and alcohol gel reported in this study are typical and whether this has any impact on the development of occupational skin disease. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society of Occupational Medicine. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Physical and functional outcomes following multidisciplinary residential rehabilitation for prearthritic hip pain among young active UK military personnel

PubMed Central

Coppack, Russell J; Bilzon, James L; Wills, Andrew K; McCurdie, Ian M; Partridge, Laura K; Nicol, Alastair M; Bennett, Alexander N

2016-01-01

Background There are no studies describing the clinical outcomes of a residential, multidisciplinary team (MDT) rehabilitation intervention for patients with prearthritic hip pain. The aim of this cohort study was to describe the functional and physical outcomes of multidisciplinary residential rehabilitation for UK military personnel with prearthritic hip pain. Methods Participants (N=40) with a mean age of 33 years referred to a specialist residential rehabilitation centre completed a comprehensive multidisciplinary residential intervention. The main outcome measures were mean pain, physical function (modified shuttle test (MST) and Y-balance test), hip range of motion (HROM) and a patient-reported outcome measure (The Copenhagen Hip and Groin Outcome Score, HAGOS). All scores for symptomatic hips were taken at baseline and post-treatment. Results There were improvements in the Y-balance test and HROM following rehabilitation. There were significant improvements in mean difference (T1-to-T2) for Y-balance scores (15.8 cm, 95% CI 10.7 to 20.9, p<0.001), HROM (6.5° increase in hip flexion, 95% CI 4.6 to 9.4, p<0.001) and hip internal rotation (4.6°, 95% CI 2.7 to 6.6, p<0.001). Scores for HAGOS, pain, MST and functional activity assessment showed no improvement. Conclusions Among UK military personnel with prearthritic hip pain, MDT residential rehabilitation resulted in improvements in a functional Y-balance test, hip flexion and internal rotation. The study suggests short-term benefits across some outcomes for the current UK military approach to MDT residential rehabilitation. PMID:27900174

Physical and functional outcomes following multidisciplinary residential rehabilitation for prearthritic hip pain among young active UK military personnel.

PubMed

Coppack, Russell J; Bilzon, James L; Wills, Andrew K; McCurdie, Ian M; Partridge, Laura K; Nicol, Alastair M; Bennett, Alexander N

2016-01-01

There are no studies describing the clinical outcomes of a residential, multidisciplinary team (MDT) rehabilitation intervention for patients with prearthritic hip pain. The aim of this cohort study was to describe the functional and physical outcomes of multidisciplinary residential rehabilitation for UK military personnel with prearthritic hip pain. Participants (N=40) with a mean age of 33 years referred to a specialist residential rehabilitation centre completed a comprehensive multidisciplinary residential intervention. The main outcome measures were mean pain, physical function (modified shuttle test (MST) and Y-balance test), hip range of motion (HROM) and a patient-reported outcome measure (The Copenhagen Hip and Groin Outcome Score, HAGOS). All scores for symptomatic hips were taken at baseline and post-treatment. There were improvements in the Y-balance test and HROM following rehabilitation. There were significant improvements in mean difference (T1-to-T2) for Y-balance scores (15.8 cm, 95% CI 10.7 to 20.9, p<0.001), HROM (6.5° increase in hip flexion, 95% CI 4.6 to 9.4, p<0.001) and hip internal rotation (4.6°, 95% CI 2.7 to 6.6, p<0.001). Scores for HAGOS, pain, MST and functional activity assessment showed no improvement. Among UK military personnel with prearthritic hip pain, MDT residential rehabilitation resulted in improvements in a functional Y-balance test, hip flexion and internal rotation. The study suggests short-term benefits across some outcomes for the current UK military approach to MDT residential rehabilitation.

Gas-fired power in the UK: Bridging supply gaps and implications of domestic shale gas exploitation for UK climate change targets.

PubMed

Turk, Jeremy K; Reay, David S; Haszeldine, R Stuart

2018-03-01

There is a projected shortcoming in the fourth carbon budget of 7.5%. This shortfall may be increased if the UK pursues a domestic shale gas industry to offset projected decreases in traditional gas supply. Here we estimate that, if the project domestic gas supply gap for power generation were to be met by UK shale gas with low fugitive emissions (0.08%), an additional 20.4MtCO 2 e 1 would need to be accommodated during carbon budget periods 3-6. We find that a modest fugitive emissions rate (1%) for UK shale gas would increase global emissions compared to importing an equal quantity of Qatari liquefied natural gas. Additionally, we estimate that natural gas electricity generation would emit 420-466MtCO 2 e (460 central estimate) during the same time period within the traded EU emissions cap. We conclude that domestic shale gas production with even a modest 1% fugitive emissions rate would risk exceedance of UK carbon budgets. We also highlight that, under the current production-based greenhouse gas accounting system, the UK is incentivized to import natural gas rather than produce it domestically. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Globalisation of Researcher Mobility within the UK Higher Education: Explaining the Presence of Overseas Academics in the UK Academia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Khattab, Nabil; Fenton, Steve

2016-01-01

In this paper, we argue that the power structure that lies within the UK elite universities dictates a division of labour through which the inflows of overseas academics into the UK academic labour markets are skewed towards these elite academic institutions where they are employed primarily in research-only posts. These posts, are less valued and…

Solar wind modulation of UK lightning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Davis, Chris; Harrison, Giles; Lockwood, Mike; Owens, Mathew; Barnard, Luke

2013-04-01

The response of lightning rates in the UK to arrival of high speed solar wind streams at Earth is investigated using a superposed epoch analysis. The fast solar wind streams' arrivals are determined from modulation of the solar wind Vy component, measured by the Advanced Composition Explorer (ACE) spacecraft. Lightning rate changes around these event times are then determined from the very low frequency Arrival Time Difference (ATD) system of the UK Met Office. Arrival of high speed streams at Earth is found to be preceded by a decrease in total solar irradiance and an increase in sunspot number and Mg II emissions. These are consistent with the high speed stream's source being co-located with an active region appearing on the Eastern solar limb and rotating at the 27 day rate of the Sun. Arrival of the high speed stream at Earth also coincides with a rapid decrease in cosmic ray flux and an increase in lightning rates over the UK, persisting for around 40 days. The lightning rate increase is corroborated by an increase in the total number of thunder days observed by UK Met stations, again for around 40 days after the arrival of a high speed solar wind stream. This increase in lightning may be beneficial to medium range forecasting of hazardous weather.

Highlights from the Inaugural International Cancer Microbiome Consortium Meeting (ICMC), 5-6 September 2017, London, UK.

PubMed

Scott, Alasdair J; Merrifield, Claire A; Alexander, James L; Marchesi, Julian R; Kinross, James M

2017-01-01

The International Cancer Microbiome Consortium (ICMC) is a recently launched collaborative between academics and academic-clinicians that aims to promote microbiome research within the field of oncology, establish expert consensus and deliver education for academics and clinicians. The inaugural two-day meeting was held at the Royal Society of Medicine (RSM), London, UK, 5-6 September 2017. Microbiome and cancer experts from around the world first delivered a series of talks during an educational day and then sat for a day of roundtable discussion to debate key topics in microbiome-cancer research. Talks delivered during the educational day covered a broad range of microbiome-related topics. The potential role of the microbiome in the pathogenesis of colorectal cancer was discussed and debated in detail with experts highlighting the latest data in animal models and humans and addressing the question of causation versus association. The impact of the microbiota on other cancers-such as lung and urogenital tract-was also discussed. The microbiome represents a novel target for therapeutic manipulation in cancer and a number of talks explored how this might be realised through diet, faecal microbiota transplant and chemotherapeutics. On the second day, experts debated pre-agreed topics with the aim of producing a consensus statement with a focus on the current state of our knowledge and key gaps for further development. The panel debated the notion of a 'healthy' microbiome and, in turn, the concept of dysbiosis in cancer. The mechanisms of microbiota-induced carcinogenesis were discussed in detail and our current conceptual models were assessed. Experts also considered co-factors in microbiome-induced carcinogenesis to conclude that the tripartite 'interactome' between genetically vulnerable host, environment and the microbiome is central to our current understanding. To conclude, the roundtable discussed how the microbiome may be exploited for therapeutic benefit in

Food advertising during children's television in Canada and the UK.

PubMed

Adams, J; Hennessy-Priest, K; Ingimarsdóttir, S; Sheeshka, J; Ostbye, T; White, M

2009-09-01

Television advertisements for less healthy foods are thought to contribute to overweight and obesity in children. In the UK, new regulations on television food advertising to children came into effect in April 2007. These prohibit advertisements for "less healthy" foods during or around programmes "of particular appeal to" (OPAT) children. In Canada, self-regulated codes of practice on television food advertising to children were recently strengthened. To document the nutritional content of food advertised and number of advertisements OPAT children broadcast in the UK and central Canada before the introduction of the new UK regulations. All food advertisements broadcast on four popular channels in Canada and the three terrestrial commercial channels in the UK during 1 week in 2006 were identified and linked to relevant nutritional data. Food advertisements OPAT children and for "less healthy" products were identified using the criteria in the UK regulations. 2315 food related advertisements broadcast in Canada and 1365 broadcast in the UK were included. 52-61% were for "less healthy" products; 5-11% were OPAT children. Around 5% of food advertisements would have been prohibited under the new UK regulations. There were few differences in the nutritional content of food described in advertisements that were and were not OPAT children. There was little evidence that food described in advertisements OPAT children were any less healthy than those that were not. Few food advertisements are likely to be prohibited by the new UK regulations.

The International Context for Research in Educational Leadership

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mulford, Bill

2005-01-01

This overview of some aspects of the environment shaping the direction and nature of research in educational leadership in Australia, the USA and the UK commences by outlining a number of broad societal pressures, moves to the more specific international and national governmental reviews of educational research and some responses to these reviews,…

UK Renal Registry 16th annual report: chapter 9 adequacy of haemodialysis in UK adult patients in 2012: national and centre-specific analyses.

PubMed

Shaw, Catriona; Steenkamp, Retha; Davenport, Andrew

2013-01-01

Outcomes in patients treated with haemodialysis (HD) are influenced by the delivered dose of dialysis. The UK Renal Association (RA) publishes clinical practice guidelines which include recommendations for dialysis dose. The urea reduction ratio (URR) is a widely used measure of dialysis dose and has historically been the measure of adequacy reported by the UKRR. This chapter aims to determine the extent to which patients achieved the recommended UK target. All 71 UK renal centres submitted data to the UK Renal Registry (UKRR). Two groups of patients were included in the analyses: the prevalent HD patient population on 30st September 2012 and the incident HD patient population for 2011. Centres returning data on <50% of their patient population or centres with <20 patients were excluded from centrespecific comparisons. Data regarding URR were available from 63 renal centres in the UK. Forty nine centres provided URR data on more than 90% of prevalent HD patients. The proportion of patients in the UK who met the UK clinical practice guideline for URR (>65%) increased from 69% in 2000 to 88% in 2012. There was persistent variation observed between centres, with 21 centres attaining the RA clinical practice guideline in >90% of patients, 38 centres attaining the guideline in 70-90% of patients and one centre in less than 70% of patients. The overall proportion of prevalent HD patients with a URR >65% has continued to improve over time. The delivered dose of HD, as measured by URR for patients with established renal failure, has increased over the last decade. Whilst the majority of UK patients achieved the target URR there was considerable variation between centres in the percentage of patients achieving the current guideline. © 2014 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Nutritional Knowledge of UK Coaches

PubMed Central

Cockburn, Emma; Fortune, Alistair; Briggs, Marc; Rumbold, Penny

2014-01-01

Athletes obtain nutritional information from their coaches, yet their competency in this area is lacking. Currently, no research exists in the UK which has a different coach education system to many other countries. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the sports nutrition knowledge of UK coaching certificate (UKCC) level 2 and 3, hockey and netball qualified coaches. All coaches (n = 163) completed a sports nutrition questionnaire to identify: (a) if they provided nutritional advice; (b) their level of sport nutrition knowledge; and (c) factors that may have contributed to their level of knowledge. Over half the coaches provided advice to their athletes (n = 93, 57.1%), even though they were not competent to do so. Coaches responded correctly to 60.3 ± 10.5% of all knowledge questions with no differences between those providing advice and those who did not (p > 0.05). Those coaches who had undertaken formal nutrition training achieved higher scores than those who had not (p < 0.05). In conclusion, UK sports coaches would benefit from continued professional development in sports nutrition to enhance their coaching practice. PMID:24727434

Sources of sub-micrometre particles near a major international airport

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Masiol, Mauro; Harrison, Roy M.; Vu, Tuan V.; Beddows, David C. S.

2017-10-01

The international airport of Heathrow is a major source of nitrogen oxides, but its contribution to the levels of sub-micrometre particles is unknown and is the objective of this study. Two sampling campaigns were carried out during warm and cold seasons at a site close to the airfield (1.2 km). Size spectra were largely dominated by ultrafine particles: nucleation particles ( < 30 nm) were found to be ˜ 10 times higher than those commonly measured in urban background environments of London. Five clusters and six factors were identified by applying k means cluster analysis and positive matrix factorisation (PMF), respectively, to particle number size distributions; their interpretation was based on their modal structures, wind directionality, diurnal patterns, road and airport traffic volumes, and on the relationship with weather and other air pollutants. Airport emissions, fresh and aged road traffic, urban accumulation mode, and two secondary sources were then identified and apportioned. The fingerprint of Heathrow has a characteristic modal structure peaking at < 20 nm and accounts for 30-35 % of total particles in both the seasons. Other main contributors are fresh (24-36 %) and aged (16-21 %) road traffic emissions and urban accumulation from London (around 10 %). Secondary sources accounted for less than 6 % in number concentrations but for more than 50 % in volume concentration. The analysis of a strong regional nucleation event showed that both the cluster categorisation and PMF contributions were affected during the first 6 h of the event. In 2016, the UK government provisionally approved the construction of a third runway; therefore the direct and indirect impact of Heathrow on local air quality is expected to increase unless mitigation strategies are applied successfully.

Challenges for academic accreditation: the UK experience

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shearman, Richard; Seddon, Deborah

2010-08-01

Several factors (government policy, demographic trends, employer pressure) are leading to new forms of degree programmes in UK universities. The government is strongly encouraging engagement between universities and employers. Work-based learning is increasingly found in first and second cycle programmes, along with modules designed by employers and increasing use of distance learning. Engineering faculties are playing a leading part in these developments, and the Engineering Council, the engineering professional bodies and some universities are collaborating to develop work-based learning programmes as a pathway to professional qualification. While potentially beneficial to the engineering profession, these developments pose a challenge to traditional approaches to programme accreditation. This paper explores how this system deals with these challenges and highlights the issues that will have to be addressed to ensure that the system can cope effectively with change, especially the development of individually tailored, work-based second cycle programmes, while maintaining appropriate standards and international confidence.

Review and analysis of global agricultural N₂O emissions relevant to the UK.

PubMed

Buckingham, S; Anthony, S; Bellamy, P H; Cardenas, L M; Higgins, S; McGeough, K; Topp, C F E

2014-07-15

As part of a UK government funded research project to update the UK N2O inventory methodology, a systematic review of published nitrous oxide (N2O) emission factors was carried out of non-UK research, for future comparison and synthesis with the UK measurement based evidence base. The aim of the study is to assess how the UK IPCC default emission factor for N2O emissions derived from synthetic or organic fertiliser inputs (EF1) compares to international values reported in published literature. The availability of data for comparing and/or refining the UK IPCC default value and the possibility of analysing sufficient auxiliary data to propose a Tier 2 EF1 reporting strategy is evaluated. The review demonstrated a lack of consistency in reporting error bounds for fertiliser-derived EFs and N2O flux data with 8% and 44% of publications reporting EF and N2O flux error bounds respectively. There was also poor description of environmental (climate and soil) and experimental design auxiliary data. This is likely to be due to differences in study objectives, however potential improvements to soil parameter reporting are proposed. The review demonstrates that emission factors for agricultural-derived N2O emissions ranged -0.34% to 37% showing high variation compared to the UK Tier 1 IPCC EF1 default values of 1.25% (IPCC 1996) and 1% (IPPC 2006). However, the majority (83%) of EFs reported for UK-relevant soils fell within the UK IPCC EF1 uncertainty range of 0.03% to 3%. Residual maximum likelihood (REML) analysis of the data collated in the review showed that the type and rate of fertiliser N applied and soil type were significant factors influencing EFs reported. Country of emission, the length of the measurement period, the number of splits, the crop type, pH and SOC did not have a significant impact on N2O emissions. A subset of publications where sufficient data was reported for meta-analysis to be conducted was identified. Meta-analysis of effect sizes of 41

The adoption of sustainable remediation behaviour in the US and UK: a cross country comparison and determinant analysis.

PubMed

Hou, Deyi; Al-Tabbaa, Abir; Guthrie, Peter

2014-08-15

The sustainable remediation concept, aimed at maximizing the net environmental, social, and economic benefits in contaminated site remediation, is being increasingly recognized by industry, governments, and academia. However, there is limited understanding of actual sustainable behaviour being adopted and the determinants of such sustainable behaviour. The present study identified 27 sustainable practices in remediation. An online questionnaire survey was used to rank and compare them in the US (n=112) and the UK (n=54). The study also rated ten promoting factors, nine barriers, and 17 types of stakeholders' influences. Subsequently, factor analysis and general linear models were used to determine the effects of internal characteristics (i.e. country, organizational characteristics, professional role, personal experience and belief) and external forces (i.e. promoting factors, barriers, and stakeholder influences). It was found that US and UK practitioners adopted many sustainable practices to similar extents. Both US and UK practitioners perceived the most effectively adopted sustainable practices to be reducing the risk to site workers, protecting groundwater and surface water, and reducing the risk to the local community. Comparing the two countries, we found that the US adopted innovative in-situ remediation more effectively; while the UK adopted reuse, recycling, and minimizing material usage more effectively. As for the overall determinants of sustainable remediation, the country of origin was found not to be a significant determinant. Instead, organizational policy was found to be the most important internal characteristic. It had a significant positive effect on reducing distant environmental impact, sustainable resource usage, and reducing remediation cost and time (p<0.01). Customer competitive pressure was found to be the most extensively significant external force. In comparison, perceived stakeholder influence, especially that of primary stakeholders

International Perspectives on the Nature of Mathematical Knowledge for Secondary Teaching: Progress and Dilemmas. Research Forum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Doerr, Helen M.; Wood, Terry

2004-01-01

This research forum addresses the question: what is the nature of the mathematical knowledge that is needed for secondary teaching? Six international contributors: (1) Australia (Kaye Stacey); (2) Brazil (Marcelo Borba); (3) Israel (Ruhama Even); (4) Norway (Bodil Kleve and Barbara Jaworski); (5) Taiwan (Fou-Lai Lin); and (6) USA (Helen Doerr)…

What shapes vaccine policy? The case of hepatitis B in the UK.

PubMed

Stanton, J

1994-12-01

Comparison of hepatitis B vaccine policy with other cases in the past is complicated by the restricted modes of transmission of this disease, which affects relatively few people in the UK. Still, considerations of cost, fear of contamination, divisions of opinion within the medical profession, and regional dispersal of authority are all factors--analysed for other vaccines--which help to explain the limited UK central policy on hepatitis B immunization observed through the 1980s. An important issue, in previous debates on vaccine policies, has been the conflict between public health interests and the rights of individuals to eschew health interventions imposed by the state. It is argued here that this question fed into hepatitis B vaccine policy in an oblique manner, via policy on screening for hepatitis B in the 1970s; minimal screening mainly of selected groups of health workers was favoured, maximizing individual rights. Changes to hepatitis B vaccine policy can be traced, linked with international policy, pharmaceutical company pressure, advances in vaccine technology, and questions of legal liability. The most accurate predictor for vaccine policy appears to have been screening policy. Will this apply to AIDS, which is epidemiologically similar to hepatitis B?

Assisted dying - should the UK change its stance?

PubMed

Gordon, Daniel; Raphael, Claire E; Vassiliou, Vassilios

2015-04-01

Along with an increasing interest in assisted dying by many European and North American countries, some of which have already modified their existing laws to accommodate this, the interest in assisted dying in the UK has increased once again following Lord Falconer's Assisted Dying for the Terminally Ill Bill. Drawing on examples from countries where similar assisted dying laws are already in place, this article analyses and contextualises the proposed bill and discusses its potential pitfalls and benefits for the UK. © The European Society of Cardiology 2015 Reprints and permissions: sagepub.co.uk/journalsPermissions.nav.

Questions raised over future of UK research council

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Banks, Michael

2010-02-01

Five senior physicists have written to the UK science minister, Lord Drayson, about the "dismal future" for researchers in the country in the wake of a £40m shortfall in the budget of the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC). The physicists, who chair the STFC's five advisory panels, have also called for structural reforms to be made to the council. They warn that unless the government takes action to reverse the situation, the UK will be "perceived as an untrustworthy partner in global projects" and predict that a brain drain of the best UK scientists to positions overseas will ensue.

Physiotherapy Practice: Opportunities for International Collaboration on Workforce Reforms, Policy and Research.

PubMed

Grimmer, K; Morris, J; Kim, S; Milanese, S; Fletcher, W

2017-07-01

Physiotherapy or Physical Therapy (PT) is the most commonly practised allied health discipline globally. International PT workforce reforms are underway to deal with increasing patient numbers, shrinking medical and nursing workforces and lengthy waiting lists. It is timely to consider international differences in PT, with the aims of identifying opportunities for shared learning and forming stronger international alliances to support consistent and evidence-based workforce reforms. This paper synthesizes freely available information on PT training and service delivery across the UK, Australia and United States (California). The paper considers differences in roles, workplaces, training, legislation and registration, continuing professional development, and accountability. There are similarities between UK, Australia and United States (California) in many areas of PT roles, training, registration, legislation and professional practice. However, none has a standard national mechanism by which to demonstrate PT accountability, patient safety or quality care. Moreover, there are different approaches to workforce reforms. There is considerable duplication in physiotherapy governance. There are opportunities for targeted international collaborations regarding workforce reforms such as extending scope of practice, and determining and implementing internationally agreed ways of demonstrating PT accountability. The findings of this review have significant policy implications, and identify areas for collaborative research. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The Attainment of Ethnic Minority Students in UK Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Richardson, John T. E.

2008-01-01

Recent studies have suggested that academic attainment by ethnic minority graduates at UK institutions of higher education is lower than that by White graduates. This was confirmed using a database of all UK-domiciled graduates from UK higher education institutions in 2004-05. The trend was greater in older students than in younger students, in…

International Enterprise Education in Sri Lanka: A Blended Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kasturiratne, Dulekha; Lean, Jonathan; Phippen, Andy

2012-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to explore how enterprise education was adapted from a UK higher education institution (HEI) setting into an international context through collaboration with two Sri Lankan universities. It demonstrates the value of enterprise education in different cultures, and presents learning from the challenges faced by…

Perceived causes of differential attainment in UK postgraduate medical training: a national qualitative study.

PubMed

Woolf, Katherine; Rich, Antonia; Viney, Rowena; Needleman, Sarah; Griffin, Ann

2016-11-25

Explore trainee doctors' experiences of postgraduate training and perceptions of fairness in relation to ethnicity and country of primary medical qualification. Qualitative semistructured focus group and interview study. Postgraduate training in England (London, Yorkshire and Humber, Kent Surrey and Sussex) and Wales. 137 participants (96 trainees, 41 trainers) were purposively sampled from a framework comprising: doctors from all stages of training in general practice, medicine, obstetrics and gynaecology, psychiatry, radiology, surgery or foundation, in 4 geographical areas, from white and black and minority ethnic (BME) backgrounds, who qualified in the UK and abroad. Most trainees described difficult experiences, but BME UK graduates (UKGs) and international medical graduates (IMGs) could face additional difficulties that affected their learning and performance. Relationships with senior doctors were crucial to learning but bias was perceived to make these relationships more problematic for BME UKGs and IMGs. IMGs also had to deal with cultural differences and lack of trust from seniors, often looking to IMG peers for support instead. Workplace-based assessment and recruitment were considered vulnerable to bias whereas examinations were typically considered more rigorous. In a system where success in recruitment and assessments determines where in the country you can get a job, and where work-life balance is often poor, UK BME and international graduates in our sample were more likely to face separation from family and support outside of work, and reported more stress, anxiety or burnout that hindered their learning and performance. A culture in which difficulties are a sign of weakness made seeking support and additional training stigmatising. BME UKGs and IMGs can face additional difficulties in training which may impede learning and performance. Non-stigmatising interventions should focus on trainee-trainer relationships at work and organisational changes to

The role of long-range transport and domestic emissions in determining atmospheric secondary inorganic particle concentrations across the UK

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vieno, M.; Heal, M. R.; Hallsworth, S.; Famulari, D.; Doherty, R. M.; Dore, A. J.; Tang, Y. S.; Braban, C. F.; Leaver, D.; Sutton, M. A.; Reis, S.

2013-12-01

Surface concentrations of secondary inorganic particle components over the UK have been analysed for 2001-2010 using the EMEP4UK regional atmospheric chemistry transport model. In early 2003 an episode of substantially elevated surface concentrations of ammonium nitrate was measured across the UK by the AGANET network. The EMEP4UK model was able accurately to represent both the long-term decadal surface concentrations and the episode in 2003. The latter was identified as consisting of three separate episodes, each of less than 1 month duration, in February, March and April. The primary cause of the elevated nitrate levels across the UK was meteorological, a persistent high pressure system, but whose varying location impacted the relative importance of transboundary vs. domestic emissions. Whilst long-range transport dominated the elevated nitrate in February, in contrast it was domestic emissions that mainly contributed to the March episode, and for the April episode both domestic emissions and long-range transport contributed. A prolonged episode such as the one in early 2003 can have substantial impact on annual average concentrations. The episode led to annual concentration differences at the regional scale of similar magnitude to those driven by long-term changes in precursor emissions over the full decade investigated here. The results demonstrate that a substantial part of the UK, particularly the south and south-east, may be close to or actually exceeding annual mean limit values because of import of inorganic aerosol components from continental Europe under specific conditions. The results reinforce the importance of employing multiple year simulations in the assessment of emissions reduction scenarios on PM concentrations and the need for international agreements to address the transboundary component of air pollution.

The role of long-range transport and domestic emissions in determining atmospheric secondary inorganic particle concentrations across the UK

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vieno, M.; Heal, M. R.; Hallsworth, S.; Famulari, D.; Doherty, R. M.; Dore, A. J.; Tang, Y. S.; Braban, C. F.; Leaver, D.; Sutton, M. A.; Reis, S.

2014-08-01

Surface concentrations of secondary inorganic particle components over the UK have been analysed for 2001-2010 using the EMEP4UK regional atmospheric chemistry transport model and evaluated against measurements. Gas/particle partitioning in the EMEP4UK model simulations used a bulk approach, which may lead to uncertainties in simulated secondary inorganic aerosol. However, model simulations were able to accurately represent both the long-term decadal surface concentrations of particle sulfate and nitrate and an episode in early 2003 of substantially elevated nitrate measured across the UK by the AGANet network. The latter was identified as consisting of three separate episodes, each of less than 1 month duration, in February, March and April. The primary cause of the elevated nitrate levels across the UK was meteorological: a persistent high-pressure system, whose varying location impacted the relative importance of transboundary versus domestic emissions. Whilst long-range transport dominated the elevated nitrate in February, in contrast it was domestic emissions that mainly contributed to the March episode, and for the April episode both domestic emissions and long-range transport contributed. A prolonged episode such as the one in early 2003 can have substantial impact on annual average concentrations. The episode led to annual concentration differences at the regional scale of similar magnitude to those driven by long-term changes in precursor emissions over the full decade investigated here. The results demonstrate that a substantial part of the UK, particularly the south and southeast, may be close to or exceeding annual mean limit values because of import of inorganic aerosol components from continental Europe under specific conditions. The results reinforce the importance of employing multiple year simulations in the assessment of emissions reduction scenarios on particulate matter concentrations and the need for international agreements to address the

Bacterial components are the major contributors to the macrophage stimulating activity exhibited by extracts of common edible mushrooms

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Background: Recent studies have indicated that a major contributor to the innate immune enhancing properties of some medicinal plants derive from the cell wall components of bacteria colonizing these plants. Purpose: The purpose of the current study was to assess if the bacteria present within edib...

Bacterial components are the major contributors to the macrophage stimulating activity exhibited by extracts of common edible mushrooms

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Background: Recent studies have indicated that a major contributor to the innate immune enhancing properties of some medicinal plants is derived from the cell wall components of bacteria colonizing these plants. Purpose: The purpose of the current study was to assess if the bacteria present withi...

Radiotherapy dosimetry audit: three decades of improving standards and accuracy in UK clinical practice and trials.

PubMed

Clark, Catharine H; Aird, Edwin G A; Bolton, Steve; Miles, Elizabeth A; Nisbet, Andrew; Snaith, Julia A D; Thomas, Russell A S; Venables, Karen; Thwaites, David I

2015-01-01

Dosimetry audit plays an important role in the development and safety of radiotherapy. National and large scale audits are able to set, maintain and improve standards, as well as having the potential to identify issues which may cause harm to patients. They can support implementation of complex techniques and can facilitate awareness and understanding of any issues which may exist by benchmarking centres with similar equipment. This review examines the development of dosimetry audit in the UK over the past 30 years, including the involvement of the UK in international audits. A summary of audit results is given, with an overview of methodologies employed and lessons learnt. Recent and forthcoming more complex audits are considered, with a focus on future needs including the arrival of proton therapy in the UK and other advanced techniques such as four-dimensional radiotherapy delivery and verification, stereotactic radiotherapy and MR linear accelerators. The work of the main quality assurance and auditing bodies is discussed, including how they are working together to streamline audit and to ensure that all radiotherapy centres are involved. Undertaking regular external audit motivates centres to modernize and develop techniques and provides assurance, not only that radiotherapy is planned and delivered accurately but also that the patient dose delivered is as prescribed.

Radiotherapy dosimetry audit: three decades of improving standards and accuracy in UK clinical practice and trials

PubMed Central

Aird, Edwin GA; Bolton, Steve; Miles, Elizabeth A; Nisbet, Andrew; Snaith, Julia AD; Thomas, Russell AS; Venables, Karen; Thwaites, David I

2015-01-01

Dosimetry audit plays an important role in the development and safety of radiotherapy. National and large scale audits are able to set, maintain and improve standards, as well as having the potential to identify issues which may cause harm to patients. They can support implementation of complex techniques and can facilitate awareness and understanding of any issues which may exist by benchmarking centres with similar equipment. This review examines the development of dosimetry audit in the UK over the past 30 years, including the involvement of the UK in international audits. A summary of audit results is given, with an overview of methodologies employed and lessons learnt. Recent and forthcoming more complex audits are considered, with a focus on future needs including the arrival of proton therapy in the UK and other advanced techniques such as four-dimensional radiotherapy delivery and verification, stereotactic radiotherapy and MR linear accelerators. The work of the main quality assurance and auditing bodies is discussed, including how they are working together to streamline audit and to ensure that all radiotherapy centres are involved. Undertaking regular external audit motivates centres to modernize and develop techniques and provides assurance, not only that radiotherapy is planned and delivered accurately but also that the patient dose delivered is as prescribed. PMID:26329469

CAKES (Cultural Awareness and Knowledge Exchange Scheme): A Holistic and Inclusive Approach to Supporting International Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McKay, Jane; O'Neill, Deborah; Petrakieva, Lina

2018-01-01

Transition support for international students has traditionally adopted deficit models which attempt to "fix" assumed academic literacy problems. This study explores a more culturally inclusive initiative which supported international students at a UK university in a holistic and developmental way. The initiative was delivered across an…

Taking Care of Our Own: A Multispecialty Study of Resident and Program Director Perspectives on Contributors to Burnout and Potential Interventions.

PubMed

Holmes, Emily G; Connolly, AnnaMarie; Putnam, Karen T; Penaskovic, Kenan M; Denniston, Clark R; Clark, Leslie H; Rubinow, David R; Meltzer-Brody, Samantha

2017-04-01

Rates of resident physician burnout range from 60 to 76 % and are rising. Consequently, there is an urgent need for academic medical centers to develop system-wide initiatives to combat burnout in physicians. Academic psychiatrists who advocate for or treat residents should be familiar with the scope of the problem and the contributors to burnout and potential interventions to mitigate it. We aimed to measure burnout in residents across a range of specialties and to describe resident- and program director-identified contributors and interventions. Residents across all specialties at a tertiary academic hospital completed surveys to assess symptoms of burnout and depression using the Maslach Burnout Inventory and the Patient Health Questionnaire-9, respectively. Residents and program directors identified contributors to burnout and interventions that might mitigate its risk. Residents were asked to identify barriers to treatment. There were 307 residents (response rate of 61 %) who completed at least one question on the survey; however, all residents did not respond to all questions, resulting in varying denominators across survey questions. In total, 190 of 276 residents (69 %) met criteria for burnout and 45 of 263 (17 %) screened positive for depression. Program directors underestimated rates of burnout, with only one program director estimating a rate of 50 % or higher. Overall residents and program directors agreed that lack of work-life balance and feeling unappreciated were major contributors. Forty-two percent of residents reported that inability to take time off from work was a significant barrier to seeking help, and 25 % incorrectly believed that burnout is a reportable condition to the medical board. Resident distress is common and most likely due to work-life imbalance and feeling unappreciated. However, residents are reluctant to seek help. Interventions that address work-life balance and increase access to support are urgently needed in academic

Restrictive and Expansive Policy Learning--Challenges and Strategies for Knowledge Exchange in Upper Secondary Education across the Four Countries of the UK

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hodgson, Ann; Spours, Ken

2016-01-01

This article examines the challenges and possibilities for UK policy learning in relation to upper secondary education (USE) across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland (NI) within current national and global policy contexts. Drawing on a range of international literature, the article explores the concepts of "restrictive" and…

How the UK Can Lead the Terrestrial Translation of Biomedical Advances Arising from Lunar Exploration Activities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Green, David A.

2010-12-01

Terrestrial translation of biomedical advances is insufficient justification for lunar exploration. However, terrestrial translation should be viewed as a critical part of the cycle of mission planning, execution and review, both in terms of the progress of space exploration, but also of sustained life on Earth. Thus, both the mission and its potential to benefit mankind are increased by the adoption of human-based exploration of the lunar surface. Whilst European biomedical sciences have grown in stature, there remains a gap between space biomedical science and terrestrial medical application. As such, an opportunity for the UK to take a sustainable leadership role exists by utilising its biomedical science community, socialised health care system (National Health Service) and defined mechanisms to determine the clinical efficacy and cost-effectiveness upon health and wellbeing (i.e. National Institute Clinical Excellence), aiding the difficult process of health care rationing. By focusing upon exploitation of the more scientifically rewarding, potentially long-term and more terrestrially analogous challenge of lunar habitation, the UK would circumnavigate the current impediments to International Space Station utilisation. Early engagement in lunar exploration would promote the UK, and its adoption of a leadership role incorporating a considered approach to the development of space biomedicine with an eye to its terrestrial value. For instance, prolonged lunar habitation could provide an `ideal controlled environment' for investigation of medical interventions, in particular multiple interactions (e.g. between exercise and nutrition), a model of accelerated aging and a number of chronic pathologies, including those related to disuse. Lunar advances could provide a springboard for individualized medicine, insights into occupational and de-centralised medicine (e.g. telemedicine) and act as a stimulus for biomedical innovation and understanding. Leadership in

The fissured East Yorkshire Chalk, UK - a 'sustainable' aquifer under stress ?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Elliot, T.; Younger, P. L.; Chadha, D. S.

2003-04-01

The fissured Chalk is an important regional aquifer in East Yorkshire, UK, with a large potential for water supply to the Humberside region and especially the City of Hull. It has been exploited since the end of the 19th Century, but although there are more than a dozen long-established pumping wells in the Chalk these currently abstract only 7% of the total recharge the aquifer receives. The classical notion of ‘safe aquifer yield' equates the quantity of groundwater available for abstraction with the long-term natural recharge to the aquifer. An incautious hydrogeologist might be lead to conclude that this is a secure, under-developed resource. In this case study, the aquifer is shown to be already displaying early symptoms of hydrological stress (eg drought effects, overexploitation), and hydrogeochemical indicators point to further effects of anthropogenic pollution impacts in the unconfined aquifer and both recent and ancient saline intrusion in its semi-confined and confined zones. The hydrochemical evidence clearly reveals the importance both of recent aquifer management decisions and palaeohydrogeology in determining the distribution of water qualities within the aquifer. Waters encountered in the confined aquifer are identified as complex (and potentially dynamic) mixtures between recently recharged waters, modern seawater intrusion, and ancient seawater which entered the aquifer many millennia ago. Elliot, T. Younger, P.L. &Chadha, D.S. (1998) The future sustainability of groundwater resources in East Yorkshire - past and present perspectives. In H. Wheater and C. Kirby (Eds.) Hydrology in a Changing Environment, Vol. II, Proc. British Hydrological Society (BHS) International Conference, 6-10 July 1998, Exeter, UK. pp.21-31. Elliot, T., Chadha, D.S. &Younger, P.L. (2001) Water Quality Impacts and Palaeohydrogeology in the East Yorkshire Chalk Aquifer, UK. Quarterly Journal of Engineering Geology and Hydrogeology, 34(4): 385-398. Younger, P.L., Teutsch

Joint ICMAN and IUPHAR natural products section meeting. Aberdeen UK 27-29th September 2017.

PubMed

Zhang, Yongxiang; Spedding, Michael; Wainwright, Cherry; Schini-Kerth, Valérie; Bermano, Giovanna

2017-09-01

This special issue of Biochemical Pharmacology contains proceedings of a joint conference sponsored by the Natural Products Section of the International Union of Basic and Clinical Pharmacology (IUPHAR) and the International Conference on the Mechanism of Action of Nutraceuticals (ICMAN), an organization dedicated to defining actions and clinical benefits of pharmaceuticals and nutraceuticals. Entitled "From Nutraceuticals to Pharmaceuticals: Common Challenges and Approaches", the conference was held in Aberdeen UK in September 2017. The aim of this gathering was to identify the challenges that must be overcome to identify and characterize novel therapeutics from natural products. Contained in this issue are reviews prepared by conference participants as well as abstracts describing oral and poster presentations. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

International patients within the NHS: a case of public sector entrepreneurialism.

PubMed

Lunt, Neil; Exworthy, Mark; Hanefeld, Johanna; Smith, Richard D

2015-01-01

Many public health systems in high- and middle-income countries are under increasing financial pressures as a result of ageing populations, a rise in chronic and non-communicable diseases and shrinking public resources. At the same time the rise in patient mobility and concomitant market in medical tourism provides opportunities for additional income. This is especially the case where public sector hospitals have a reputation as global centres of excellence. Yet, this requires public sector entrepreneurship which, given the unique features of the public sector, means a change to professional culture. This paper examines how and under what conditions public sector entrepreneurship develops, drawing on the example of international patients in the UK NHS. It reports on a subset of data from a wider study of UK medical tourism, and explores inward flows and NHS responses through the lens of public entrepreneurship. Interviews in the English NHS were conducted with managers of Foundation Trusts with interest in international patient work. Data is from seven Foundation Trusts, based on indepth, semi-structured interviews with a range of NHS managers, and three other key stakeholders (n = 16). Interviews were analysed using a framework on entrepreneurship developed from academic literature. Empirical findings showed that Trust managers were actively pursuing a strategy of expanding international patient activity. Respondents emphasised that this was in the context of the current financial climate for the NHS. International patients were seen as a possible route to ameliorating pressure on stretched NHS resources. The analysis of interviews revealed that public entrepreneurial behaviour requires an organisational managerial or political context in order to develop, such as currently in the UK. Public sector workers engaged in this process develop entrepreneurship - melding political, commercial and stakeholder insights - as a coping mechanism to health system constraints

What's in a name? Nominative determinism in the UK dental workforce.

PubMed

Sleigh, J

2016-12-16

Background Nominative determinism describes the theory that people are more likely to pursue careers that are connected to their names. Compelling research has been carried out across the medical professions that provides strong evidence for this phenomenon, but as yet its applicability to the UK dental workforce remains unknown.Aim The aim of this study was to establish the prevalence of dentally-related surnames in the UK dental workforce (dentists and dental care professionals) and compare this to the UK population.Results Dentistry may provide a surprising counter-example to prevailing theories of nominative determinism, as UK dentists are significantly less likely than the UK general population to have dentally-related surnames. This new phenomenon of 'nominative antideterminism' was not observed in the dental care professional (DCP) cohort, for whom the prevalence of dentally-related surnames was similar to that in the wider UK population.

UK medical selection: lottery or meritocracy?

PubMed

Harris, Benjamin H L; Walsh, Jason L; Lammy, Simon

2015-02-01

From senior school through to consultancy, a plethora of assessments shape medical careers. Multiple methods of assessment are used to discriminate between applicants. Medical selection in the UK appears to be moving increasingly towards non-knowledge-based testing at all career stages. We review the evidence for non-knowledge-based tests and discuss their perceived benefits. We raise the question: is the current use of non-knowledge-based tests within the UK at risk of undermining more robust measures of medical school and postgraduate performance? © 2015 Royal College of Physicians.

Patterns and Trends in UK Higher Education 2016

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Universities UK, 2016

2016-01-01

This report provides an interim update to the Universities UK "Patterns" series, before the publication of the full "Patterns and Trends" publication in spring 2017. It includes updates of the main charts included in the 2015 publication, covering trends in student and staff numbers and finances of the UK higher education…

Is Communications a Strategic Activity in UK Education?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chapleo, Chris

2006-01-01

This qualitative exploratory paper investigates whether communications/public relations is regarded by opinion formers in UK education as a strategic business activity or a tactical marketing tool. It is based upon depth interviews with 16 senior managers with strategic roles in UK higher or further education, or Government bodies, conducted…

The lens of the eye: exposures in the UK medical sector and mechanistic studies of radiation effects.

PubMed

Bouffler, S D; Peters, S; Gilvin, P; Slack, K; Markiewicz, E; Quinlan, R A; Gillan, J; Coster, M; Barnard, S; Rothkamm, K; Ainsbury, E

2015-06-01

The recommendation from the International Commission on Radiological Protection that the occupational equivalent dose limit for the lens of the eye should be reduced to 20 mSv year(-1), averaged over 5 years with no year exceeding 50 mSv, has stimulated a discussion on the practicalities of implementation of this revised dose limit, and the most appropriate risk and protection framework to adopt. This brief paper provides an overview of some of the drivers behind the move to a lower recommended dose limit. The issue of implementation in the medical sector in the UK has been addressed through a small-scale survey of doses to the lens of the eye amongst interventional cardiologists and radiologists. In addition, a mechanistic study of early and late post-irradiation changes in the lens of the eye in in-vivo-exposed mice is outlined. Surveys and studies such as those described can contribute to a deeper understanding of fundamental and practical issues, and therefore contribute to a robust evidence base for ensuring adequate protection of the eye while avoiding undesirable restrictions to working practices. © The International Society for Prosthetics and Orthotics Reprints and permissions: sagepub.co.uk/journalsPermissions.nav.

Inhibitory control in young children and its role in emerging internalization.

PubMed

Kochanska, G; Murray, K; Jacques, T Y; Koenig, A L; Vandegeest, K A

1996-04-01

We examined inhibitory control as a quality of temperament that contributes to internalization. Children were assessed twice, at 26-41 months (N = 103) and at 43-56 months (N = 99), on repeated occasions, in multiple observational contexts and using parental reports. Comprehensive behavioral batteries incorporating multiple tasks were designed to measure inhibitory control at toddler and preschool age. They had good internal consistencies, corresponded with maternal ratings, and were developmentally sensitive. Individual children's performance was significantly correlated across both assessments, indicating stable individual differences. Girls surpassed boys at both ages. Children's internalization was observed while they were alone with prohibited objects, with a mundane chore, playing games that occasioned cheating, being induced to violate standards of conduct, and assessed using maternal reports. Inhibitory control was significantly associated with internalization, both contemporaneously and as a predictor in the longitudinal sense. The implications for considering children's temperament as a significant, yet often neglected contributor to developing internalization are discussed.

UK Hazard Assessment for a Laki-type Volcanic Eruption

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Witham, Claire; Felton, Chris; Daud, Sophie; Aspinall, Willy; Braban, Christine; Loughlin, Sue; Hort, Matthew; Schmidt, Anja; Vieno, Massimo

2014-05-01

Following the impacts of the Eyjafjallajokull eruption in 2010, two types of volcanic eruption have been added to the UK Government's National Risk Register for Civil Emergencies. One of these, a large gas-rich volcanic eruption, was identified as a high impact natural hazard, one of the three highest priority natural hazards faced by the UK. This eruption scenario is typified by the Laki eruption in Iceland in 1783-1784. The Civil Contingency Secretariat (CCS) of the UK's Cabinet Office, responsible for Civil Protection in the UK, has since been working on quantifying the risk and better understanding its potential impacts. This involves cross-cutting work across UK Government departments and the wider scientific community in order to identify the capabilities needed to respond to an effusive eruption, to exercise the response and develop increased resilience where possible. As part of its current work, CCS has been working closely with the UK Met Office and other UK agencies and academics (represented by the co-authors and others) to generate and assess the impacts of a 'reasonable worst case scenario', which can be used for decision making and preparation in advance of an eruption. Information from the literature and the findings of an expert elicitation have been synthesised to determine appropriate eruption source term parameters and associated uncertainties. This scenario is then being used to create a limited ensemble of model simulations of the dispersion and chemical conversion of the emissions of volcanic gases during such an eruption. The UK Met Office's NAME Lagrangian dispersion model and the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology's EMEP4UK Eulerian model are both being used. Modelling outputs will address the likelihood of near-surface concentrations of sulphur and halogen species being above specified health thresholds. Concentrations at aviation relevant altitudes will also be evaluated, as well as the effects of acid deposition of volcanic species on

Eulusmap: An international land resources map utilizing satellite imagery

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Paludan, T.; Csati, E.

1978-01-01

In 1972, the International Geographical Union's Commission on World Land Use Survey adopted a project for a land-use map of Europe. Such a map, under the name Eulusmap was started earlier under sponsorship of several government offices in Hungary. Although there was great response from a number of contributors in many countries, it became evident by mid-1974 that the map would contain gaps and some inaccuracies unless additional data sources were utilized. By then, the satellite Landsat-1 had obtained imagery of most of Europe. Using theme extraction techniques, the map was completed in draft form and portions of it displayed at the 23d International Geographical Congress in Moscow during July 1976. Printing of the completed map was accomplished in May 1978.

Migrants and HIV stigma: findings from the Stigma Index Study (UK).

PubMed

Chinouya, Martha; Hildreth, Anthony; Goodall, Deborah; Aspinall, Peter; Hudson, Alistair

2017-01-01

This paper is based on data collected in 2009 for the international Stigma Index Study which measured the experiences of stigma among participants living with HIV in the UK. Data were collected using a self-completed survey questionnaire and focus group discussions. Quantitative data were analysed using SPSS, while qualitative data were subjected to thematic analysis. The Stigma Index attempts to establish a baseline for documenting the experience of stigma and discrimination by people living with HIV while also acting as an advocacy tool whose power lay in the involvement of people living with HIV in the design of study instruments and data collection. Participants were recruited through collaborations with a broad range of UK HIV support organisations. The ethics protocols used were those described in the Stigma Index guidebook. A total of 867 people living with HIV took part, of whom 276 described themselves as 'immigrants'. Most of this 'migrant' subsample (70%) was women. Nearly, all (91%) identified as heterosexual, while 9% were attracted to someone of the same sex as them. Socioeconomic deprivation was a key theme and they reported other stigmatised chronic conditions in addition to HIV. It is not possible to ascertain from the questionnaire, the migrants' countries of origin and length of stay in the UK. Control of information about HIV was critically managed, with respect to family and partners. Felt stigma increased anxieties about personal safety, particularly among men. Strategies for safeguarding against the negative impact of stigma included avoiding social gatherings, intimacy, and clinical and HIV social care settings. Most participants were unaware of policies and declarations that protected them as persons living with HIV. Specific recommendations include creating awareness about rights as enshrined in various legal frameworks that protect the right of people living with HIV, which has been reconfigured as a 'disability'. © 2014 John Wiley

Vegetables and Mixed Dishes Are Top Contributors to Phylloquinone Intake in US Adults: Data from the 2011-2012 NHANES.

PubMed

Harshman, Stephanie G; Finnan, Emily G; Barger, Kathryn J; Bailey, Regan L; Haytowitz, David B; Gilhooly, Cheryl H; Booth, Sarah L

2017-07-01

Background: Phylloquinone is the most abundant form of vitamin K in US diets. Green vegetables are considered the predominant dietary source of phylloquinone. As our food supply diversifies and expands, the food groups that contribute to phylloquinone intake are also changing, which may change absolute intakes. Thus, it is important to identify the contributors to dietary vitamin K estimates to guide recommendations on intakes and food sources. Objective: The purpose of this study was to estimate 1 ) the amount of phylloquinone consumed in the diet of US adults, 2 ) to estimate the contribution of different food groups to phylloquinone intake in individuals with a high or low vegetable intake (≥2 or <2 cups vegetables/d), and 3 ) to characterize the contribution of different mixed dishes to phylloquinone intake. Methods: Usual phylloquinone intake was determined from NHANES 2011-2012 (≥20 y old; 2092 men and 2214 women) and the National Cancer Institute Method by utilizing a complex, stratified, multistage probability-cluster sampling design. Results: On average, 43.0% of men and 62.5% of women met the adequate intake (120 and 90 μg/d, respectively) for phylloquinone, with the lowest self-reported intakes noted among men, especially in the older age groups (51-70 and ≥71 y). Vegetables were the highest contributor to phylloquinone intake, contributing 60.0% in the high-vegetable-intake group and 36.1% in the low-vegetable-intake group. Mixed dishes were the second-highest contributor to phylloquinone intake, contributing 16.0% in the high-vegetable-intake group and 28.0% in the low-vegetable-intake group. Conclusion: Self-reported phylloquinone intakes from updated food composition data applied to NHANES 2011-2012 reveal that fewer men than women are meeting the current adequate intake. Application of current food composition data confirms that vegetables continue to be the primary dietary source of phylloquinone in the US diet. However, mixed dishes and

Co-movement measure of information transmission on international equity markets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Al Rahahleh, Naseem; Bhatti, M. Ishaq

2017-03-01

Recently, Bhatti and Nguyen (2012) used EVT and various stochastic copulas to study the cross-country co-movements diversification and asset pricing allocation. Weiss (2013) observed that Dynamic Conditional Correlation (DCC) models outperform various copula models. This paper attempts to contribute to the literature on multivariate models for capturing forward and backward return co-movement, spillover effects and volatility linkages. It reflects cross-country forward and backward co-movements more clearly among various coupled international stock markets relating to information transmission and price discovery for making investment decisions. Given the reality of fat-tail or skewed distribution of financial data, this paper proposes the use of VECM-DCC and VAR-DCC models which capture dynamic dependences between the Australian and other selected international financial stock markets. We observe that the return co-movement effects between Australian and Asian countries are bidirectional ((AUS ↔ Hong Kong), (AUS ↔ Japan)) with the exception of Taiwan (AUS → Taiwan). We also observe that the volatility spillover between the Australian and both the UK and the US markets are bidirectional with a larger volatility spillover from both toward the AUS market. Further, the UK market has a higher volatility spillover on the Australian market compared to the US market and the US market has a higher volatility spillover on the UK than that of the Australian market.

International Entrepreneurship Education: Postgraduate Business Student Experiences of Entrepreneurship Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rae, David; Woodier-Harris, Naomi

2012-01-01

Purpose: International postgraduate education in business-related subjects has grown substantially in the UK. Both MBA and specialist Masters' programmes increasingly offer entrepreneurship as a core or option. The purpose of this paper is to explore the effectiveness of entrepreneurship education in meeting the expectations and motivations of…

National implementation of multi-parametric magnetic resonance imaging for prostate cancer detection - recommendations from a UK consensus meeting.

PubMed

Brizmohun Appayya, Mrishta; Adshead, Jim; Ahmed, Hashim U; Allen, Clare; Bainbridge, Alan; Barrett, Tristan; Giganti, Francesco; Graham, John; Haslam, Phil; Johnston, Edward W; Kastner, Christof; Kirkham, Alexander P S; Lipton, Alexandra; McNeill, Alan; Moniz, Larissa; Moore, Caroline M; Nabi, Ghulam; Padhani, Anwar R; Parker, Chris; Patel, Amit; Pursey, Jacqueline; Richenberg, Jonathan; Staffurth, John; van der Meulen, Jan; Walls, Darren; Punwani, Shonit

2018-07-01

To identify areas of agreement and disagreement in the implementation of multi-parametric magnetic resonance imaging (mpMRI) of the prostate in the diagnostic pathway. Fifteen UK experts in prostate mpMRI and/or prostate cancer management across the UK (involving nine NHS centres to provide for geographical spread) participated in a consensus meeting following the Research and Development Corporation and University of California-Los Angeles (UCLA-RAND) Appropriateness Method, and were moderated by an independent chair. The experts considered 354 items pertaining to who can request an mpMRI, prostate mpMRI protocol, reporting guidelines, training, quality assurance (QA) and patient management based on mpMRI levels of suspicion for cancer. Each item was rated for agreement on a 9-point scale. A panel median score of ≥7 constituted 'agreement' for an item; for an item to reach 'consensus', a panel majority scoring was required. Consensus was reached on 59% of items (208/354); these were used to provide recommendations for the implementation of prostate mpMRI in the UK. Key findings include prostate mpMRI requests should be made in consultation with the urological team; mpMRI scanners should undergo QA checks to guarantee consistently high diagnostic quality scans; scans should only be reported by trained and experienced radiologists to ensure that men with unsuspicious prostate mpMRI might consider avoiding an immediate biopsy. Our consensus statements demonstrate a set of criteria that are required for the practical dissemination of consistently high-quality prostate mpMRI as a diagnostic test before biopsy in men at risk. © 2018 The Authors BJU International published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of BJU International.

Stress among UK Academics: Identifying Who Copes Best

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Darabi, Mitra; Macaskill, Ann; Reidy, Lisa

2017-01-01

This article examined levels of stress and associated coping strategies among UK academics. Adopting a positive psychology approach, the influence of the character strengths of hope, optimism, gratitude and self-efficacy on stress, subjective well-being (SWB), and mental health was examined in 216 academics in a UK university. The study explored…

Perceptions of the International Baccalaureate (IB) in Canadian Universities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fitzgerald, Saira

2017-01-01

This article presents the results of the first Canada-wide survey on how university admissions personnel view the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program (IBDP) in relation to other curricula. The purpose of this study was twofold: (i) to move beyond anecdote and discover how Canada compares with universities in the UK and Australia/NZ, and…

Cross-sectional survey of the amount of free sugars and calories in carbonated sugar-sweetened beverages on sale in the UK

PubMed Central

Hashem, Kawther M; He, Feng J; Jenner, Katharine H; MacGregor, Graham A

2016-01-01

Objectives To investigate the free sugars and calorie content of carbonated sugar-sweetened beverages (CSSB) available in the main UK supermarkets. Study design We carried out a cross-sectional survey in 2014 of 169 CSSB. Methods The free sugars (sugars g/100 mL) and calorie (kcal/100 mL) were collected from product packaging and nutrient information panels of CSSB available in 9 main UK supermarkets. Results The average free sugars content in CSSB was 30.1±10.7 g/330 mL, and 91% of CSSB would receive a ‘red’ (high) label for sugars per serving. There was a large variation in sugars content between different flavours of CSSB and within the same type of flavour ranging from 3.3 to 52.8 g/330 mL. On average, ginger beer (38.5±9.9 g/330 mL) contained the highest amounts of sugars and ginger ale (22.9±7.7 g/330 mL) contained the lowest. Cola flavour is the most popular flavour in the UK with an average free sugars content of 35.0±1.1 g/330 mL. On average, the supermarket own brand contained lower levels of sugars than branded products (27.9±10.6 vs 31.6±10.6 g/330 mL, p=0.02). The average calorie content in CSSB was 126.1±43.5 kcal/330 mL. Cola flavour had a calorie content of 143.5±5.2 kcal/330 mL. Among the 169 products surveyed, 55% exceeded the maximum daily recommendation for free sugars intake (30 g) per 330 mL. Conclusions Free sugars content of CSSB in the UK is high and is a major contributor to free sugars intake. There is a wide variation in the sugars content of CSSB and even within the same flavour of CSSB. These findings demonstrate that the amount of free sugars added to CSSB can be reduced without technical issues, and there is an urgent need to set incremental free sugars reduction targets. A reduction in sugars content and overall CSSB consumption will be very beneficial in reducing obesity, type 2 diabetes and dental caries. PMID:28186923

Determination of beryllium concentrations in UK ambient air

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goddard, Sharon L.; Brown, Richard J. C.; Ghatora, Baljit K.

2016-12-01

Air quality monitoring of ambient air is essential to minimise the exposure of the general population to toxic substances such as heavy metals, and thus the health risks associated with them. In the UK, ambient air is already monitored under the UK Heavy Metals Monitoring Network for a number of heavy metals, including nickel (Ni), arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb) to ensure compliance with legislative limits. However, the UK Expert Panel on Air Quality Standards (EPAQS) has highlighted a need to limit concentrations of beryllium (Be) in air, which is not currently monitored, because of its toxicity. The aim of this work was to analyse airborne particulate matter (PM) sampled onto filter papers from the UK Heavy Metals Monitoring Network for quantitative, trace level beryllium determination and compare the results to the guideline concentration specified by EPAQS. Samples were prepared by microwave acid digestion in a matrix of 2% sulphuric acid and 14% nitric acid, verified by the use of Certified Reference Materials (CRMs). The digested samples were then analysed by Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS). The filters from the UK Heavy Metals Monitoring Network were tested using this procedure and the average beryllium concentration across the network for the duration of the study period was 7.87 pg m-3. The highest site average concentration was 32.0 pg m-3 at Scunthorpe Low Santon, which is significantly lower than levels that are thought to cause harm. However the highest levels were observed at sites monitoring industrial point sources, indicating that beryllium is being used and emitted, albeit at very low levels, from these point sources. Comparison with other metals concentrations and data from the UK National Atmospheric Emissions Inventory suggests that current emissions of beryllium may be significantly overestimated.

Policies to sustain the nursing workforce: an international perspective.

PubMed

Buchan, J; Twigg, D; Dussault, G; Duffield, C; Stone, P W

2015-06-01

Examine metrics and policies regarding nurse workforce across four countries. International comparisons inform health policy makers. Data from the OECD were used to compare expenditure, workforce and health in: Australia, Portugal, the United Kingdom (UK) and the United States (US). Workforce policy context was explored. Public spending varied from less than 50% of gross domestic product in the US to over 80% in the UK. Australia had the highest life expectancy. Portugal has fewer nurses and more physicians. The Australian national health workforce planning agency has increased the scope for co-ordinated policy intervention. Portugal risks losing nurses through migration. In the UK, the economic crisis resulted in frozen pay, reduced employment, and reduced student nurses. In the US, there has been limited scope to develop a significant national nursing workforce policy approach, with a continuation of State based regulation adding to the complexity of the policy landscape. The US is the most developed in the use of nurses in advanced practice roles. Ageing of the workforce is likely to drive projected shortages in all countries. There are differences as well as variation in the overall impact of the global financial crisis in these countries. Future supply of nurses in all four countries is vulnerable. Work force planning is absent or restricted in three of the countries. Scope for improved productivity through use of advanced nurse roles exists in all countries. © 2015 International Council of Nurses.

Comparative Review of UK-USA Industry-University Relationships

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Decter, Moira H.

2009-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to explore significant historical changes, legislation and policy in the UK and USA from the 1960s to present day relating to university-industry relationships. Design/methodology/approach: The paper presents a review of papers, reports and policy documents from the UK and USA drawing comparisons of…

Mapping the Information Systems Curricula in UK Universities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stefanidis, Angelos; Fitzgerald, Guy

2010-01-01

Information Systems (IS) undergraduate student numbers in the UK have reduced by half in the last five years. An increasing number of researchers have been pondering the possible relationship between the modernity of IS curricula and its attractiveness to potential students. To support the debate about IS curricula in the UK and elsewhere, this…

Universities UK Submission to the 2010 Spending Review

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Universities UK, 2010

2010-01-01

This document represents the submission of Universities UK to the 2010 Spending Review. It sets out why the authors believe universities are critical to the UK's future economic growth, what the impact of cuts to the budget for higher education would be, and the activities which universities are currently pursuing to secure national economic…

UK parliamentary debate analysis: bombing ISIL in Syria.

PubMed

Rashed, Haifa

2016-01-01

This paper examines the arguments presented for and against the UK government's motion for the UK to intervene militarily in Syria in the House of Commons debate on ISIL in Syria that took place on 2 December 2015. It considers what the most common arguments were in favour of and in opposition to the motion as well as which arguments were given the most emphasis, in order to understand the prime justifications given that led to the decision to approve the motion. It suggests that due to the shadow of the 2003 Iraq war, politicians in the debate placed a considerable emphasis on the legal justification for military intervention. It argues that the focus on the national security of the UK and its allies in this particular debate seems to contrast with previous military interventions where humanitarian motives were more widely stated. This paper calls for further comparative research of parliamentary debates in order to track such changes in the rhetoric used by UK politicians to defend their support for military intervention.

Contributors to suicidality in rural communities: beyond the effects of depression

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Rural populations experience a higher suicide rate than urban areas despite their comparable prevalence of depression. This suggests the identification of additional contributors is necessary to improve our understanding of suicide risk in rural regions. Investigating the independent contribution of depression, and the impact of co-existing psychiatric disorders, to suicidal ideation and suicide attempts in a rural community sample may provide clarification of the role of depression in rural suicidality. Methods 618 participants in the Australian Rural Mental Health Study completed the Composite International Diagnostic Interview, providing assessment of lifetime suicidal ideation and attempts, affective disorders, anxiety disorders and substance-use disorders. Logistic regression analyses explored the independent contribution of depression and additional diagnoses to suicidality. A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was performed to illustrate the benefit of assessing secondary psychiatric diagnoses when determining suicide risk. Results Diagnostic criteria for lifetime depressive disorder were met by 28% (174) of the sample; 25% (154) had a history of suicidal ideation. Overall, 41% (63) of participants with lifetime suicidal ideation and 34% (16) of participants with a lifetime suicide attempt had no history of depression. When lifetime depression was controlled for, suicidal ideation was predicted by younger age, being currently unmarried, and lifetime anxiety or post-traumatic stress disorder. In addition to depression, suicide attempts were predicted by lifetime anxiety and drug use disorders, as well as younger age; being currently married and employed were significant protective factors. The presence of comorbid depression and PTSD significantly increased the odds of reporting a suicide attempt above either of these conditions independently. Conclusions While depression contributes significantly to suicidal ideation, and is a key

The UK-DALE dataset, domestic appliance-level electricity demand and whole-house demand from five UK homes.

PubMed

Kelly, Jack; Knottenbelt, William

2015-01-01

Many countries are rolling out smart electricity meters. These measure a home's total power demand. However, research into consumer behaviour suggests that consumers are best able to improve their energy efficiency when provided with itemised, appliance-by-appliance consumption information. Energy disaggregation is a computational technique for estimating appliance-by-appliance energy consumption from a whole-house meter signal. To conduct research on disaggregation algorithms, researchers require data describing not just the aggregate demand per building but also the 'ground truth' demand of individual appliances. In this context, we present UK-DALE: an open-access dataset from the UK recording Domestic Appliance-Level Electricity at a sample rate of 16 kHz for the whole-house and at 1/6 Hz for individual appliances. This is the first open access UK dataset at this temporal resolution. We recorded from five houses, one of which was recorded for 655 days, the longest duration we are aware of for any energy dataset at this sample rate. We also describe the low-cost, open-source, wireless system we built for collecting our dataset.

Patterns and Trends in UK Higher Education, 2011

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Universities UK, 2011

2011-01-01

This report builds on the time series data produced annually since 2001 under the title "Patterns of higher education institutions in the UK." It offers a unique overview of provision at publicly-funded higher education institutions in the UK. All charts and tables in the report are now also available to download from the Universities UK…

Safer Schools in the UK--A Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hayden, Carol; Holt, Amanda; Martin, Denise; Nee, Claire

2011-01-01

This article reports a research that is based on a European Safer Schools Partnership that included ten countries and specifically the UK case study which was located in London. The initiators of this partnership had been involved in early SSPs in the UK and the educationalists were very much focussed on work that would address problematic…

UK report on waste management

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ferguson, J.

1995-09-01

Arising jointly from the National and European Union requirements for more intensive attention to be paid to the environment, the United Kingdom (UK) has taken many strides forward in protecting the environment from pollution and preventing harm to human health arising from the handling, transport and disposal of wastes. Major adjustments are taking place in Europe following the opening up of the Eastern European countries. The consequences of the illegal movement of wastes and its mistreatment and disposal are now recognised within the European Union. The UK as a member State is well aware of the consequences which arise frommore » the lack of proper waste management. This paper discusses waste management and legislation pertaining to waste management in the United Kingdom.« less

The Genetics of bleeding disorders: a report on the UK Haemophilia Centre Doctors' Organisation annual scientific symposium, 10th October 2003.

PubMed

Nicolle, A L; Talks, K L; Hanley, J

2004-07-01

The UK Haemophilia Centre Doctors' Organisation (UKHCDO) held its annual scientific symposium in October 2003, at the International Centre for Life, Newcastle-upon-Tyne. The educational day covered a range of topics relating to the genetics of bleeding disorders, including advances in genetics and gene therapy, antenatal diagnosis and counselling. We present the proceedings from the educational day.

Burden of male lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) suggestive of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) - focus on the UK.

PubMed

Speakman, Mark; Kirby, Roger; Doyle, Scott; Ioannou, Chris

2015-04-01

and their partner. LUTS are associated with high personal and societal costs, both in direct medical costs and indirect losses in daily functioning. While treatment costs in the UK are relatively low compared with other countries, the burden on health services is still substantial. LUTS associated with BPH is a highly impactful condition that is often undertreated. LUTS/BPH have a major impact on men, their families, health services and society. Men with LUTS secondary to BPH should not simply accept their symptoms as part of ageing, but should be encouraged to consult their physicians if they have bothersome symptoms. © 2014 The Authors. BJU International © 2014 BJU International.

E-cigarette regulation and policy: UK vapers' perspectives.

PubMed

Farrimond, Hannah

2016-06-01

The rapid increase in use of electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) has created an international policy dilemma concerning how to use these products. This study assesses the types of beliefs that e-cigarette users in the United Kingdom may hold concerning regulation. Qualitative thematic analysis of written answers to open-ended questions. United Kingdom, questionnaire conducted by post, 44% recruited from online forums and 56% non-online. Fifty-five UK vapers, 55% male, mean age 46 years, 84% sole users of e-cigarettes, 95% vaping daily. Open-ended questions on regulatory and policy options. 'Protecting youth' was seen as a fundamental regulatory requirement which should be achieved through childproofing, age limits, no advertising aimed at children and health warnings about addictiveness of nicotine, but not the restriction of flavours. There was little support for regulating e-cigarettes as medicines or limiting the strength of nicotine liquids. In terms of public use, participants argued against a blanket ban on public vaping given perceptions of a lack of scientific evidence of harm. However, they supported the principle of autonomy, that individuals and organizations have the right to restrict vaping. Some participants suggested banning vaping in places such as schools, hospitals or around food, in line with current smoking norms. Vapers' regulatory positions were accompanied by political concerns about the use (and misuse) of scientific evidence. With regard to regulation of e-cigarettes, issues that are salient to UK vapers may include the need for youth protection, regulation as medicines, strength of e-liquids, bans on public vaping and concerns about the misuse of scientific evidence. © 2016 Society for the Study of Addiction.

Malnutrition in the UK.

PubMed

Blades, Mabel

2013-05-01

Malnutrition is estimated to cost the UK twice that of obesity every year, but it is still an often overlooked problem. Dr Mabel Blades, a freelance Registered Dietician and Nutritionist, looks at the problems that malnutrition presents and the solutions that we can use to combat it.

Environmental health impacts: occurrence, exposure and significance, Lancaster University, UK, 9-10 September 2003.

PubMed

Martin, Francis L; Semple, Kirk T

2004-09-01

Speakers: John Ashby (Syngenta CTL, UK), Peter A. Behnisch (Eurofins GfA, Germany), Paul L. Carmichael (Unilever Colworth, UK), Curtis C.Harris (National Cancer Institute, USA), Kevin C. Jones (Lancaster University, UK), Andreas Kortenkamp (School of Pharmacy, London, UK), Caroline J. Langdon (Reading University, UK), Anthony M. Lynch (GlaxoSmithKline, UK), Francis L. Martin (Lancaster University, UK), Trevor J. McMillan (Lancaster University, UK), David H. Phillips (Institute of Cancer Research, UK), Huw J. Ricketts (University of Cardiff, UK), Michael N. Routledge (University of Leeds, UK), J. Thomas Sanderson (Utrecht University, The Netherlands) and Kirk T. Semple (Lancaster University, UK) The effects of many environmental exposures to either single contaminants or to mixtures still remain to be properly assessed in ecotoxicological and human toxicological settings. Such assessments need to be carried out using relevant biological assays. On a mechanistic basis, future studies need to be able to extrapolate exposure to disease risk. It is envisaged that such an approach would lead to the development of appropriate strategies to either reduce exposures or to initiate preventative measures in susceptible individuals or populations. To mark the opening of a new Institute, the Lancaster Environmental Centre, an environmental health workshop was held over 2 days (9-10 September 2003) at Lancaster University, UK. The fate, behaviour and movement of chemicals in the environment, together with environmental exposures and human health, biomarkers of such exposures, hormone-like compounds and appropriate genetic toxicology methodologies, were discussed.

Highlights from the Inaugural International Cancer Microbiome Consortium Meeting (ICMC), 5–6 September 2017, London, UK

PubMed Central

Scott, Alasdair J; Merrifield, Claire A; Alexander, James L; Marchesi, Julian R; Kinross, James M

2017-01-01

The International Cancer Microbiome Consortium (ICMC) is a recently launched collaborative between academics and academic-clinicians that aims to promote microbiome research within the field of oncology, establish expert consensus and deliver education for academics and clinicians. The inaugural two-day meeting was held at the Royal Society of Medicine (RSM), London, UK, 5–6 September 2017. Microbiome and cancer experts from around the world first delivered a series of talks during an educational day and then sat for a day of roundtable discussion to debate key topics in microbiome-cancer research. Talks delivered during the educational day covered a broad range of microbiome-related topics. The potential role of the microbiome in the pathogenesis of colorectal cancer was discussed and debated in detail with experts highlighting the latest data in animal models and humans and addressing the question of causation versus association. The impact of the microbiota on other cancers—such as lung and urogenital tract—was also discussed. The microbiome represents a novel target for therapeutic manipulation in cancer and a number of talks explored how this might be realised through diet, faecal microbiota transplant and chemotherapeutics. On the second day, experts debated pre-agreed topics with the aim of producing a consensus statement with a focus on the current state of our knowledge and key gaps for further development. The panel debated the notion of a ‘healthy’ microbiome and, in turn, the concept of dysbiosis in cancer. The mechanisms of microbiota-induced carcinogenesis were discussed in detail and our current conceptual models were assessed. Experts also considered co-factors in microbiome-induced carcinogenesis to conclude that the tripartite ‘interactome’ between genetically vulnerable host, environment and the microbiome is central to our current understanding. To conclude, the roundtable discussed how the microbiome may be exploited for

Evaluating forensic DNA mixtures with contributors of different structured ethnic origins: a computer software.

PubMed

Hu, Yue-Qing; Fung, Wing K

2003-08-01

The effect of a structured population on the likelihood ratio of a DNA mixture has been studied by the current authors and others. In practice, contributors of a DNA mixture may belong to different ethnic/racial origins, a situation especially common in multi-racial countries such as the USA and Singapore. We have developed a computer software which is available on the web for evaluating DNA mixtures in multi-structured populations. The software can deal with various DNA mixture problems that cannot be handled by the methods given in a recent article of Fung and Hu.

Lightning-triggered electroporation and electrofusion as possible contributors to natural horizontal gene transfer.

PubMed

Kotnik, Tadej

2013-09-01

Phylogenetic studies show that horizontal gene transfer (HGT) is a significant contributor to genetic variability of prokaryotes, and was perhaps even more abundant during the early evolution. Hitherto, research of natural HGT has mainly focused on three mechanisms of DNA transfer: conjugation, natural competence, and viral transduction. This paper discusses the feasibility of a fourth such mechanism--cell electroporation and/or electrofusion triggered by atmospheric electrostatic discharges (lightnings). A description of electroporation as a phenomenon is followed by a review of experimental evidence that electroporation of prokaryotes in aqueous environments can result in release of non-denatured DNA, as well as uptake of DNA from the surroundings and transformation. Similarly, a description of electrofusion is followed by a review of experiments showing that prokaryotes devoid of cell wall can electrofuse into hybrids expressing the genes of their both precursors. Under sufficiently fine-tuned conditions, electroporation and electrofusion are efficient tools for artificial transformation and hybridization, respectively, but the quantitative analysis developed here shows that conditions for electroporation-based DNA release, DNA uptake and transformation, as well as for electrofusion are also present in many natural aqueous environments exposed to lightnings. Electroporation is thus a plausible contributor to natural HGT among prokaryotes, and could have been particularly important during the early evolution, when the other mechanisms might have been scarcer or nonexistent. In modern prokaryotes, natural absence of the cell wall is rare, but it is reasonable to assume that the wall has formed during a certain stage of evolution, and at least prior to this, electrofusion could also have contributed to natural HGT. The concluding section outlines several guidelines for assessment of the feasibility of lightning-triggered HGT. © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights

Development and validation of a measure of health literacy in the UK: the newest vital sign

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Health literacy (HL) is an important public health issue. Current measures have drawbacks in length and/or acceptability. The US-developed Newest Vital Sign (NVS) health literacy instrument measures both reading comprehension and numeracy skills using a nutrition label, takes 3 minutes to administer, and has proven to be acceptable to research subjects. This study aimed to amend and validate it for the UK population. Methods We used a three-stage process; (1) a Delphi study with academic and clinical experts to amend the NVS label to reflect UK nutrition labeling (2) community-based cognitive testing to assess and improve ease of understanding and acceptability of the test (3) validation of the NVS-UK against an accepted standard test of health literacy, the Test of Functional Health Literacy in Adults (TOFHLA) (Pearson’s r and the area under the Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve) and participant educational level. A sample size calculation indicated that 250 participants would be required. Inclusion criteria were age 18–75 years and ability to converse in English. We excluded people working in the health field and those with impaired vision or inability to undertake the interview due to cognitive impairment or inability to converse in English. Results In the Delphi study, 28 experts reached consensus (3 cycles). Cognitive testing (80 participants) yielded an instrument that needed no further refinement. Validation testing (337 participants) showed high internal consistency (Cronbach’s Alpha = 0.74). Validation against the TOFHLA demonstrated a Pearson’s r of 0.49 and an area under the ROC curve of 0.81. Conclusions The NVS-UK is a valid measure of HL. Its acceptability and ease of application makes it an ideal tool for use in the UK. It has potential uses in public health research including epidemiological surveys and randomized controlled trials, and in enabling practitioners to tailor care to patient need. PMID:23391329

UK School Students' Attitudes towards Science and Potential Science-Based Careers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

White, Emelia L.; Harrison, Timothy G.

2012-01-01

This is a review of literature pertaining to UK secondary school students, their uptake of science at higher levels and their consideration of careers as scientists. As with all countries, the continued uptake of sufficient numbers of science at all levels is in the UK's interest. Unfortunately too many UK secondary students see science as…

Continuous bioprocessing: the real thing this time? 10(th) Annual bioProcessUK Conference, December 3-4, 2013, London, UK.

PubMed

Farid, Suzanne S; Thompson, Bill; Davidson, Andrew

2014-01-01

The Annual bioProcessUK Conference has acted as the key networking event for bioprocess scientists and engineers in the UK for the past 10 years. The following article is a report from the sessions that focused on continuous bioprocessing during the 10(th) Annual bioProcessUK Conference (London, December 2013). These sessions were organized by the 'EPSRC Centre for Innovative Manufacturing in Emergent Macromolecular Therapies' hosted at University College London. A plenary lecture and workshop provided a forum for participants to debate topical issues in roundtable discussions with industry and academic experts from institutions such as Genzyme, Janssen, Novo Nordisk, Pfizer, Merck, GE Healthcare and University College London. The aim of these particular sessions was to understand better the challenges and opportunities for continuous bioprocessing in the bioprocessing sector.

Beyond fast food and slow motion: weighty contributors to the obesity epidemic.

PubMed

Cizza, G; Rother, K I

2012-02-01

Decreased physical activity and marketing-driven increased consumption of "junk" food, dubbed "The Big Two", are generally regarded as the most important contributors to the obesity epidemic. However, the full picture contains many more pieces of the puzzle. We address several additional issues and review current clinical developments in obesity research. In spite of dramatic advancements in our understanding of the adipose organ and its endocrine and immune products, the ultimate causes of the obesity epidemic remain elusive. Treatment is plagued by poor adherence to life style modifications, and available pharmacological options are marginally effective, often also associated with major side effects. Surgical treatments, albeit effective in decreasing body weight, are invasive and expensive. Thus, our approaches to finding the causes, improving the existing treatments, and inventing novel therapies must be manifold.

Enacting open disclosure in the UK National Health Service: A qualitative exploration.

PubMed

Harrison, Reema; Birks, Yvonne; Bosanquet, Kate; Iedema, Rick

2017-08-01

Open and honest discussion between healthcare providers and patients and families affected by error is considered to be a central feature of high quality and safer patient care, evidenced by the implementation of open disclosure policies and guidance internationally. This paper discusses the perceived enablers that UK doctors and nurses report as facilitating the enactment of open disclosure. Semistructured interviews with 13 doctors and 22 nurses from a range of levels and specialities from 5 national health service hospitals and primary care trusts in the UK were conducted and analysed using a framework approach. Five themes were identified which appear to capture the factors that are critical in supporting open disclosure: open disclosure as a moral and professional duty, positive past experiences, perceptions of reduced litigation, role models and guidance, and clarity. Greater openness in relation to adverse events requires health professionals to recognise candour as a professional and moral duty, exemplified in the behaviour of senior clinicians and that seems more likely to occur in a nonpunitive, learning environment. Recognising incident disclosure as part of ongoing respectful and open communication with patients throughout their care is critical. © 2017 The Authors Journal of Evaluation in Clinical Practice Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Gambling problems and the impact of family in UK armed forces veterans.

PubMed

Dighton, Glen; Roberts, Elystan; Hoon, Alice E; Dymond, Simon

2018-05-09

Background and aims International evidence indicates elevated problem gambling rates in armed forces veterans compared with the general population. Gambling problems adversely impact one's family, and family-related variables may increase vulnerability to gambling-related harm. Little is known, however, about gambling problems in the United Kingdom (UK) veterans or to what extent family variables, such as parenting history and experience of domestic violence, influence veterans' gambling. Methods We compared veterans (n = 257) and sex- and age-matched controls (n = 514) drawn from the 2007 Adult Psychiatric Morbidity Survey on gambling, financial management, domestic violence, childhood parental presence, and experience of stressful life events. Veterans who left the military before or after 4 years of service were compared. Results Problem gambling was significantly more prevalent in veterans (1.4%) than non-veterans (0.2%), and the impact of gambling problems on the family was specific to male veterans, particularly those who had experienced a traumatic event after the age of 16, and those who were more likely to have been physically attacked by their partner. Overall, this study revealed that the UK armed forces veterans report a higher prevalence rate of problem gambling compared with non-veterans, with potential negative impact on family life.

A survey to determine the views of renal transplant patients on generic substitution in the UK.

PubMed

Al Ameri, Mubarak N; Whittaker, Clare; Tucker, Arthur; Yaqoob, Magdi; Johnston, Atholl

2011-08-01

Rising healthcare costs promote the generic substitution among patients because it is identifiable costs. A key concern is that patients should be involved in the decision of switching. The aim of this study was to examine renal transplant patients' views on generic substitution in the UK. A total of 163 renal patients were surveyed using 36 multiple-choice questions at Barts and The London Renal Transplant Clinic, in the UK. Transplant recipients over 18 years, able to read and write English and willing to fill in the questionnaire were targeted; 84% of patients were conscious of the availability of generic medicines, 70% understood the terms "generic" and "branded" in relation to medicines and 54% were aware of generic substitution practice. However, 75% did not know if they were taking generics and 84% felt that generics are not equivalent or only equivalent sometimes and they were uncertain that generics had the same quality as branded medicines. Moreover, many patients admitted that they would not accept the generic substitution of ciclosporin when become available in the UK. A number of factors such as patients' education, knowledge, severity of the disease, efficacy of generic medicines and patients' involvement in decisions regarding their health appear to drive patients' attitudes towards generic substitution. © 2011 The Authors. Transplant International © 2011 European Society for Organ Transplantation.

Internal Quality Assurance--Enhancing Quality Culture. ENQA Workshop Report 16

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

ENQA (European Association for Quality Assurance in Higher Education), 2010

2010-01-01

The European Association for Quality Assurance in Higher Education (ENQA), in cooperation with the Quality Assurance Agency (QAA, UK), organised a seminar on theme "Internal Quality Assurance--Enhancing quality culture" which was held on 8-9 June, 2010 in London, United Kingdom. The seminar marked the fourth annual meeting of the ENQA…

Quantifying UK emissions of carbon dioxide using an integrative measurement strategy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gonzi, S.; Palmer, P.

2015-12-01

The main objective of the Greenhouse gAs Uk and Global Emissions (GAUGE) programme is to quantify the magnitude and uncertainty of CO2, CH4 and N2O fluxes from the UK. GAUGE builds on the tall tower network established by the UK Government to estimate fluxes from England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. The GAUGE measurement programme includes two additional tall tower sites (one in North Yorkshire and one downwind of London); regular measurements of CO2 and CH4 isotopologues; instrumentation installed on a ferry that travels daily along the eastern coast of the UK from Scotland to Belgium; a research aircraft that has been deployed on a campaign basis; and a high-density network over East Anglia that is primarily focused on the agricultural sector. We have also included satellite observations from the Japanese Greenhouse gases Observing SATellite (GOSAT) through ongoing activities within the UK National Centre for Earth Observation. In this presentation, we will present new CO2 flux estimates for the UK inferred from GAUGE measurements using a nested, high-resolution (25 km) version of the GEOS-Chem atmospheric transport model and an ensemble Kalman filter. We will present our current best estimate for CO2 fluxes and a preliminary assessment of the efficacy of individual GAUGE data sources to spatially resolve CO2 flux estimates over the UK. We will also discuss how flux estimates inferred from the different models used within GAUGE can help to assess the role of transport model error and to determine an ensemble CO2 flux estimate for the UK.

Internal hysteresis experienced on a high pressure syn gas compressor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zeidan, F. Y.

1984-01-01

A vibration instability phenomenon experienced in operating high pressure syn gas centrifugal compressors in two ammonia plants is described. The compressors were monitored by orbit and spectrum analysis for changes from baseline readings. It is found that internal hysteresis was the major destabilizing force; however, the problem was further complicated by seal lockup at the suction end of the compressor. A coupling lockup problem and a coupling fit problem, which frettage of the shaft, are also considered as contributors to the self excited vibrations.

The Role of China in the UK Relative Imports from Three Selected Trading Regions: The Case of Textile Raw Material Industry

PubMed Central

Xu, Junqian

2017-01-01

The UK textile industry was very prosperous in the past but in the 1970s Britain started to import textile materials from abroad. Since 1990, half of its textile materials have been imported from the EEA (European Economic Area), ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) and North America countries. Meanwhile, UK imports from China have increased dramatically. Through comparisons, this paper calculates the trade competitiveness index and relative competitive advantages of regions and investigates the impact of Chinese textiles on UK imports from three key free trade regions across the textile sectors in the period 1990–2016 on the basis of United Nation Comtrade Rev. 3. We find that China’s textile prices, product techniques, political trade barriers and even tax system have made a varied impact on the UK’s imports across related sectors in the context of green trade and the strengthening of barriers, which helps us recognize China’s competitiveness in international trading and also provides advice on China’s sustainable development of textile exports. PMID:29189756

UK to support open access

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Banks, Michael

2012-08-01

The UK government has "widely accepted" the recommendations of a major report into open-access publishing that was released in June by a 15-strong working group led by the British sociologist Janet Finch.

ELIXIR-UK role in bioinformatics training at the national level and across ELIXIR.

PubMed

Larcombe, L; Hendricusdottir, R; Attwood, T K; Bacall, F; Beard, N; Bellis, L J; Dunn, W B; Hancock, J M; Nenadic, A; Orengo, C; Overduin, B; Sansone, S-A; Thurston, M; Viant, M R; Winder, C L; Goble, C A; Ponting, C P; Rustici, G

2017-01-01

ELIXIR-UK is the UK node of ELIXIR, the European infrastructure for life science data. Since its foundation in 2014, ELIXIR-UK has played a leading role in training both within the UK and in the ELIXIR Training Platform, which coordinates and delivers training across all ELIXIR members. ELIXIR-UK contributes to the Training Platform's coordination and supports the development of training to address key skill gaps amongst UK scientists. As part of this work it acts as a conduit for nationally-important bioinformatics training resources to promote their activities to the ELIXIR community. ELIXIR-UK also leads ELIXIR's flagship Training Portal, TeSS, which collects information about a diverse range of training and makes it easily accessible to the community. ELIXIR-UK also works with others to provide key digital skills training, partnering with the Software Sustainability Institute to provide Software Carpentry training to the ELIXIR community and to establish the Data Carpentry initiative, and taking a lead role amongst national stakeholders to deliver the StaTS project - a coordinated effort to drive engagement with training in statistics.

US/UK Loan Account Project Status PMOD477

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Stevens, Patrice A.

2012-07-12

The viewgraphs describe the status of PMOD477 for LANL. The meeting will occur at DOE-HQ with NA-11 and Military Applications personnel in attendance. Serves to repatriate material with a balance to zero by December 2012. Phase 1 -- Establish formality of operations for War Reserve (WR): Complete surrogate taskings to A90 through a Materials Channel and perform US/UK lessons learned; Complete the US/UK agreed Quality Acceptance Plan, Materials Plan, Shipping procedure, and establish the formal UK/US point of contacts. Phase 2 -- Metal Manufacture (WR): Process material and store material as electrorefined metal (ER) rings, with initial assay and isotopicmore » analysis, prior to manufacturing. Material is cast into accepted configuration and appropriate acceptance document for each aliquot will be generated. Phase 3 -- Intermediate Material Manufacture, Packaging and Shipping (WR): Continue processing of the material in accepted configuration with appropriate acceptance documentation for each aliquot. Provide an initial tasking of the material owed to UK including appropriate quality acceptance documentation. Phase 4 -- Complete Tasking (WR). Phase 5 -- Residue Processing (Non-WR): Complete processing of residue material and waste into accepted configuration with appropriate acceptance document for disposal.« less

The GP Patient Survey for use in primary care in the National Health Service in the UK--development and psychometric characteristics.

PubMed

Campbell, John; Smith, Patten; Nissen, Sonja; Bower, Peter; Elliott, Marc; Roland, Martin

2009-08-22

The UK National GP Patient Survey is one of the largest ever survey programmes of patients registered to receive primary health care, inviting five million respondents to report their experience of NHS primary healthcare. The third such annual survey (2008/9) involved the development of a new survey instrument. We describe the process of that development, and the findings of an extensive pilot survey in UK primary healthcare. The survey was developed following recognised guidelines and involved expert and stakeholder advice, cognitive testing of early versions of the survey instrument, and piloting of the questionnaire in a cross sectional pilot survey of 1,500 randomly selected individuals from the UK electoral register with two reminders to non-respondents. The questionnaire comprises 66 items addressing a range of aspects of UK primary healthcare. A response rate of 590/1500 (39.3%) was obtained. Non response to individual items ranged from 0.8% to 15.3% (median 5.2%). Participants did not always follow internal branching instructions in the questionnaire although electronic controls allow for correction of this problem in analysis. There was marked skew in the distribution of responses to a number of items indicating an overall favourable impression of care. Principal components analysis of 23 items offering evaluation of various aspects of primary care identified three components (relating to doctor or nurse care, or addressing access to care) accounting for 68.3% of the variance in the sample. The GP Patient Survey has been carefully developed and pilot-tested. Survey findings, aggregated at practice level, will be used to inform the distribution of pound sterling 65 million ($107 million) of UK NHS resource in 2008/9 and this offers the opportunity for NHS service planners and providers to take account of users' experiences of health care in planning and delivering primary healthcare in the UK.

Market Impact of Foot-and-Mouth Disease Control Strategies: A UK Case Study

PubMed Central

Feng, Siyi; Patton, Myles; Davis, John

2017-01-01

Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) poses a serious threat to the agricultural sector due to its highly contagious nature. Outbreaks of FMD can lead to substantial disruptions to livestock markets due to loss of production and access to international markets. In a previously FMD-free country, the use of vaccination to augment control of an FMD outbreak is increasingly being recognized as an alternative control strategy to direct slaughtering [stamping-out (SO)]. The choice of control strategy has implications on production, trade, and hence prices of the sector. Specific choice of eradication strategies depends on their costs and benefits. Economic impact assessments are often based on benefit–cost framework, which provide detailed information on the changes in profit for a farm or budget implications for a government (1). However, this framework cannot capture price effects caused by changes in production due to culling of animals; access to international markets; and consumers’ reaction. These three impacts combine to affect equilibrium within commodity markets (2). This paper provides assessment of sectoral level impacts of the eradication choices of FMD outbreaks, which are typically not available from benefit–cost framework, in the context of the UK. The FAPRI-UK model, a partial equilibrium model of the agricultural sector, is utilized to investigate market outcomes of different control strategies (namely SO and vaccinate-to-die) in the case of FMD outbreaks. The outputs from the simulations of the EXODIS epidemiological model (number of animals culled/vaccinated and duration of outbreak) are used as inputs within the economic model to capture the overall price impact of the animal destruction, export ban, and consumers’ response. PMID:28920059

Mutual learning and research messages: India, UK, and Europe

PubMed Central

Kalra, Gurvinder; Bhugra, Dinesh

2010-01-01

India and UK have had a long history together, since the times of the British Raj. Most of what Indian psychiatry is today, finds its roots in ancient Indian texts and medicine systems as much as it is influenced by the European system. Psychiatric research in India is growing. It is being influenced by research in the UK and Europe and is influencing them at the same time. In addition to the sharing of ideas and the know-how, there has also been a good amount of sharing of mental health professionals and research samples in the form of immigrants from India to the UK. The Indian mental health professionals based in UK have done a good amount of research with a focus on these Indian immigrants, giving an insight into cross-cultural aspects of some major psychiatric disorders. This article discusses the impact that research in these countries has had on each other and the contributions that have resulted from it. PMID:21836716

The alcohol industry, charities and policy influence in the UK

PubMed Central

Lyness, Sarah M

2014-01-01

Background: Charities exist to pursue a public benefit, whereas corporations serve the interests of their shareholders. The alcohol industry uses corporate social responsibility activities to further its interests in influencing alcohol policy. Many charities also seek to influence alcohol and other policy. The aim of this study was to explore relationships between the alcohol industry and charities in the UK and whether these relationships may be used as a method of influencing alcohol policy. Methods: The charity regulator websites for England and Wales and for Scotland were the main data sources used to identify charities involved in UK alcohol policy making processes and/or funded by the alcohol industry. Results: Five charities were identified that both receive alcohol industry funding and are active in UK alcohol policy processes: Drinkaware; the Robertson Trust; British Institute of Innkeeping; Mentor UK and Addaction. The latter two are the sole remaining non-industry non-governmental members of the controversial responsibility deal alcohol network, from which all other public health interests have resigned. Conclusion: This study raises questions about the extent to which the alcohol industry is using UK charities as vehicles to further their own interests in UK alcohol policy. Mechanisms of industry influence in alcohol policy making globally is an important target for further investigations designed to assist the implementation of evidenced-based policies. PMID:24913316

27th International Conference on CADCAM, Robotics and Factories of the Future 2014

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karamanoglu, Mehmet; Yang, Xin-She; Zivanovic, Aleksandar; Smith, Martin; Loureiro, Rui

2014-07-01

It is a great pleasure to welcome you to the 27th International Conference on CADCAM, Robotics and Factories of the Future, sponsored by the International Society for Productivity Enhancement, Middlesex University, Festo Limited GB, National Instruments UK & Ireland, the Sector Skills Council for Science, Engineering and Manufacturing Technologies and our proceedings publisher Institute of Physics Publications. This is the second time Middlesex University has played host to this longstanding international conference, last time being the 12th edition in 1996. The subject content of the conference remains current, focusing on cutting edge developments in research. The conference themes this year are divided into seven themes, Product Development and Sustainability, Modelling and Simulation, Automation, Robotics and Handling Systems, Advanced Quality Systems Tools and Quality Management, Human Aspects in Engineering Activities, Emerging Scenarios in Engineering Education and Training, and Emerging Technologies in Factories of the Future. The conference is organised into seven sessions running in parallel over three days, providing a platform to speakers from 16 different countries. The programme also features four eminent keynote speakers and a hands-on workshop organised by National Instruments. Organising an event such as this would not be possible without the help of many colleagues. I am grateful to the members of the Organising Committee, the International Scientific Committee, our sponsors and all those colleagues who helped in the review of many abstracts and consequently full papers. This required meticulous attention to detail and strict adherence to very tight deadlines. However large or small a conference is, the effort required to make the local arrangements work for all is not insignificant. The conference organisers acknowledge the particular efforts of Miss Mita Vaghi in providing her expertise in event management and her diligent support and Anete

The health of UK civilians deployed to Iraq

PubMed Central

Fear, Nicola T.; Cawkill, Paul; Jones, Norman; Greenberg, Neil; Wessely, Simon

2017-01-01

Abstract Background: Modern military operations have incorporated deployed civilians in a variety of roles (e.g. diplomats, private security staff). Many of these roles expose individuals to potentially dangerous or traumatic events. Evidence has shown that such exposures can cause psychological health problems in military personnel. It is likely that the same would be seen among civilians working in such environments. There is however limited research into the health of civilians deployed to war zones. This study compared health outcomes and related behaviours among UK regular and reserve Army personnel with UK civilian personnel deployed in direct support of the UK military in Iraq. Methods: The study sample comprised of 159 Ministry of Defence civilians, 1542 Army regulars and 408 Army reservists, all of whom served in non-combat roles. Data were gathered by questionnaires which asked about deployment experiences, lifestyle factors and health outcomes [i.e. post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), general health, multiple physical symptoms and alcohol use]. Results: Fewer deployed UK civilians smoked than regular Army personnel (adjusted OR 0.83 95% CI 0.70–0.98). UK civilians had better overall health and were less likely to report multiple physical symptoms compared with reservists (adjusted ORs 0.64 95% CI 0.44–0.93 and 0.60 95% CI 0.39–0.93, respectively). Conclusions: Overall, the psychological health of deployed civilians appears to be better than that of Army personnel deployed in non-combat roles. Civilians are also less likely to engage in some risky behaviours. PMID:27452892

Rising incidence of type 2 diabetes in children in the U.K.

PubMed

Haines, Linda; Wan, Kay Chong; Lynn, Richard; Barrett, Timothy G; Shield, Julian P H

2007-05-01

To estimate the incidence of type 2 diabetes in children <17 years of age and to investigate the relationship of diabetes with increasing childhood obesity in the U.K. and the Republic of Ireland (ROI). Active monthly reporting of cases by consultant pediatricians occurred through the framework of the British Pediatric Surveillance Unit, with additional reports from specialist diabetes nurses. All children <17 years of age and diagnosed by their clinician as having non-type 1 diabetes from 1 October 2004 to 31 October 2005 were included. A total of 168 confirmed cases of non-type 1 diabetes were reported, resulting in a national incidence (excluding the ROI) of 1.3 x 100,000(-1) x year(-1). Of these, 40% were diagnosed with type 2 diabetes giving a minimum incidence of 0.53 x 100,000(-1) x year(-1). Children of ethnic minorities were greatly overrepresented, with those of black and South-Asian origin (England data only) having an incidence of 3.9 and 1.25 x 100,000(-1) x year(-1), respectively, compared with 0.35 x 100,000(-1) x year(-1) in those defined as white. Of those diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, 95% were overweight and 83% obese according to International Obesity Task Force guidelines. Eighty-four percent had a family history of type 2 diabetes. Type 2 diabetes is still less common than type 1 diabetes in U.K. children. However, compared with previous prevalence data, the frequency of type 2 diabetes appears to be increasing. Incidence among ethnic minorities is far higher than in whites, as previously described in the U.S. Increased adiposity and family history of type 2 diabetes were strongly associated with the diagnosis of type 2 diabetes in U.K. children.

Making the Best of a World Dominated by League Tables? New Developments in the International Ranking of Universities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Observatory on Borderless Higher Education, 2010

2010-01-01

Two interesting initiatives have started to develop more balanced international league tables of universities. The first initiative is being taken by UK magazine the Times Higher Education (THE), which recently entered into a collaboration with both the international academic community and research-metrics company Thomsons Reuters to create an…

Incremental Validity of WISC-IV[superscript UK] Factor Index Scores with a Referred Irish Sample: Predicting Performance on the WIAT-II[superscript UK

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Canivez, Gary L.; Watkins, Marley W.; James, Trevor; Good, Rebecca; James, Kate

2014-01-01

Background: Subtest and factor scores have typically provided little incremental predictive validity beyond the omnibus IQ score. Aims: This study examined the incremental validity of Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Fourth UK Edition (WISC-IV[superscript UK]; Wechsler, 2004a, "Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Fourth UK…

Genetic environment of metallo-β-lactamase genes in Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates from the UK.

PubMed

Wright, Laura L; Turton, Jane F; Hopkins, Katie L; Livermore, David M; Woodford, Neil

2015-12-01

We sought to characterize the genetic environment of blaVIM and blaIMP genes in Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates from the UK; these included members of six previously described prevalent complexes, A-F, which correspond to international 'high-risk clones', along with diverse strains. Metallo-β-lactamase (MBL)-encoding class 1 integrons were amplified by PCR from 218 P. aeruginosa isolates producing VIM-type (n = 196) or IMP-type (n = 22) enzymes, referred from UK hospital laboratories between 2003 and 2012. The variable regions of selected integrons were sequenced using a primer walking method. One-hundred-and-nineteen isolates had an MBL-encoding integron with the 3' conserved sequence (3'CS), 65 had Tn5090-like 3' regions and 17 had the sul1 gene, but lacked the qacEΔ1 gene; the 3' region could not be amplified using any primer combinations for the remaining 17 isolates. Six integron profiles were each seen in more than five isolates. Predominant integron types were seen amongst isolates belonging to STs 111, 233, 654/964 and 773 (complexes A, C, D and F, respectively), whereas diverse integron profiles were seen in isolates belonging to ST235 (complex B) and ST357 (complex E). In UK P. aeruginosa isolates, MBL genes occur in diverse class 1 integron structures, though commonly with 3' regions containing the classical 3'CS or Tn5090-like regions. Four of the six main clonal complexes, referred from multiple laboratories, carried a predominant integron type, whereas the remaining two had more diverse types. © Crown copyright 2015.

Researchers dodge UK migration cap

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dacey, James

2011-03-01

Research scientists are among those to be prioritized under the UK government's new immigration rules that will impose an annual cap on the number of work visas issued to those from outside the European Union (EU).

Undergraduate teaching in UK general practice: a geographical snapshot.

PubMed

Derbyshire, Helen; Rees, Eliot; Gay, Simon P; McKinley, Robert K

2014-06-01

Learning in general practice is an essential component of undergraduate medical education; currently, on average, 13% of clinical placements in the UK are in general practice. However, whether general practice can sustainably deliver more undergraduate placements is uncertain. To identify the geographical distribution of undergraduate teaching practices and their distance from the host medical school. National survey of all medical schools in the UK. All 33 UK medical schools were invited to provide the postcodes of their undergraduate teaching practices. These were collated, de-duplicated, and mapped. The distance in kilometres and journey times by car and public transport between each medical school and its teaching practices was estimated using Transport Direct (www.transportdirect.info). The postcodes of every practice in the UK were obtained from the UK's health departments. All 33 UK medical schools responded; 4392 practices contributed to teaching, with a median (minimum-maximum) of 142 (17-385) practices per school. The median (minimum-maximum) distance between a school and a teaching practice was 28 km (0-1421 km), 41 (0:00-23:26) minutes' travel by car and 1 hour 12 (0:00-17:29) minutes' travel by public transport. All teaching practices were accessible by public transport in one school and 90-99% were in a further four schools; 24 schools had >20% of practices that were inaccessible by public transport. The 4392 undergraduate teaching general practices are widely distributed and potentially any practice, no matter how isolated, could contribute to undergraduate education. However, this is, at the price of a considerable travel burden. © British Journal of General Practice 2014.

Are UK undergraduate Forensic Science degrees fit for purpose?

PubMed

Welsh, Charles; Hannis, Marc

2011-09-01

In October 2009 Skills for Justice published the social research paper 'Fit for purpose?: Research into the provision of Forensic Science degree programmes in UK Higher Education Institutions.' The research engaged employers representing 95% of UK Forensic Science providers and 79% of UK universities offering Forensic Science or Crime Scene degree programmes. In addition to this, the research collected the views of 430 students studying these degrees. In 2008 there were approximately 9000 people working in the Forensic Science sector in the UK. The research found that the numbers of students studying Forensic Science or Crime Scene degrees in the UK have more than doubled since 2002-03, from 2191 in to 5664 in 2007-08. Over the same period there were twice as many females as males studying for these degrees. The research concluded that Forensic Science degree programmes offered by UK universities were of a good quality and they provided the student with a positive learning experience but the content was not relevant for Forensic Science employers. This echoed similar research by the former Government Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills on graduates from wider science, technology, engineering and mathematics degree programmes. The research also found that 75% of students studying Forensic Science or Crime Scene degrees expected to have a career in the Forensic Science sector, meaning that ensuring these courses are relevant for employers is a key challenge for universities. This paper reflects on the original research and discusses the implications in light of recent government policy. Copyright © 2011 Forensic Science Society. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Internal Consistency and Validity of the Vaccination Attitudes Examination Scale: A Replication Study.

PubMed

Wood, Louise; Smith, Michael; Miller, Christopher B; O'Carroll, Ronan E

2018-06-19

Vaccinations are important preventative health behaviors. The recently developed Vaccination Attitudes Examination (VAX) Scale aims to measure the reasons behind refusal/hesitancy regarding vaccinations. The aim of this replication study is to conduct an independent test of the newly developed VAX Scale in the UK. We tested (a) internal consistency (Cronbach's α); (b) convergent validity by assessing its relationships with beliefs about medication, medical mistrust, and perceived sensitivity to medicines; and (c) construct validity by testing how well the VAX Scale discriminated between vaccinators and nonvaccinators. A sample of 243 UK adults completed the VAX Scale, the Beliefs About Medicines Questionnaire, the Perceived Sensitivity to Medicines Scale, and the Medical Mistrust Index, in addition to demographics of age, gender, education levels, and social deprivation. Participants were asked (a) whether they received an influenza vaccination in the past year and (b) if they had a young child, whether they had vaccinated the young child against influenza in the past year. The VAX (a) demonstrated high internal consistency (α = .92); (b) was positively correlated with medical mistrust and beliefs about medicines, and less strongly correlated with perceived sensitivity to medicines; and (c) successfully differentiated parental influenza vaccinators from nonvaccinators. The VAX demonstrated good internal consistency, convergent validity, and construct validity in an independent UK sample. It appears to be a useful measure to help us understand the health beliefs that promote or deter vaccination behavior.

The UK-DALE dataset, domestic appliance-level electricity demand and whole-house demand from five UK homes

PubMed Central

Kelly, Jack; Knottenbelt, William

2015-01-01

Many countries are rolling out smart electricity meters. These measure a home’s total power demand. However, research into consumer behaviour suggests that consumers are best able to improve their energy efficiency when provided with itemised, appliance-by-appliance consumption information. Energy disaggregation is a computational technique for estimating appliance-by-appliance energy consumption from a whole-house meter signal. To conduct research on disaggregation algorithms, researchers require data describing not just the aggregate demand per building but also the ‘ground truth’ demand of individual appliances. In this context, we present UK-DALE: an open-access dataset from the UK recording Domestic Appliance-Level Electricity at a sample rate of 16 kHz for the whole-house and at 1/6 Hz for individual appliances. This is the first open access UK dataset at this temporal resolution. We recorded from five houses, one of which was recorded for 655 days, the longest duration we are aware of for any energy dataset at this sample rate. We also describe the low-cost, open-source, wireless system we built for collecting our dataset. PMID:25984347

The UK-DALE dataset, domestic appliance-level electricity demand and whole-house demand from five UK homes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kelly, Jack; Knottenbelt, William

2015-03-01

Many countries are rolling out smart electricity meters. These measure a home’s total power demand. However, research into consumer behaviour suggests that consumers are best able to improve their energy efficiency when provided with itemised, appliance-by-appliance consumption information. Energy disaggregation is a computational technique for estimating appliance-by-appliance energy consumption from a whole-house meter signal. To conduct research on disaggregation algorithms, researchers require data describing not just the aggregate demand per building but also the ‘ground truth’ demand of individual appliances. In this context, we present UK-DALE: an open-access dataset from the UK recording Domestic Appliance-Level Electricity at a sample rate of 16 kHz for the whole-house and at 1/6 Hz for individual appliances. This is the first open access UK dataset at this temporal resolution. We recorded from five houses, one of which was recorded for 655 days, the longest duration we are aware of for any energy dataset at this sample rate. We also describe the low-cost, open-source, wireless system we built for collecting our dataset.

The UK medical response to the Sichuan earthquake.

PubMed

Redmond, A D; Li, J

2011-06-01

At 14:48 on 12 May 2008 an earthquake of magnitude 8.0 struck the Wenchuan area of Sichuan province, China. A decision to offer/receive UK medical assistance was agreed at a Sino/British political level and a medical team was despatched to the earthquake area. This study describes the team's experience during the immediate aftermath of the earthquake and the following 18 months, during which there have been joint developments in emergency medicine, disaster planning/preparedness and the management of spinal cord injury. The long-term disability following sudden onset natural disaster and the wider impact on healthcare delivery may prove to be a greater burden to the country than the immediate medical needs, and, accordingly, emergency international aid may need to widen its focus. Although international teams usually arrive too late to support resuscitative measures, they can respond to specific requests for specialised assistance, for example plastic and reconstructive surgery to assist with the ongoing management of complex injury, relieve those who have worked continuously through the disaster, and when required maintain routine day-to-day services while local staff continue to manage the disaster. The timing of this does not necessarily need to be immediate. To maximise its impact, the team planned from the outset to build a relationship with Chinese colleagues that would lead to a sharing of knowledge and experience that would benefit major incident responses in both countries in the future. This has been established, and the linkage of emergency humanitarian assistance to longer term development should be considered by others the next time international emergency humanitarian assistance is contemplated.

Use of non‐invasive ventilation in UK emergency departments

PubMed Central

Browning, J; Atwood, B; Gray, A

2006-01-01

Aim To describe the current use of non‐invasive ventilation in UK emergency departments. Methods A structured questionnaire was sent to all UK emergency departments assessing 25,000 new patients annually. Results 222 of 233 departments completed the questionnaire. 148 currently use non‐invasive ventilation (NIV). Most used NIV for either cardiogenic pulmonary oedema (n = 128) or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (n = 115). Only 49 departments have protocols for NIV use and 23 audited practice. Conclusion NIV is commonly used in UK emergency departments. Practices vary significantly. One solution would be the development of guidelines on when and how to use NIV in emergency medicine practice. PMID:17130599

Does Price Matter? Overseas Students in UK Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Soo, Kwok Tong; Elliott, Caroline

2010-01-01

This paper explores the determinants of the choice of UK universities by overseas undergraduate applicants. We use data on overseas applicants in Business Studies and Engineering from 2002 to 2007, to 97 UK universities. Estimating using a Hausman-Taylor model to control for the possible correlation between our explanatory variables and…

Knowing Your "Lemons": Quality Uncertainty in UK Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cooper, Paul

2007-01-01

In the UK and elsewhere, higher education is increasingly and controversially being construed, especially within political discourse, as a marketised commodity service to paying customers. Notions of quality, broadly construed, will be of central significance in the development of new markets in higher education in the UK and beyond. Drawing upon…

Internationalization of British Universities: Learning from the Experiences of International Counselling Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pattison, Sue; Robson, Sue

2013-01-01

This retrospective qualitative study investigated the experiences of 12 international students in a postgraduate counselling programme at a higher education (HE) institution in the UK. Results from an earlier empirical study on these students (Pattison, "Counselling and Psychotherapy Research" 3: 107-113, 2003) were mapped against…

Trading Places: The Role of Agents in International Student Recruitment from Africa

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hulme, Moira; Thomson, Alex; Hulme, Rob; Doughty, Guy

2014-01-01

As state subsidies to higher education contract, the recruitment of international students is becoming a strategic priority for many UK universities. Academic roles are reconfigured as the commercialisation of higher education and the commodification of education services re-position the student as consumer, academic as entrepreneur, and…

sFlt-1/PlGF ratio test for pre-eclampsia: an economic assessment for the UK.

PubMed

Vatish, M; Strunz-McKendry, T; Hund, M; Allegranza, D; Wolf, C; Smare, C

2016-12-01

To assess the economic impact of introducing into clinical practice in the UK the soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase (sFlt-1) to placental growth factor (PlGF) ratio test for guiding the management of pre-eclampsia. We used an economic model estimating the incremental value of information, from a UK National Health Service payer's perspective, generated by the sFlt-1/PlGF ratio test, compared with current diagnostic procedures, in guiding the management of women with suspected pre-eclampsia. The economic model estimated costs associated with the diagnosis and management of pre-eclampsia in pregnant women between 24 + 0 and 36 + 6 weeks' gestation, managed in either a 'test' scenario in which the sFlt-1/PlGF test is used in addition to current diagnostic procedures, or a 'no-test' scenario in which clinical decisions are based on current diagnostic procedures alone. Test characteristics and resource use were derived from PROGNOSIS, a non-interventional study in women presenting with clinical suspicion of pre-eclampsia. The main outcome measure from the economic model was the cost per patient per episode of care, from first suspicion of pre-eclampsia to birth. Introduction of the sFlt-1/PlGF ratio test into clinical practice is expected to result in cost savings of £344 per patient compared with a no-test scenario. Savings are generated primarily through an improvement in diagnostic accuracy and subsequent reduction in unnecessary hospitalization. Introducing the sFlt-1/PlGF ratio test into clinical practice in the UK was shown to be cost-saving by reducing unnecessary hospitalization of women at low risk of developing pre-eclampsia. In addition, the test ensures that those women at higher risk are identified and managed appropriately. © 2016 Authors. Ultrasound in Obstetrics & Gynecology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology. © 2016 The Authors. Ultrasound in Obstetrics & Gynecology

Public health impacts of combustion emissions in the United Kingdom.

PubMed

Yim, Steve H L; Barrett, Steven R H

2012-04-17

Combustion emissions are a major contributor to degradation of air quality and pose a risk to human health. We evaluate and apply a multiscale air quality modeling system to assess the impact of combustion emissions on UK air quality. Epidemiological evidence is used to quantitatively relate PM(2.5) exposure to risk of early death. We find that UK combustion emissions cause ∼13,000 premature deaths in the UK per year, while an additional ∼6000 deaths in the UK are caused by non-UK European Union (EU) combustion emissions. The leading domestic contributor is transport, which causes ∼7500 early deaths per year, while power generation and industrial emissions result in ∼2500 and ∼830 early deaths per year, respectively. We estimate the uncertainty in premature mortality calculations at -80% to +50%, where results have been corrected by a low modeling bias of 28%. The total monetized life loss in the UK is estimated at £6-62bn/year or 0.4-3.5% of gross domestic product. In Greater London, where PM concentrations are highest and are currently in exceedance of EU standards, we estimate that non-UK EU emissions account for 30% of the ∼3200 air quality-related deaths per year. In the context of the European Commission having launched infringement proceedings against the UK Government over exceedances of EU PM air quality standards in London, these results indicate that further policy measures should be coordinated at an EU-level because of the strength of the transboundary component of PM pollution.

ELIXIR-UK role in bioinformatics training at the national level and across ELIXIR

PubMed Central

Larcombe, L.; Hendricusdottir, R.; Attwood, T.K.; Bacall, F.; Beard, N.; Bellis, L.J.; Dunn, W.B.; Hancock, J.M.; Nenadic, A.; Orengo, C.; Overduin, B.; Sansone, S-A; Thurston, M.; Viant, M.R.; Winder, C.L.; Goble, C.A.; Ponting, C.P.; Rustici, G.

2017-01-01

ELIXIR-UK is the UK node of ELIXIR, the European infrastructure for life science data. Since its foundation in 2014, ELIXIR-UK has played a leading role in training both within the UK and in the ELIXIR Training Platform, which coordinates and delivers training across all ELIXIR members. ELIXIR-UK contributes to the Training Platform’s coordination and supports the development of training to address key skill gaps amongst UK scientists. As part of this work it acts as a conduit for nationally-important bioinformatics training resources to promote their activities to the ELIXIR community. ELIXIR-UK also leads ELIXIR’s flagship Training Portal, TeSS, which collects information about a diverse range of training and makes it easily accessible to the community. ELIXIR-UK also works with others to provide key digital skills training, partnering with the Software Sustainability Institute to provide Software Carpentry training to the ELIXIR community and to establish the Data Carpentry initiative, and taking a lead role amongst national stakeholders to deliver the StaTS project – a coordinated effort to drive engagement with training in statistics. PMID:28781748

Beyond fast food and slow motion: Weighty contributors to the obesity epidemic

PubMed Central

Cizza, G.; Rother, K.I.

2012-01-01

Decreased physical activity and marketing-driven increased consumption of “junk” food, dubbed “The Big Two”, are generally regarded as the most important contributors to the obesity epidemic. However, the full picture contains many more pieces of the puzzle. We address several additional issues and review current clinical developments in obesity research. In spite of dramatic advancements in our understanding of the adipose organ and its endocrine and immune products, the ultimate causes of the obesity epidemic remain elusive. Treatment is plagued by poor adherence to life style modifications, and available pharmacological options are marginally effective, often also associated with major side effects. Surgical treatments, albeit effective in decreasing body weight, are invasive and expensive. Thus, our approaches to finding the causes, improving the existing treatments, and inventing novel therapies must be manifold. PMID:22183119

Summary Report: U.S.-UK Integration in Helmand

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-02-01

Select a caveat Unlimited distribution Summary Report: U.S.-UK Integration in Helmand Alexander Powell , Larry Lewis, Catherine...October 1993. 3 Benjamin Russell, “Special relationship is safe... ’US has no better partner than UK’, says John Kerry,” The Express (London), 9...Robinson, Eugene. “Clinton’s Remarks Cause Upper Lips to Twitch," Washington Post, 19 October 1993. Russell, Benjamin . “Special relationship is safe

UK businesses bag innovation awards

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Banks, Michael

2015-09-01

Five UK firms have received innovation awards from the Institute of Physics (IOP), which publishes Physics World. Hallmarq Veterinary Imaging, Metrasens, M Squared Lasers, Silixa and Tracerco have all won an IOP award for developing new innovative products.

Views of senior UK doctors about working in medicine: questionnaire survey.

PubMed

Lambert, Trevor W; Smith, Fay; Goldacre, Michael J

2014-11-01

We surveyed the UK medical qualifiers of 1993. We asked closed questions about their careers; and invited them to give us comments, if they wished, about any aspect of their work. Our aim in this paper is to report on the topics that this senior cohort of UK-trained doctors who work in UK medicine raised with us. Questionnaire survey. 3479 contactable UK-trained medical graduates of 1993. UK. Comments made by doctors about their work, and their views about medical careers and training in the UK. Postal and email questionnaires. Response rate was 72% (2507); 2252 were working in UK medicine, 816 (36%) of whom provided comments. Positive comments outweighed negative in the areas of their own job satisfaction and satisfaction with their training. However, 23% of doctors who commented expressed dissatisfaction with aspects of junior doctors' training, the impact of working time regulations, and with the requirement for doctors to make earlier career decisions than in the past about their choice of specialty. Some doctors were concerned about government health service policy; others were dissatisfied with the availability of family-friendly/part-time work, and we are concerned about attitudes to gender and work-life balance. Though satisfied with their own training and their current position, many senior doctors felt that changes to working hours and postgraduate training had reduced the level of experience gained by newer graduates. They were also concerned about government policy interventions.

UK audit of glomerular filtration rate measurement from plasma sampling in 2013.

PubMed

Murray, Anthony W; Lawson, Richard S; Cade, Sarah C; Hall, David O; Kenny, Bob; O'Shaughnessy, Emma; Taylor, Jon; Towey, David; White, Duncan; Carson, Kathryn

2014-11-01

An audit was carried out into UK glomerular filtration rate (GFR) calculation. The results were compared with an identical 2001 audit. Participants used their routine method to calculate GFR for 20 data sets (four plasma samples) in millilitres per minute and also the GFR normalized for body surface area. Some unsound data sets were included to analyse the applied quality control (QC) methods. Variability between centres was assessed for each data set, compared with the national median and a reference value calculated using the method recommended in the British Nuclear Medicine Society guidelines. The influence of the number of samples on variability was studied. Supplementary data were requested on workload and methodology. The 59 returns showed widespread standardization. The applied early exponential clearance correction was the main contributor to the observed variability. These corrections were applied by 97% of centres (50% - 2001) with 80% using the recommended averaged Brochner-Mortenson correction. Approximately 75% applied the recommended Haycock body surface area formula for adults (78% for children). The effect of the number of samples used was not significant. There was wide variability in the applied QC techniques, especially in terms of the use of the volume of distribution. The widespread adoption of the guidelines has harmonized national GFR calculation compared with the previous audit. Further standardization could further reduce variability. This audit has highlighted the need to address the national standardization of QC methods. Radionuclide techniques are confirmed as the preferred method for GFR measurement when an unequivocal result is required.

Organisational perspectives on addressing differential attainment in postgraduate medical education: a qualitative study in the UK

PubMed Central

Viney, Rowena; Jayaweera, Hirosha; Griffin, Ann

2018-01-01

Objectives To explore how representatives from organisations with responsibility for doctors in training perceive risks to the educational progression of UK medical graduates from black and minority ethnic groups (BME UKGs), and graduates of non-UK medical schools (international medical graduates (IMGs)). To identify the barriers to and facilitators of change. Design Qualitative semistructured individual and group interview study. Setting Postgraduate medical education in the UK. Participants Individuals with roles in examinations and/or curriculum design from UK medical Royal Colleges. Employees of NHS Employers. Results Representatives from 11 medical Royal Colleges (n=29) and NHS Employers (n=2) took part (55% medically qualified, 61% male, 71% white British/Irish, 23% Asian/Asian British, 6% missing ethnicity). Risks were perceived as significant, although more so for IMGs than for BME UKGs. Participants based significance ratings on evidence obtained largely through personal experience. A lack of evidence led to downgrading of significance. Participants were pessimistic about effecting change, two main barriers being sensitivities around race and the isolation of interventions. Participants felt that organisations should acknowledge problems, but felt concerned about being transparent without a solution; and talking about race with trainees was felt to be difficult. Participants mentioned 63 schemes aiming to address differential attainment, but these were typically local or specialty-specific, were not aimed at BME UKGs and were largely unevaluated. Participants felt that national change was needed, but only felt empowered to effect change locally or within their specialty. Conclusions Representatives from organisations responsible for training doctors perceived the risks faced by BME UKGs and IMGs as significant but difficult to change. Strategies to help organisations address these risks include: increased openness to discussing race (including ethnic

Promoting the UK Doctorate: Opportunities and Challenges. Research Report

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Emery, Faye; Metcalfe, Janet

2009-01-01

The last decade has seen increased interest in various aspects of the UK doctorate. This report brings together issues arising from national policy developments, the doctoral researcher cohort, the diversification of doctoral level provision in the UK and the development of the third cycle in the Bologna process. Through discussions with key…

The Opticians Act 1989 and UK optometry.

PubMed

Taylor, S P

1991-04-01

The build-up to the original 1958 Opticians Act is used as an introduction to the more recent developments in UK optics that have culminated in the introduction of the Opticians Act 1989. The changes introduced as a result of the Health and Social Security Act 1984 and the Health and Medicines Act 1988 are briefly described before discussing the sectional arrangement of the new Act. This new legislation pulls together much of the law relating to optometry and dispensing optics in the UK and provides a single accessible source.

International Students, Export Earnings and the Demands of Global Justice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Enslin, Penny; Hedge, Nicki

2008-01-01

Is it just to charge international students fees that are generally much higher than those paid by home and European Union students at UK universities? Exploring the ethical tension between universities' avowed commitment to social justice on the one hand and selling education to foreign students at a premium on the other, we argue that increased…

What is the prognosis of nitrogen losses from UK soils?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Burt, T. P.; Worrall, F.; Whelan, M.; Howden, N. J.

2009-12-01

The UK’s high population density, intensive agriculture and relative short, unimpeded rivers mean that the UK is a known “hotspot” of fluvial nitrogen flux. Furthermore, it is known that the fluvial flux of nitrogen from the UK is increasing. This study estimates the release of nitrate from the UK terrestrial biosphere to understand this rising fluvial flux and i to assess the in-stream losses of nitrate, thusgiving an assessment of the fluvial component of the total nitrogen budget of UK. The approach taken by the study is to use an export coefficient model coupled with a description of mineralisation and immobilisation of nitrogen within soil reserves. The study applies the modelling approach to the whole of the UK from 1925 to 2007 using long term records of: land use (including - agricultural, forestry and urban uses); livestock; human population and atmospheric deposition. The study shows that: i) The flux of nitrate from the UK soils varied from 420 to 1463 Ktonnes N/yr with two peaks in the period since 1925, one in 1944 and one in 1967, the first is caused by mineralisation of soil organic matter following large-scale land use change in the Second World War, and the second is a multifactorial response to land use change and intensification. ii) The current trend in the release from soils is downward whilst the current fluvial flux at the tidal limit is upwards. With the current trends fluvial flux at the tidal limit will be greater than release from the soils of the UK, i.e. there will be net gain across the fluvial network. This apparent gain can be explained by the breakthrough of high nitrate groundwater into surface waters.

The alcohol industry, charities and policy influence in the UK.

PubMed

Lyness, Sarah M; McCambridge, Jim

2014-08-01

Charities exist to pursue a public benefit, whereas corporations serve the interests of their shareholders. The alcohol industry uses corporate social responsibility activities to further its interests in influencing alcohol policy. Many charities also seek to influence alcohol and other policy. The aim of this study was to explore relationships between the alcohol industry and charities in the UK and whether these relationships may be used as a method of influencing alcohol policy. The charity regulator websites for England and Wales and for Scotland were the main data sources used to identify charities involved in UK alcohol policy making processes and/or funded by the alcohol industry. Five charities were identified that both receive alcohol industry funding and are active in UK alcohol policy processes: Drinkaware; the Robertson Trust; British Institute of Innkeeping; Mentor UK and Addaction. The latter two are the sole remaining non-industry non-governmental members of the controversial responsibility deal alcohol network, from which all other public health interests have resigned. This study raises questions about the extent to which the alcohol industry is using UK charities as vehicles to further their own interests in UK alcohol policy. Mechanisms of industry influence in alcohol policy making globally is an important target for further investigations designed to assist the implementation of evidenced-based policies. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Public Health Association. All rights reserved.

The bedrock electrical conductivity map of the UK

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beamish, David

2013-09-01

Airborne electromagnetic (AEM) surveys, when regionally extensive, may sample a wide-range of geological formations. The majority of AEM surveys can provide estimates of apparent (half-space) conductivity and such derived data provide a mapping capability. Depth discrimination of the geophysical mapping information is controlled by the bandwidth of each particular system. The objective of this study is to assess the geological information contained in accumulated frequency-domain AEM survey data from the UK where existing geological mapping can be considered well-established. The methodology adopted involves a simple GIS-based, spatial join of AEM and geological databases. A lithology-based classification of bedrock is used to provide an inherent association with the petrophysical rock parameters controlling bulk conductivity. At a scale of 1:625k, the UK digital bedrock geological lexicon comprises just 86 lithological classifications compared with 244 standard lithostratigraphic assignments. The lowest common AEM survey frequency of 3 kHz is found to provide an 87% coverage (by area) of the UK formations. The conductivities of the unsampled classes have been assigned on the basis of inherent lithological associations between formations. The statistical analysis conducted uses over 8 M conductivity estimates and provides a new UK national scale digital map of near-surface bedrock conductivity. The new baseline map, formed from central moments of the statistical distributions, allows assessments/interpretations of data exhibiting departures from the norm. The digital conductivity map developed here is believed to be the first such UK geophysical map compilation for over 75 years. The methodology described can also be applied to many existing AEM data sets.

U.K. science budget. Gene jocks, data crunchers hit jackpot.

PubMed

Pickrell, J

2000-12-01

Unveiling its science spending plan for the next 3 years, the U.K. government last week announced major new investments in three key areas: tracking disease genes, leveraging the Internet for data analysis, and supporting emerging industries such as nanotechnology and bioengineering. Although these programs cut across a range of disciplines funded by the U.K.'s science councils, the government also bestowed a long-anticipated gift on astronomers: membership in the European Southern Observatory, which will give U.K. researchers access to the world's largest optical telescope.

Constructed wetlands in UK urban surface drainage systems.

PubMed

Shutes, B; Ellis, J B; Revitt, D M; Scholes, L N L

2005-01-01

This paper presents the outcome of an inventory of planted wetland systems in the UK which are classified according to land use type and are all examples of sustainable drainage systems. The introduction of constructed wetlands to treat surface runoff essentially followed a 1997 Environment Agency for England and Wales report advocating the use of "soft engineered" facilities including wetlands in the context of sustainable development and Agenda 21. Subsequently published reports by the UK Construction Industry Research and Information Association (CIRIA) have promoted the potential benefits to both developer and the community of adopting constructed wetlands and other vegetated systems as a sustainable drainage approach. In addition, the UK Environment Agency and Highways Agency (HA) have recently published their own design criteria and requirements for vegetative control and treatment of road runoff. A case study of the design and performance of a constructed wetland system for the treatment of road runoff is discussed. The performance of these systems will be assessed in terms of their design criteria, runoff loadings as well as vegetation and structure maintenance procedures. The differing design approaches in guidance documents published in the UK by the Environment Agency, CIRIA and HA will also be evaluated.

UK Policy on Doctor Remediation: Trajectories and Challenges.

PubMed

Price, Tristan; Archer, Julian

2017-01-01

Around the world, policy-makers, academics, and health service professionals have become increasingly aware of the importance of remediation, the process by which poor performance is "remedied," as part of the changing landscape of medical regulation. It is, therefore, an opportune time to critique the UK experience with remediation policy. This article frames, for the first time, the UK remediation policy as developing from a central policy aim that was articulated in the 1990s: to accelerate the identification of underperformance and, subsequently, remedy any problems identified as soon as possible. In pursuit of this aim, three policy trajectories have emerged: professionalizing and standardizing remediation provision; linking remediation with other forms of regulation, namely relicensure (known in the UK as medical revalidation); and fostering obligations for doctors to report themselves and others for remediation needs. The operationalization of policy along these trajectories, and the challenges that have arisen, has relevance for anyone seeking to understand or indeed improve remediation practices within any health care system. It is argued here that the UK serves as an example of the more general challenges posed by seeking to integrate remediation policy within broader frameworks of medical governance, in particular systems of relicensure, and the need to develop a solid evidence base for remediation practices.

The UK Earth System Model project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tang, Yongming

2016-04-01

In this talk we will describe the development and current status of the UK Earth System Model (UKESM). This project is a NERC/Met Office collaboration and has two objectives; to develop and apply a world-leading Earth System Model, and to grow a community of UK Earth System Model scientists. We are building numerical models that include all the key components of the global climate system, and contain the important process interactions between global biogeochemistry, atmospheric chemistry and the physical climate system. UKESM will be used to make key CMIP6 simulations as well as long-time (e.g. millennium) simulations, large ensemble experiments and investigating a range of future carbon emission scenarios.

Large-Scale Innovation and Change in UK Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, Stephen

2013-01-01

This paper reflects on challenges universities face as they respond to change. It reviews current theories and models of change management, discusses why universities are particularly difficult environments in which to achieve large scale, lasting change and reports on a recent attempt by the UK JISC to enable a range of UK universities to employ…

Universities and Economic Development Activities: A UK Regional Comparison

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Decter, Moira; Cave, Frank; Rose, Mary; Peers, Gill; Fogg, Helen; Smith, Susan M.

2011-01-01

A number of UK universities prioritize economic development or regeneration activities and for some of these universities such activities are the main focus of their knowledge transfer work. This study compares two regions of the UK--the North West and the South East of England--which have very different levels of economic performance.…

Augmentation of UK Space Debris Observing Capabilities Using Univiersity Optical Telescopes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Herridge, Philip; Brown, David; Crowther, Richard

2013-08-01

The study of space debris requires a range of different sensors. Debris population monitoring requires survey, follow-on and characterisation capable sensors. In order to fully participate in space debris measurement the range of sensors available to the UK Space Agency needs to be augmented with additional capability. One source of untapped resource resides within the UK university sector. This paper discusses investigation into extending the optical sensor diversity available to the UK for participation in study of the debris environment through a collaboration between Space Insight Limited, a commercial company providing Space Situational Awareness (SSA) services to the UK Space Agency, and the Astronomy Group at the University of St Andrews.

Comparing the DSM-5 construct of Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder and ICD-10 Mixed Disorder of Emotion and Conduct in the UK Longitudinal Assessment of Manic Symptoms (UK-LAMS) Study.

PubMed

Sagar-Ouriaghli, I; Milavic, G; Barton, R; Heaney, N; Fiori, F; Lievesley, K; Singh, J; Santosh, Paramala

2018-05-05

It is important to understand new diagnostic entities in classifications of psychopathology such as the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-5 (DSM-5) (code F34.8) construct of Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder (DMDD) and to compare it with possible equivalent disorders in other classificatory systems such as the International Classification of Diseases-10 (ICD-10), which has a category that superficially appears similar, that is, Mixed Disorder of Emotion and Conduct (MDEC) (code F92). In this study, the United Kingdom (UK) arm (UK-LAMS) of the US National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) supported Longitudinal Assessment of Manic Symptoms (LAMS) multi-site study was used to evaluate and retrospectively construct DMDD and MDEC diagnoses in order to compare them and understand the conditions they co-occur with, in order to improve the clinical understanding. In particular, the phenomenology of UK-LAMS participants (n = 117) was used to determine whether DMDD is a unique entity within the DSM-5. The findings showed that 24 of 68 participants with either DMDD or MDEC (35.3%) fulfilled both diagnostic criteria for DMDD and MDEC, suggesting that these entities do contain overlapping features, particularly symptoms relating to Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD)/Conduct Disorder (CD), Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)/Hyperkinetic Disorder (HKD) and/or an anxiety disorder. The data also showed that most of the participants who met DMDD criteria also fulfilled the diagnostic criteria for ODD/CD, ADHD, followed by an anxiety disorder. In this context, this raises the issue whether DMDD is a unique construct or whether the symptomology for DMDD can be better explained as a specifier for ODD/CD and ADHD. Unlike DMDD, MDEC clearly specifies that the label should only be used if emotional and conduct disorders co-exist.

Restart: The Resurgence of Computer Science in UK Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, Neil C. C.; Sentance, Sue; Crick, Tom; Humphreys, Simon

2014-01-01

Computer science in UK schools is undergoing a remarkable transformation. While the changes are not consistent across each of the four devolved nations of the UK (England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland), there are developments in each that are moving the subject to become mandatory for all pupils from age 5 onwards. In this article, we…

Implementing statistical equating for MRCP(UK) Parts 1 and 2.

PubMed

McManus, I C; Chis, Liliana; Fox, Ray; Waller, Derek; Tang, Peter

2014-09-26

The MRCP(UK) exam, in 2008 and 2010, changed the standard-setting of its Part 1 and Part 2 examinations from a hybrid Angoff/Hofstee method to statistical equating using Item Response Theory, the reference group being UK graduates. The present paper considers the implementation of the change, the question of whether the pass rate increased amongst non-UK candidates, any possible role of Differential Item Functioning (DIF), and changes in examination predictive validity after the change. Analysis of data of MRCP(UK) Part 1 exam from 2003 to 2013 and Part 2 exam from 2005 to 2013. Inspection suggested that Part 1 pass rates were stable after the introduction of statistical equating, but showed greater annual variation probably due to stronger candidates taking the examination earlier. Pass rates seemed to have increased in non-UK graduates after equating was introduced, but was not associated with any changes in DIF after statistical equating. Statistical modelling of the pass rates for non-UK graduates found that pass rates, in both Part 1 and Part 2, were increasing year on year, with the changes probably beginning before the introduction of equating. The predictive validity of Part 1 for Part 2 was higher with statistical equating than with the previous hybrid Angoff/Hofstee method, confirming the utility of IRT-based statistical equating. Statistical equating was successfully introduced into the MRCP(UK) Part 1 and Part 2 written examinations, resulting in higher predictive validity than the previous Angoff/Hofstee standard setting. Concerns about an artefactual increase in pass rates for non-UK candidates after equating were shown not to be well-founded. Most likely the changes resulted from a genuine increase in candidate ability, albeit for reasons which remain unclear, coupled with a cognitive illusion giving the impression of a step-change immediately after equating began. Statistical equating provides a robust standard-setting method, with a better

Characterising freeze in the UK: applications for the insurance industry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Raven, E. K.; Keef, C.; Busby, K.

2012-04-01

The UK winters of 2009-2010 and 2010-2011 were characterised by prolonged and widespread low temperatures. This was challenging for the UK insurance industry and organisations such as the emergency services, the Highways Agency and British Gas who had to manage the extra demands that resulted. In the 6-day period running to Christmas Eve 2010, British Gas reported 100,000 boiler repair call-outs, whilst those 190,000 homes and businesses left with frozen and subsequently burst pipes contributed to the ABI's estimated £ 900 million in insured losses for December 2010 alone; the highest payout by the industry for damages associated with cold weather. Unfortunately, the severity of these winters made the difference between profit and loss for some primary UK insurance companies. To enable better pricing of premiums in the future, insurance companies are looking to understand the potential risk from cold waves at a local, postcode-level, whilst reinsurance firms seek to determine the accumulated loss across the UK associated with spatially coherent events. Other industry sectors also strive to improve their understanding of weather extremes for planning and management. Underpinning this is the need to statistically characterise the physical hazard. Aimed primarily at the re/insurance industry, we have applied an established methodology for developing statistical event sets and applied this to generate a UK freeze event set. An event set provides a stochastic set of several thousand events over 10's of 1000's of years and is typically applied within probabilistic catastrophe models. Our method applies extreme value theory and dependence modelling to explain low-temperature relationships across the UK and over time using historical records. The resulting event set represents the spatial and temporal dependence of cold waves in the UK and is modelled against household factors that increase the vulnerability to freezing conditions, such as property type, age and condition

Views of senior UK doctors about working in medicine: questionnaire survey

PubMed Central

Lambert, Trevor W; Goldacre, Michael J

2014-01-01

Summary Objectives We surveyed the UK medical qualifiers of 1993. We asked closed questions about their careers; and invited them to give us comments, if they wished, about any aspect of their work. Our aim in this paper is to report on the topics that this senior cohort of UK-trained doctors who work in UK medicine raised with us. Design Questionnaire survey Participants 3479 contactable UK-trained medical graduates of 1993. Setting UK. Main outcome measures Comments made by doctors about their work, and their views about medical careers and training in the UK. Method Postal and email questionnaires. Results Response rate was 72% (2507); 2252 were working in UK medicine, 816 (36%) of whom provided comments. Positive comments outweighed negative in the areas of their own job satisfaction and satisfaction with their training. However, 23% of doctors who commented expressed dissatisfaction with aspects of junior doctors’ training, the impact of working time regulations, and with the requirement for doctors to make earlier career decisions than in the past about their choice of specialty. Some doctors were concerned about government health service policy; others were dissatisfied with the availability of family-friendly/part-time work, and we are concerned about attitudes to gender and work-life balance. Conclusions Though satisfied with their own training and their current position, many senior doctors felt that changes to working hours and postgraduate training had reduced the level of experience gained by newer graduates. They were also concerned about government policy interventions. PMID:25408920

Perinatal mental health service provision in Switzerland and in the UK.

PubMed

Amiel Castro, Rita T; Schroeder, Katrin; Pinard, Claudia; Blöchlinger, Patricia; Künzli, Hansjörg; Riecher-Rössler, Anita; Kammerer, Martin

2015-01-01

The epidemiology of maternal perinatal-psychiatric disorders as well as their effect on the baby is well recognised. Increasingly well researched specialised treatment methods can reduce maternal morbidity, positively affect mother-baby bonding and empower women's confidence as a mother. Here, we aimed to compare guidelines and the structure of perinatal-psychiatric service delivery in the United Kingdom and in Switzerland from the government's perspective. Swiss cantons provided information regarding guidelines and structure of service delivery in 2000. A subsequent survey using the same questionnaire was carried out in 2007. In the UK, similar information was accessed through published reports from 2000-2012. Guidelines for perinatal psychiatry exist in the UK, whereas in Switzerland in 2000 none of the 26 cantons had guidelines, and in 2007 only one canton did. Joint mother-baby admissions on general psychiatric wards were offered by 92% of the Swiss cantons. In the UK, pregnant women and joint mother-baby admissions are only advised onto specialised perinatal-psychiatric units. In Switzerland, in 2007, three specialised units (max. 24 beds) were in place corresponding to 1 unit per 2.5 million people, while in the UK there were 22 mother-baby units (168 beds) in 2012 (1 unit per 2.8 million). In the UK, less than 50% of trusts provided specialised perinatal-psychiatric health care. The main difference between the UK and Switzerland was the absence of guidelines, regular assessment and plans for future development of perinatal psychiatry in Switzerland. There are still geographical differences in the provision of perinatal-psychiatric services in the UK.

UK Renal Registry 15th annual report: Chapter 6 haemoglobin, ferritin and erythropoietin amongst UK adult dialysis patients in 2011: national and centre-specific analyses.

PubMed

Rao, Anirudh; Gilg, Julie; Williams, Andrew

2013-01-01

The UK Renal Association (RA) and National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) have published Clinical Practice Guidelines which include recommendations for management of anaemia in established renal failure. To determine the extent to which the guidelines for anaemia management are met in the UK. Quarterly data were obtained for haemoglobin (Hb) and factors that influence Hb from renal centres in England, Wales, Northern Ireland (E, W, NI) and the Scottish Renal Registry for the incident and prevalent renal replacement therapy (RRT) cohorts for 2011. In the UK, in 2011 51% of patients commenced dialysis therapy with Hb ≥10.0 g/dl (median Hb 10 g/dl). Of patients in the early presentation group, 55% started dialysis with Hb ≥10.0 g/dl whilst 37% of patients presenting late started dialysis with Hb ≥10.0 g/dl. The UK median Hb of haemodialysis (HD) patients was 11.2 g/dl with an inter-quartile range (IQR) of 10.3-12.1 g/dl. Of UK HD patients, 82% had Hb ≥10.0 g/dl. The median Hb of peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients in the UK was 11.4 g/dl (IQR 10.5-12.3 g/dl). Of UK PD patients, 85% had Hb ≥10.0 g/dl. The median ferritin in HD patients in the UK was 436 mg/L (IQR 292-625) and 96% of HD patients had a ferritin ≥100 mg/ L. In EW&NI the median ferritin in PD patients was 273 mg/ L (IQR 153-446) with 86% of PD patients having a ferritin ≥100 mg/L. In EW&NI the mean erythropoietin stimulating agent (ESA) dose was higher for HD than PD patients (8,740 vs. 6,624 IU/week). Prevalent HD and PD patients had 56% and 53% respectively within the Hb ≥10 and ≤12 g/dl target. Copyright © 2013 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Identifying the most hazardous synoptic meteorological conditions for Winter UK PM10 exceedences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Webber, Chris; Dacre, Helen; Collins, Bill; Masato, Giacomo

2016-04-01

Summary We investigate the relationship between synoptic scale meteorological variability and local scale pollution concentrations within the UK. Synoptic conditions representative of atmospheric blocking highlighted significant increases in UK PM10 concentration ([PM10]), with the probability of exceeding harmful [PM10] limits also increased. Once relationships had been diagnosed, The Met Office Unified Model (UM) was used to replicate these relationships, using idealised source regions of PM10. This helped to determine the PM10 source regions most influential throughout UK PM10 exceedance events and to test whether the model was capable of capturing the relationships between UK PM10 and atmospheric blocking. Finally, a time slice simulation for 2050-2060 helped to answer the question whether PM10 exceedance events are more likely to occur within a changing climate. Introduction Atmospheric blocking events are well understood to lead to conditions, conducive to pollution events within the UK. Literature shows that synoptic conditions with the ability to deflect the Northwest Atlantic storm track from the UK, often lead to the highest UK pollution concentrations. Rossby wave breaking (RWB) has been identified as a mechanism, which results in atmospheric blocking and its relationship with UK [PM10] is explored using metrics designed in Masato, et al., 2013. Climate simulations facilitated by the Met Office UM, enable these relationships between RWB and PM10 to be found within the model. Subsequently the frequency of events that lead to hazardous PM10 concentrations ([PM10]) in a future climate, can be determined, within a climate simulation. An understanding of the impact, meteorology has on UK [PM10] within a changing climate, will help inform policy makers, regarding the importance of limiting PM10 emissions, ensuring safe air quality in the future. Methodology and Results Three Blocking metrics were used to subset RWB into four categories. These RWB categories

Verifying the UK agricultural N2O emission inventory with tall tower measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carnell, E. J.; Meneguz, E.; Skiba, U. M.; Misselbrook, T. H.; Cardenas, L. M.; Arnold, T.; Manning, A.; Dragosits, U.

2016-12-01

Nitrous oxide (N2O) is a key greenhouse gas (GHG), with a global warming potential 300 times greater than that of CO2. N2O is emitted from a variety of sources, predominantly from agriculture. Annual UK emission estimates are reported, to comply with government commitments under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The UK N2O inventory follows internationally agreed protocols and emission estimates are derived by applying emission factors to estimates of (anthropogenic) emission sources. This approach is useful for comparing anthropogenic emissions from different countries, but does not capture regional differences and inter-annual variability associated with environmental factors (such as climate and soils) and agricultural management. In recent years, the UK inventory approach has been refined to include regional information into its emissions estimates, in an attempt to reduce uncertainty. This study attempts to assess the difference between current published inventory methodology (default IPCC methodology) and an alternative approach, which incorporates the latest thinking, using data from recent work. For 2013, emission estimates made using the alternative approach were 30 % lower than those made using default IPCC methodology, due to the use of lower emission factors suggested by recent projects (Defra projects: AC0116, AC0213 and MinNO). The 2013 emissions estimates were disaggregated on a monthly basis using agricultural management (e.g. sowing dates), climate data and soil properties. The temporally disaggregated emission maps were used as input to the Met Office atmospheric dispersion model NAME, for comparison with measured N2O concentrations, at three observation stations (Tacolneston, E. England; Ridge Hill, W. England; Mace Head, W. Ireland) in the UK DECC network (Deriving Emissions linked to Climate Change). The Mace Head site, situated on the west coast of Ireland, was used to establish baseline concentrations. The

Career progression of men and women doctors in the UK NHS: a questionnaire study of the UK medical qualifiers of 1993 in 2010/2011

PubMed Central

Svirko, Elena; Goldacre, Michael J

2014-01-01

Summary Objectives To report the career progression of a cohort of UK medical graduates in mid-career, comparing men and women. Design Postal and questionnaire survey conducted in 2010/2011, with comparisons with earlier surveys. Setting UK. Participants In total, 2507 responding UK medical graduates of 1993. Main outcome measures Doctors’ career specialties, grade, work location and working pattern in 2010/2011 and equivalent data in earlier years. Results The respondents represented 72% of the contactable cohort; 90% were working in UK medicine and 7% in medicine outside the UK; 87% were in the UK NHS (87% of men and 86% of women). Of doctors in the NHS, 70.6% of men and 52.0% of women were in the hospital specialties and the great majority of the others were in general practice. Within hospital specialties, a higher percentage of men than women were in surgery, and a higher percentage of women than men were in paediatrics, obstetrics and gynaecology, clinical oncology, pathology and psychiatry. In the NHS, 63% of women and 8% of men were working less-than-full-time (in general practice, 19% of men and 83% of women; and in hospital specialties, 3% of men and 46% of women). Among doctors who had always worked full-time, 94% of men and 87% of women GPs were GP principals; in hospital practice, 96% of men and 93% of women had reached consultant level. Conclusions The 1993 graduates show a continuing high level of commitment to the NHS. Gender differences in seniority lessened considerably when comparing doctors who had always worked full-time. PMID:25408921

Affective Experiences of International and Home Students during the Information Search Process

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haley, Adele Nicole; Clough, Paul

2017-01-01

An increasing number of students are studying abroad requiring that they interact with information in languages other than their mother tongue. The UK in particular has seen a large growth in international students within Higher Education. These nonnative English speaking students present a distinct user group for university information services,…

In the Service of Technocratic Managerialism? History in UK Universities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Donnelly, Mark; Norton, Claire

2017-01-01

This article discusses the conceptualisation, organisation and philosophical orientation of academic history culture in UK higher education. It problematises the extent to which a dominant history culture in UK universities implies and uncritically reproduces normative understandings about the subject; about its epistemological standing,…

Responses to Climate Change: Exploring Organisational Learning across Internationally Networked Organisations for Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boyd, Emily; Osbahr, Henny

2010-01-01

Drawing from the organisational learning and governance literature, this paper assesses four internationally networked governmental and non-governmental organisations in the UK addressing climate change. We analyse how those concerned understand the climate change crisis, what mechanisms are put in place to address information flows, and what…

A Dynamic Analysis of Social Capital-Building of International and UK Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rienties, Bart; Johan, Novie; Jindal-Snape, Divya

2015-01-01

Although many international students experience transitional issues, most research assumes these issues will disappear over time. Using principles of social capital theory, this study addressed whether after three years of study students were able to build multi-national and host social capital links. In this quantitative study of 81 students from…

PREFACE: International Symposium on Geohazards and Geomechanics (ISGG2015)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Utili, S.

2015-09-01

These Conference Proceedings contain the full papers in electronic format of the International Symposium on 'Geohazards and Geomechanics', held at University of Warwick, UK, on September 10-11, 2015. The Symposium brings together the complementary expertise of world leading groups carrying out research on the engineering assessment, prevention and mitigation of geohazards. A total of 58 papers, including 8 keynote lectures cover phenomena such as landslide initiation and propagation, debris flow, rockfalls, soil liquefaction, ground improvement, hazard zonation, risk mapping, floods and gas and leachates. The techniques reported in the papers to investigate geohazards involve numerical modeling (finite element method, discrete element method, material point method, meshless methods and particle methods), experimentation (laboratory experiments, centrifuge tests and field monitoring) and analytical simplified techniques. All the contributions in this volume have been peered reviewed according to rigorous international standards. However the authors take full responsibility for the content of their papers. Agreements are in place for the edition of a special issue dedicated to the Symposium in three international journals: Engineering Geology, Computational Particle Mechanics and International Journal of Geohazards and Environment. Authors of selected papers will be invited to submit an extended version of their work to these Journals that will independently assess the papers. The Symposium is supported by the Technical Committee 'Geo-mechanics from Micro to Macro' (TC105) of the International Society for Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering (ISSMGE), 'Slope Stability in Engineering Practice' (TC208), 'Forensic Geotechnical Engineering' (TC302), the British Geotechnical Association and the EU FP7 IRSES project 'Geohazards and Geomechanics'. Also the organizers would like to thank all authors and their supporting institutions for their contributions. For any

Cross-sectional survey of the amount of free sugars and calories in carbonated sugar-sweetened beverages on sale in the UK.

PubMed

Hashem, Kawther M; He, Feng J; Jenner, Katharine H; MacGregor, Graham A

2016-11-15

To investigate the free sugars and calorie content of carbonated sugar-sweetened beverages (CSSB) available in the main UK supermarkets. We carried out a cross-sectional survey in 2014 of 169 CSSB. The free sugars (sugars g/100 mL) and calorie (kcal/100 mL) were collected from product packaging and nutrient information panels of CSSB available in 9 main UK supermarkets. The average free sugars content in CSSB was 30.1±10.7 g/330 mL, and 91% of CSSB would receive a 'red' (high) label for sugars per serving. There was a large variation in sugars content between different flavours of CSSB and within the same type of flavour ranging from 3.3 to 52.8 g/330 mL. On average, ginger beer (38.5±9.9 g/330 mL) contained the highest amounts of sugars and ginger ale (22.9±7.7 g/330 mL) contained the lowest. Cola flavour is the most popular flavour in the UK with an average free sugars content of 35.0±1.1 g/330 mL. On average, the supermarket own brand contained lower levels of sugars than branded products (27.9±10.6 vs 31.6±10.6 g/330 mL, p=0.02). The average calorie content in CSSB was 126.1±43.5 kcal/330 mL. Cola flavour had a calorie content of 143.5±5.2 kcal/330 mL. Among the 169 products surveyed, 55% exceeded the maximum daily recommendation for free sugars intake (30 g) per 330 mL. Free sugars content of CSSB in the UK is high and is a major contributor to free sugars intake. There is a wide variation in the sugars content of CSSB and even within the same flavour of CSSB. These findings demonstrate that the amount of free sugars added to CSSB can be reduced without technical issues, and there is an urgent need to set incremental free sugars reduction targets. A reduction in sugars content and overall CSSB consumption will be very beneficial in reducing obesity, type 2 diabetes and dental caries. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

The untimely death of the UK Donation Ethics Committee.

PubMed

Shaw, David

2017-01-01

This brief report describes the contribution of the UK Donation Ethics Committee to organ donation and transplantation in the UK, and explains why the committee has met an early demise. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

UK Astrobiology : Vanguard: a new development in experimental astrobiology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ellery, Alex; Wynn-Williams, David

2002-04-01

Alex Ellery and David Wynn-Williams propose a new UK astrobiology project, in which a micro-rover would deploy ground-penetrating moles to burrow into the Martian subsurface. One of the linchpins of the UK's contribution to the burgeoning field of astrobiology is the Beagle 2 mission, due to fly to Mars in 2003 on the Mars Express bus. Given that NASA has declared its intention to focus on ``whole planet'' geological investigation in its future Mars missions, beginning with the Mars Exploration Rovers which are due to fly in 2003/2004, the UK is well placed to consider post-Beagle 2 astrobiology-focused Mars missions to ensure its leadership in the future in astrobiology. In this paper we present such a proposal - Vanguard.

The UK DNA banking network: a "fair access" biobank.

PubMed

Yuille, Martin; Dixon, Katherine; Platt, Andrew; Pullum, Simon; Lewis, David; Hall, Alistair; Ollier, William

2010-08-01

The UK DNA Banking Network (UDBN) is a secondary biobank: it aggregates and manages resources (samples and data) originated by others. The network comprises, on the one hand, investigator groups led by clinicians each with a distinct disease specialism and, on the other hand, a research infrastructure to manage samples and data. The infrastructure addresses the problem of providing secure quality-assured accrual, storage, replenishment and distribution capacities for samples and of facilitating access to DNA aliquots and data for new peer-reviewed studies in genetic epidemiology. 'Fair access' principles and practices have been pragmatically developed that, unlike open access policies in this area, are not cumbersome but, rather, are fit for the purpose of expediting new study designs and their implementation. UDBN has so far distributed >60,000 samples for major genotyping studies yielding >10 billion genotypes. It provides a working model that can inform progress in biobanking nationally, across Europe and internationally.

PREFACE: The 16th International Conference on Positron Annihilation (ICPA-16)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alam, Ashraf; Coleman, Paul; Dugdale, Stephen; Roussenova, Mina

2013-06-01

The 16th International Conference on Positron Annihilation (ICPA-16) was held at the University of Bristol, United Kingdom during 19-24 August, 2012. This triennial conference is the foremost gathering of the Positron Annihilation Physics community and it was hosted in the UK for the first time since the series of meetings first started back in 1965. The University of Bristol, the Alma Mater of Paul Dirac, is situated at the heart of the city, and it has established a worldwide reputation in research and teaching. Many of the topics which were discussed during ICPA-16 form an integral part of the research themes in the schools of Physics, Chemistry and Engineering of this University. ICPA-16 attracted a diverse audience, both from academic and industrial institutions, with over 200 participants from 29 countries. It continued the long held tradition of showcasing novel research in the field of positron annihilation and a total of 170 papers were presented as talks and posters. The papers reported studies of metallic and semi-conducting solids, polymers and soft matter, porous materials, surfaces and interfaces, as well as advances in experimental, analytical and biomedical applications. The high quality of the presented work, coupled with the enthusiastic exchange of ideas, provided an invaluable forum, especially for younger researchers and postgraduate students. The excellence of student presentations was acknowledged by the award of prizes for the best student posters, which were received by David Billington (University of Bristol, UK), Moussa Sidibe (CEMHTI, France) and Hongxia Xu (Tohoku University, Japan). All papers published in the Conference Proceedings were reviewed by ICPA-16 participants. We are indebted to all reviewers who contributed their time and intellectual resources, allowing the refereeing and editing process to move smoothly toward the compilation of the Proceedings. Our sincere thanks and gratitude go to everyone who contributed to the

Venous thromboembolism: a UK perspective.

PubMed

Kakkar, Ajay

2009-07-01

Venous thromboembolism remains a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in the UK, and its dangers, particularly in hospitalized patients, have long been recognized. Recent measures to tackle this problem and new treatments should alleviate the burden of venous thromboembolism for patients, their families and hospital services.

Construct validity of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children - Fourth UK Edition with a referred Irish sample: Wechsler and Cattell-Horn-Carroll model comparisons with 15 subtests.

PubMed

Canivez, Gary L; Watkins, Marley W; Good, Rebecca; James, Kate; James, Trevor

2017-09-01

Irish educational psychologists frequently use the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children - Fourth UK Edition (WISC-IV UK ; Wechsler, 2004, Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Fourth UK Edition, London, UK, Harcourt Assessment) in clinical assessments of children with learning difficulties. Unfortunately, reliability and validity studies of the WISC-IV UK standardization sample have not yet been reported. Watkins et al. (2013, International Journal of School and Educational Psychology, 1, 102) found support for a bifactor structure with a large sample (N = 794) of Irish children who were administered the 10 WISC-IV UK core subtests in clinical assessments of learning difficulties and dominance of general intelligence. Because only 10 subtests were available, Cattell-Horn-Carroll (CHC; McGrew, 1997, 2005, Contemporary intellectual assessment: Theories, tests, and issues, New York, NY: Guilford; Schneider & McGrew, 2012, Contemporary intellectual assessment: Theories, tests, and issues, New York, NY, Guilford Press) models could not be tested and compared. The present study utilized confirmatory factor analyses to test the latent factor structure of the WISC-IV UK with a sample of 245 Irish children administered all 15 WISC-IV UK subtests in evaluations assessing learning difficulties in order to examine CHC- and Wechsler-based models. One through five, oblique first-order factor models and higher order versus bifactor models were examined and compared using CFA. Meaningful differences in fit statistics were not observed between the Wechsler and CHC representations of higher-order or bifactor models. In all four structures, general intelligence accounted for the largest portions of explained common variance, whereas group factors accounted for small to miniscule portions of explained common variance. Omega-hierarchical subscale coefficients indicated that unit-weighted composites that would be generated by WISC-IV UK group factors (Wechsler or CHC) would

Online Discussion: Can It Help International Students Ease into British University Life?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Skinner, Barbara

2010-01-01

International students arriving at UK higher education institutions often find the first stage of the period of transition from home to British university difficult. Research has shown that the difficulties relate to finding themselves in a new culture. This University of Ulster project encouraged them to explore their feelings by participating in…

International Community-Based Service Learning: Two Comparative Case Studies of Benefits and Tensions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Akhurst, Jacqueline

2016-01-01

The drives to internationalise the UK curriculum and psychology students' desires to work in communities are brought together in this paper. International community-based learning (ICBL) links with many psychology students' motivations to make contributions to others; with the potential to enhance students' learning and cultural sensitivities. The…

Agency and Social Capital in Chinese International Doctoral Students' Conversion to Christianity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ding, Qun; Devine, Nesta

2017-01-01

Chinese international students constitute the largest proportion of overseas students in several English-speaking countries such as the UK and New Zealand. Little research has been done concerning those undertaking doctoral study. This qualitative study explores how Chinese overseas doctoral students become involved in church communities and how…

Competence Management System Design in International Multicultural Environment: Registration, Transfer, Recognition and Transparency

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Starcic, Andreja Istenic

2012-01-01

A competence management system (CMS) was devised to assist the registration of competencies in the textile and clothing sector, starting in the four EU countries of Portugal, Slovenia, the UK and Denmark, further leading to the European network. This paper presents the design and development framework assisting international multicultural…

Johney Green Joins Inaugural Board of Trustees for the UK's Faraday

Science.gov Websites

experience and leadership to the UKs Faraday Institution. Photo by Dennis Schroeder Johney Green speaks leadership to the UKs Faraday Institution. Photo by Dennis Schroeder Imagine driving an electric car from

UK Renal Registry 16th annual report: chapter 10 haemoglobin, ferritin and erythropoietin amongst UK adult dialysis patients in 2012: national and centre-specific analyses.

PubMed

Rao, Anirudh; Gilg, Julie; Williams, Andrew

2013-01-01

Anaemia treatment in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients has changed dramatically since the implementation of erythropoietin stimulating agents (ESAs) and has shifted the emphasis from treating severe anaemia in dialysis patients to preventing anaemia. The aim of this chapter is to determine the extent to which the UK Renal Association (RA) and National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines for anaemia management are met in the UK. Quarterly data were obtained for haemoglobin (Hb) and factors that influence Hb from UK renal centres for the incident and prevalent renal replacement therapy (RRT) cohorts for 2012. In the UK, in 2012, 51% of patients commenced dialysis therapy with Hb 100 g/L (median Hb 100 g/L). Of patients in the early presentation group, 54% started dialysis with Hb 100 g/L whilst 34% of patients presenting late started dialysis with Hb 100 g/L. The UK median Hb of haemodialysis (HD) patients was 112 g/L, with 82% of patients having Hb 100 g/L. The median Hb of peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients in the UK was 114 g/L, with 85% of patients having Hb 100 g/L. The median ferritin in HD patients in the UK was 431 µg/L and 95% of HD patients had a ferritin 100 µg/L. In EW&NI the median ferritin in PD patients was 285 µg/L (IQR 164-466) with 88% of PD patients having a ferritin 100 µg/L. In EW&NI the median ESA dose was higher for HD than PD patients (7,248 vs. 4,250 IU/week). The percentage of patients treated with an ESA and having Hb >120 g/L ranged between centres from 7-39% for HD and from 0-33% for PD. There was poor correlation between median Hb achieved and median ferritin and ESA usage across the EW&NI centres. There was also a significant variation between centres in the percentages of patients treated with an ESA and having Hb >120 g/L. © 2014 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Formal and Informal Context Factors as Contributors to Student Engagement in a Guided Discovery-Based Program of Game Design Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reynolds, Rebecca; Chiu, Ming Ming

2013-01-01

This paper explored informal (after-school) and formal (elective course in-school) learning contexts as contributors to middle-school student attitudinal changes in a guided discovery-based and blended e-learning program in which students designed web games and used social media and information resources for a full school year. Formality of the…

Evolving trauma and orthopedics training in the UK.

PubMed

Inaparthy, Praveen K; Sayana, Murali K; Maffulli, Nicola

2013-01-01

The ever-growing population of the UK has resulted in increasing demands on its healthcare service. Changes have been introduced in the UK medical training system to avoid loss of training time and make it more focused and productive. Modernizing medical careers (MMC) was introduced in 2005. This promised to reduce the training period for a safe trauma specialist, in trauma and orthopedics, to 10 years. At around the same time, the European Working Time Directive (EWTD) was introduced to reduce the working hours for junior doctors in training, to improve patient safety and also work-life balance of junior doctors. Introduction of the assessment tools from Orthopedic Competency assessment project (OCAP) will help tailor the training according to the needs of the trainee. The aim of this article is to review the changes in the UK orthopedic surgical training over the past two decades. Copyright © 2012 Association of Program Directors in Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Predicting fitness to practise events in international medical graduates who registered as UK doctors via the Professional and Linguistic Assessments Board (PLAB) system: a national cohort study.

PubMed

Tiffin, Paul A; Paton, Lewis W; Mwandigha, Lazaro M; McLachlan, John C; Illing, Jan

2017-03-20

International medical graduates working in the UK are more likely to be censured in relation to fitness to practise compared to home graduates. Performance on the General Medical Council's (GMC's) Professional and Linguistic Assessments Board (PLAB) tests and English fluency have previously been shown to predict later educational performance in this group of doctors. It is unknown whether the PLAB system is also a valid predictor of unprofessional behaviour and malpractice. The findings would have implications for regulatory policy. This was an observational study linking data relating to fitness to practise events (referral or censure), PLAB performance, demographic variables and English language competence, as evaluated via the International English Language Test System (IELTS). Data from 27,330 international medical graduates registered with the GMC were analysed, including 210 doctors who had been sanctioned in relation to at least one fitness to practise issue. The main outcome was risk of eventual censure (including a warning). The significant univariable educational predictors of eventual censure (versus no censures or referrals) were lower PLAB part 1 (hazard ratio [HR], 0.99; 95% confidence interval, 0.98 to 1.00) and part 2 scores (HR, 0.94; 0.91 to 0.97) at first sitting, multiple attempts at both parts of the PLAB, lower IELTS reading (HR, 0.79; 0.65 to 0.94) and listening scores (HR, 0.76; 0.62 to 0.93) and higher IELTS speaking scores (HR, 1.28; 1.04 to 1.57). Multiple resits at either part of the PLAB and higher IELTS speaking score (HR, 1.49; 1.20 to 1.84) were also independent predictors of censure. We estimated that the proposed limit of four attempts at both parts of the PLAB would reduce the risk in this entire group by only approximately two censures per 5 years in this group of doctors. Making the PLAB, or any replacement assessment, more stringent and raising the required standards of English reading and listening may result in fewer fitness

US line-ups outperform UK line-ups

PubMed Central

Seale-Carlisle, Travis M.

2016-01-01

In the USA and the UK, many thousands of police suspects are identified by eyewitnesses every year. Unfortunately, many of those suspects are innocent, which becomes evident when they are exonerated by DNA testing, often after having been imprisoned for years. It is, therefore, imperative to use identification procedures that best enable eyewitnesses to discriminate innocent from guilty suspects. Although police investigators in both countries often administer line-up procedures, the details of how line-ups are presented are quite different and an important direct comparison has yet to be conducted. We investigated whether these two line-up procedures differ in terms of (i) discriminability (using receiver operating characteristic analysis) and (ii) reliability (using confidence–accuracy characteristic analysis). A total of 2249 participants watched a video of a crime and were later tested using either a six-person simultaneous photo line-up procedure (USA) or a nine-person sequential video line-up procedure (UK). US line-up procedure yielded significantly higher discriminability and significantly higher reliability. The results do not pinpoint the reason for the observed difference between the two procedures, but they do suggest that there is much room for improvement with the UK line-up. PMID:27703695

Transforming Support for Students with Disabilities in UK Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Taylor, Mark; Turnbull, Yvonne; Bleasdale, Jo; Francis, Hulya; Forsyth, Henry

2016-01-01

Intended UK government changes to the Disabled Students' Allowance will have a significant impact on the support that UK universities provide for students with disabilities. In this article we examine the types of transformation that may be needed to support for university students with disabilities, from a socio-technical perspective. The…

Evaluating the UK's carbon budget using a dense network of tall-tower observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

White, E.; Rigby, M. L.; Manning, A.; Lunt, M. F.; Ganesan, A.; O'Doherty, S.; Stavert, A.; Stanley, K. M.; Williams, M. D.; Smallman, T. L.; Comyn-Platt, E.; Levy, P. E.

2017-12-01

The UK has committed to reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to 80% of 1990 levels by 2050. Evaluating the UK's GHG emissions, and in particular those of carbon dioxide, is imperative to the UK's ability to track progress towards these goals. Making top-down estimates of regional carbon dioxide emissions is challenging due to the rapid temporal variability in the biogenic flux, and the co-location of anthropogenic and biogenic sources and sinks. We present a hierarchical Bayesian inverse modelling framework, which is able to estimate a yearly total (anthropogenic and biogenic) carbon dioxide budget for the UK. Using observations from a high-density GHG monitoring network, combined with high temporal resolution prior information and a Lagrangian atmospheric transport model (NAME, developed by the UK Met Office), we derive a net positive flux for the UK of 0.39 Pg/yr in 2014. We will compare the outcome of inversions that used prior information from two different biosphere models, CARDAMOM and JULES. This comparison helps to understand more about the biogenic processes contributing to the UK's carbon dioxide budget, limitations with different modelling approaches and the sensitivity of the inversion framework to the choice of prior. A better understanding of how the biogenic flux changes throughout the year can, in turn, help to improve the UK's anthropogenic carbon dioxide inventory by identifying times in the year when the anthropogenic signal may be possible to detect.

Who applies and who gets admitted to UK graduate entry medicine? - an analysis of UK admission statistics

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Graduate-entry medicine is a recent development in the UK, intended to expand and broaden access to medical training. After eight years, it is time to evaluate its success in recruitment. Objectives This study aimed to compare the applications and admissions profiles of graduate-entry programmes in the UK to traditional 5 and 6-year courses. Methods Aggregate data on applications and admissions were obtained from the Universities and Colleges Admission Service covering 2003 to 2009. Data were extracted, grouped as appropriate and analysed with the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences. Results Graduate-entry attracts 10,000 applications a year. Women form the majority of applicants and admissions to graduate-entry and traditional medicine programmes. Graduate-entry age profile is older, typically 20's or 30's compared to 18 or 19 years in traditional programmes. Graduate-entry applications and admissions were higher from white and black UK ethnic communities than traditional programmes, and lower from southern and Chinese Asian groups. Graduate-entry has few applications or admissions from Scotland or Northern Ireland. Secondary educational achievement is poorer amongst graduate-entry applicants and admissions than traditional programmes. Conclusions Graduate-entry has succeeded in recruiting substantial additional numbers of older applicants to medicine, in which white and black groups are better represented and Asian groups more poorly represented than in traditional undergraduate programmes. PMID:21943332

Oceanic Tidal Mixing As a Contributor to Milankovitch-scale Climate Change

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Munk, Walter; Bills, Bruce

2004-01-01

We propose that changes in the magnitude of oceanic tidal mixing on long time scales is an important, but previously unrecognized, contributor to global climate change. it is well known that Earth's orbital and rotational state changes significantly on 10(exp 4)-10(exp 5) year time scales, and that this influences the spatial and temporal pattern of incident radiation. It is widely supposed that climatic variations on these same time scales are, in large part, a response of the ocean-atmosphere-cryosphere system to this radiative forcing. Our proposal is that variations in the luni-solar tidal potential, induced by these same orbital and rotational variations, influences oceanic mixing and thus modulates meridional heat transport, by amounts which are competitive with the radiative forcing. There are some obvious differences between tidal potential and insolation. First is that the Sun and Moon both contribute to tides, whereas the radiation is entirely of solar origin. Second is that the Earth is transparent to gravity but opaque to radiation. Clipping associated with this opacity makes the radiation pattern temporal spectrum rather more complex than the tidal spectrum. A third point is that solar radiation directly delivers energy to Earth's surface whereas tidal mixing will only expedite lateral transport of heat in association with oceanic thermohaline circulation. The diurnal average insolation pattern is best parameterized via a Fourier series in time of year and Legendre polynomials in sine of latitude. Our present focus will be on the annual average terms. The Legendre degree n=0 term describes the global average insolation, and is nearly constant. The degree n=l term describes differences between northern and southern hemispheres, and the annual mean is zero. The degree n=2 term is the main contributor to the equator to pole variations, and varies with obliquity and orbital eccentricity, with the obliquity variation dominating. The lowest order

Oceanic Tidal Mixing as a Contributor to Milankovitch-scale Climate Change

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Munk, W.; Bills, B. G.

2004-12-01

We propose that changes in the magnitude of oceanic tidal mixing on long time scales is an important, but previously unrecognized, contributor to global climate change. It is well known that Earth's orbital and rotational state changes significantly on 104-105 year time scales, and that this influences the spatial and temporal pattern of incident radiation. It is widely supposed that climatic variations on these same time scales are, in large part, a response of the ocean-atmosphere-cryosphere system to this radiative forcing. Our proposal is that variations in the luni-solar tidal potential, induced by these same orbital and rotational variations, influences oceanic mixing and thus modulates meridional heat transport, by amounts which are competitive with the radiative forcing. There are some obvious differences between tidal potential and insolation. First is that the Sun and Moon both contribute to tides, whereas the radiation is entirely of solar origin. Second is that the Earth is transparent to gravity but opaque to radiation. Clipping associated with this opacity makes the radiation pattern temporal spectrum rather more complex than the tidal spectrum. A third point is that solar radiation directly delivers energy to Earth's surface whereas tidal mixing will only expedite lateral transport of heat in association with oceanic thermo-haline circulation. The diurnal average insolation pattern is best parameterized via a Fourier series in time of year and Legendre polynomials in sine of latitude. Our present focus will be on the annual average terms. The Legendre degree n=0 term describes the global average insolation, and is nearly constant. The degree n=1 term describes differences between northern and southern hemispheres, and the annual mean is zero. The degree n=2 term is the main contributor to the equator to pole variations, and varies with obliquity and orbital eccentricity, with the obliquity variation dominating. The lowest order decomposition of the

X International Conference on Kaon Physics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

2017-01-01

The International Conference on Kaon Physics 2016 took place at the University of Birmingham (United Kingdom) on 14-17 September 2016. This conference continued the KAON series, offering an opportunity for theorists and experimentalists from the high-energy physics community to discuss all aspects of kaon physics. The 2016 edition saw a strong participation from theory and phenomenology and the first kaon results from the LHCb experiment at CERN, as well as updates from several experiments around the world including NA62 and KOTO. All papers published in this volume of KAON2016 have been peer reviewed through processes administered by the proceedings Editors. Reviews were conducted by expert referees to the professional and scientific standards expected of a proceedings journal published by IOP Publishing. The organizers and the participants wish to thank the University of Birmingham, the European Research Council, CERN, the UK Science and Technology Facility Council and the UK Institute for Particle Physics Phenomenology for their support in the organization of this successful edition. Figure for summary

Implications for alcohol minimum unit pricing advocacy: What can we learn for public health from UK newsprint coverage of key claim-makers in the policy debate?

PubMed Central

Hilton, Shona; Wood, Karen; Patterson, Chris; Katikireddi, Srinivasa Vittal

2014-01-01

On May 24th 2012, Scotland passed the Alcohol (Minimum Pricing) Bill. Minimum unit pricing (MUP) is an intervention that raises the price of the cheapest alcohol to reduce alcohol consumption and related harms. There is a growing literature on industry's influence in policymaking and media representations of policies, but relatively little about frames used by key claim-makers in the public MUP policy debate. This study elucidates the dynamic interplay between key claim-makers to identify lessons for policy advocacy in the media in the UK and internationally. Content analysis was conducted on 262 articles from seven UK and three Scottish national newspapers between 1st May 2011 and 31st May 2012, retrieved from electronic databases. Advocates' and critics' constructions of the alcohol problem and MUP were examined. Advocates depicted the problem as primarily driven by cheap alcohol and marketing, while critics' constructions focused on youth binge drinkers and dependent drinkers. Advocates justified support by citing the intervention's targeted design, but critics denounced the policy as illegal, likely to encourage illicit trade, unsupported by evidence and likely to be ineffective, while harming the responsible majority, low-income consumers and businesses. Critics' arguments were consistent over time, and single statements often encompassed multiple rationales. This study presents advocates with several important lessons for promoting policies in the media. Firstly, it may be useful to shift focus away from young binge drinkers and heavy drinkers, towards population-level over-consumption. Secondly, advocates might focus on presenting the policy as part of a wider package of alcohol policies. Thirdly, emphasis on the success of recent public health policies could help portray the UK and Scotland as world leaders in tackling culturally embedded health and social problems through policy; highlighting past successes when presenting future policies may be a valuable

Seasonal variations of alkenones and UK37 in the Chesapeake Bay water column

USGS Publications Warehouse

Mercer, J.L.; Zhao, M.; Colman, Steven M.

2005-01-01