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Employers are increasingly selecting and developing employees based on skills rather than qualifications. Governments now have a growing focus on skilling, reskilling and upskilling the workforce through skills-based development rather than qualifications as a way of improving productivity. Both these changes are leading to a much stronger interest in digital badging and micro-credentialing that enables a more granular, skills-based development of learner-earners. This paper explores the use of an online skills profiling tool that can be used by designers, educators, researchers, employers and governments to understand how badges and micro-credentials can be incorporated within existing qualifications and how skills developed within learning can be compared and aligned to those sought in job roles. This work, and lessons learnt from the case study examples of computing-related degree programmes in the UK, also highlights exciting opportunities for educational providers to develop and accommodate personalised learning into existing formal education structures across a range of settings and contexts.

Jonathan Shay argued that social, relational, and institutional contexts were central to understanding moral injury and conceptualised moral injury as a normative response to the betrayal of an individual's understanding of what is right by a more senior/authoritative 'other'. Using the conceptual lens of moral injury, this paper investigates academic staff experiences of HE during the COVID-19 pandemic and explores the rapid transition back to face-to-face teaching that took place in autumn 2020. To collect data, we used an online survey that opened in January 2021 and ran until the end of March 2021. A total of 663 complete questionnaires were received across the survey period. The questionnaire was comprised of ten topic-related questions, each of which included follow-up sub-questions and also invited participants to write in additional information. The majority of participants felt that during the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, they had acted in ways that put their own health and wellbeing at risk. Of those who had acted in ways that put their health and wellbeing at risk, they believed that their senior management were the most responsible for them acting in such ways, followed by the UK government. Qualitative data showed a systemic absence of leadership in the sector during the time, a sense of betrayal of staff and students by senior management and the government, and feelings of compulsion to act in ways which put lives at risk. On the basis of these results, we argue that there could be synergies between the situation facing healthcare staff and academics during the pandemic. Many of the experiences of HE academic staff during the pandemic reported to us in this research are resonant with the concepts of betrayal and moral injury and resulted in affective responses which we understand here in relation to feelings of guilt, shame, and anger, leading ultimately to poor mental health and wellbeing. This paper discusses implications for the HE sector going forward., Author(s): Paul Hanna [sup.1] , Mark Erickson [sup.2] , Carl Walker [sup.2] Author Affiliations: (1) https://ror.org/00ks66431, grid.5475.3, 0000 0004 0407 4824, University of Surrey, , Guildford, UK (2) https://ror.org/04kp2b655, grid.12477.37, [...]

A perineal fluid-filled structure was discovered in a 6-year-old intact female Irish water spaniel suffering from intermittent constipation. Diagnostic tests revealed the structure was immediately caudal to the vagina and compatible with a cyst. Surgical excision was required for resolution of clinical signs. Histology confirmed the structure was a cyst. The exact origin is unknown; however, the variety of lining epithelia, including sections with mucin production, and a well-differentiated smooth muscle layer, were most consistent with development from the lower hindgut or urogenital sinus during embryonic growth. The histologic and anatomical similarities with human retrorectal cystic hamartomas were key in establishing the diagnosis of a perineal cystic hamartoma. Following removal, constipation resolved, and the cyst did not recur.

In this paper, we present results from an extensive survey of United Kingdom (UK) university academics investigating satisfaction with senior managers and university governance: the Senior Management Survey (SMS). In total, 5888 academic staff across the United Kingdom Higher Education (HE) sector completed the survey, and results were used to construct a league table of staff satisfaction with management. This table is a stark indictment of the current state of the UK HE sector, showing a mean satisfaction score of 10.54%. The SMS also collected qualitative data, and we extend the league table's insights using these data. Thematic analysis revealed seven major themes: the dominance and brutality of metrics; excessive workload; governance and accountability; perpetual change; vanity projects; the silenced academic; work and mental health. We conclude with a discussion of how this statactivist research can be used to bring about change in management and governance of UK HE.

This report describes a case of severe rhabdomyolysis in a pregnant mare associated with histopathologic and biochemical features of both selenium deficiency and acquired multiple acyl-CoA dehydrogenase deficiency (MADD) due to seasonal pasture myopathy (SPM). This case highlights the importance of assessing plasma selenium levels in horses with clinical signs of pasture myopathy as this deficiency may be a contributing or exacerbating factor.

This article discusses the potential risk of acute kidney injury (AKI) and chronic kidney disease (CKD) in patients receiving BRAF/MEK inhibitor therapy for melanoma. Real-world data showed higher rates of AKI compared to clinical trials. The study found that patients who received BRAF/MEK inhibitors had a higher risk of CKD compared to a group of patients who underwent surgical resection alone. The study suggests that CKD is an important comorbidity in melanoma patients and further research is needed to understand the mechanisms and develop therapies to slow kidney function decline in these patients. [Extracted from the article]

Giant reed (Arundo donax L.) is a plant species with a high growth rate and low requirements, which makes it particularly interesting for the production of different bioproducts, including natural fibers. This work assesses the use of fibers obtained from reed culms as reinforcement for a high-density polyethylene (HDPE) matrix. Two different lignocellulosic materials were used: i) shredded culms and ii) fibers obtained by culms processing, which have not been reported yet in literature as fillers for thermoplastic materials. A good stress transfer for the fibrous composites was observed, with significant increases in mechanical properties; composites with 20% fiber provided a tensile elastic modulus of almost 1900 MPa (78% increase versus neat HDPE) and a flexural one of 1500 MPa (100% increase), with an improvement of 15% in impact strength. On the other hand, composites with 20% shredded biomass increased by 50% the tensile elastic modulus (reaching 1560 MPa) and the flexural one (up to 1500 MPa), without significant changes in impact strength. The type of filler is more than its ratio; composites containing fibers resulted in a higher performance than the ones with shredded materials due to the higher aspect ratio of fibers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rotational molding advantages include the production of a hollow part with no welding lines, either of small or big sizes, with no internal stresses and good surface details. However, the process is limited by the long cycle times, and its related high energy consumption. Different strategies can be followed to reduce such energy use. This work assesses the use of pressure inside the molds during the densification and cooling stages, finding reductions in overall cycle time of approximately 20%, because of the reduction in the heating time required but also to the increased cooling rate. The influence of such an approach on the production of composites with reed fibers has also been assessed, finding a similar trend towards cycle time reductions. The rotomolded samples' thermomechanical and rheological behavior were determined, finding that viscosity was not affected due to the incorporation of air during the moldings; besides, the homogeneity of the composites increased due to the mold pressurization. The parts obtained show good aesthetics and good thermomechanical behavior along the entire temperature range studied, and particularly for 10% composites; higher fiber ratios should be prepared via melt compounding. Therefore, the mold pressurization allows us to reduce both oven and cooling times, which can be translated into an increase in productivity and a decrease in energy consumption, which are undeniably related to the increase in the products' sustainability and cost. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In China, food waste at the consumption stage is at its highest when eating out. Therefore, this research aims to investigate the organisation of social, cultural, and material practices associated with eating-out in China, which result in food waste. By challenging the prevalent structure/agency dualism in traditional food waste studies, this research draws on Warde's conceptual framework of eating as a compound practice to offer a nuanced understanding of food waste. It provides a novel contribution to understanding how food waste might be reduced. A combination of semi-structured interviews and eat-along sessions were adopted in this study. 28 Chinese participants joined the research over a four-month period in 2017 in two Chinese cities. 26 in-depth semi-structured interviews were undertaken alongside 16 eat-along sessions. Qualitative data were interpreted using Thematic Analysis. The findings suggest that eating-out food practices can be understood through the following integrative practices: social organisation of meal occasions, judgement of aesthetic qualities, judgement of bodily capacity, and judgement of food functionality. Amongst these four practices, plate waste was attributed to the judgement of surplus foods' edibility and waste avoidance, which were explored through the three dimensions of eating-out food practice: temporality, materiality, and conventionality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adult de novo scoliosis is a chronic health condition characterised by a curvature in the ageing spine. It can cause debilitating back pain and significant visible differences. Yet there has been very limited research on the psychological effects of this condition, particularly around identity. Therefore, we undertook semi-structured interviews to explore the ways in which individuals with scoliosis understood their identity. Findings from narrative analysis highlight the ways in which individuals negotiate their identity in relation to their social roles, their ability to control their condition and things around them, the extent to which their condition is visible and the extent to which they experienced physical pain from their condition. This article concludes by highlighting the relationship between identity and scoliosis and offers practical implications and suggestions for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polylactide (PLA) is one of the most commonly used biomaterials nowadays, with many recognized benefits, particularly in the packaging and single-use products industries. However, little research has been conducted on its stretching behavior. This work investigates the optimal conditions of biaxial stretching of injection-molded PLA samples produced under different processing conditions (pressure, drying, and pre-processing by extrusion, to simulate a recycling step). The injection-molded samples were characterized to determine their mechanical, thermal and thermo-mechanical behavior, water absorption, thermal behavior, and crystallization kinetics. The extruded samples showed reduced thermal stability, lower viscosity, decreased mechanical properties, and higher crystallization rates due to thermal degradation. However, the stretched samples provided similar properties regardless of the materials pre-processing. Regarding the assessment of the biaxial stretching process, processing at lower temperatures provides the films with a higher yield and breaking strength, while the time and strain rates have little influence on such properties. It was then determined that 82 °C is the optimal temperature for stretching the PLA samples. An increase in the stretch ratio provided a higher elastic modulus and higher values of opacity due to an increased crystallinity induced by stress during the process. Films as thin as 50 μm can be obtained by biaxially stretching injection-molded preforms, producing a deformation over 150% and acquiring good mechanical properties: about 90 MPa for the yield and a breaking strength and elastic modulus of 4000 MPa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibitors (PARPi) have revolutionized the treatment of ovarian cancer; however, real-world data on kidney function among patients treated with PARPi are lacking. Methods We identified adults treated with olaparib or niraparib between 2015 and 2021 at a major cancer center in Boston, MA, USA. We determined the incidence of any acute kidney injury (AKI), defined as at least a 1.5-fold rise in serum creatinine from baseline in the first 12 months following PARPi initiation. We calculated the percentage of patients with any AKI and sustained AKI and adjudicated the etiologies by manual chart review. We compared trajectories in estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) among PARPi-treated and carboplatin and paclitaxel-treated patients with ovarian cancer, matched by baseline eGFR. Results Of 269 patients, 60 (22.3%) developed AKI, including 43 of 194 (22.1%) olaparib-treated patients and 17 of 75 (22.7%) niraparib-treated patients. Only 9 of 269 (3.3%) had AKI attributable to the PARPi. Of the 60 patients with AKI, 21 (35%) had sustained AKI, of whom 6 had AKI attributable to the PARPi (2.2% of the whole cohort). eGFR declined within 30 days post-PARPi initiation by 9.61 (SD = 11.017)  mL/min per 1.73 m2 but recovered by 8.39 (SD = 14.05)  mL/min per 1.73 m2 within 90 days after therapy cessation. There was no difference in eGFR at 12 months post-therapy initiation in patients receiving PARPi or controls receiving carboplatin and paclitaxel (P  = .29). Conclusions AKI is common following PARPi initiation as is a transient decline in eGFR; however, sustained AKI directly attributable to the PARPi and long-term eGFR decline are uncommon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Clinical trials of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) often do not include patients with advanced chronic kidney disease (CKD). We aimed to determine the safety of ICIs in patients with cancer and advanced CKD (stages 4-5 CKD, estimated glomerular filtration rate [eGFR] <30 mL/minute/1.73 m2). Patients and Methods Patients with advanced CKD from the Mass General Brigham network who received ICIs (n = 91) were compared against those receiving nephrotoxic (n = 113) and non-nephrotoxic (n = 130) antineoplastic therapies, respectively. Rates of new-onset kidney failure (end-stage kidney disease or sustained eGFR ≤10 mL/minute/1.73 m2) and AKI were compared. Among ICI-treated patients, we modeled Fine-Gray subdistribution hazards to compare immune-related adverse event (irAE) risk and used Kaplan-Meier analysis to compare overall survival in patients with advanced CKD to those with eGFR ≥30 mL/minute/1.73 m2. Results Rates of new-onset kidney failure were similar at 1 year following initiation of ICIs (10.0%), nephrotoxic (6.2%), and non-nephrotoxic antineoplastic therapies (9.3%) (P =.28). AKI rates were also similar: 17.5%, 17.6%, and 20% of patients in each cohort, respectively (P =.87). Advanced CKD did not increase the risk of developing irAEs (adjusted hazard ratio [HR] 1.28, 95% CI, 0.91-1.81). However, patients with advanced CKD who received ICIs had a decreased overall survival compared with patients with eGFR ≥30 mL/minute/1.73 m2 (HR 1.30 for death, 95% CI, 1.02-1.66, P =.03). Conclusion ICIs are not associated with increased risk of AKI or new-onset kidney failure compared with other antineoplastic therapies in patients with advanced CKD. Advanced CKD did not increase the risk of extra-renal irAEs, although these patients suffered from lower overall survival. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Onconephrology, the field that focuses on the intersection of cancer and kidney disease, is facing several challenges. One major challenge is the decline in the nephrology workforce, which leads to long wait times for appointments and suboptimal management of kidney disease. Another challenge is the limited research resources in onconephrology, which hinders the advancement of knowledge in this area. Fragmented clinical guidelines and a lack of structured continued medical education are also obstacles in providing optimal care. To address these challenges, proposed solutions include educating providers and patients, creating multidisciplinary cancer care teams, increasing research partnerships, developing new diagnostic tools, and expanding onconephrology training programs. [Extracted from the article]

Objective: Research on 'moral injury'—the psychological wound experienced by military personnel and other 'functionaries' whose moral values are violated—has proliferated in recent years. Many psychological researchers, including those in the UK, have subscribed to an increasingly individualised operationalisation of moral injury, with medicalised criteria that closely mirrors PTSD. This trend carries assumptions that have not been comprehensively verified by empirical research. This study aims to explore UK military veterans' experiences of, and challenges to, their moral values in relation to their deployment experiences, without prematurely foreclosing exploration of wider systemic influences. Method: Twelve UK military veterans who served in Afghanistan and/or Iraq were interviewed, and the data were analysed thematically and reflexively. Results: Three inter‐related themes were generated: (1) 'you've been undermined', (2) 'how am I involved in this?' and (3) 'civilianised'. Conclusions: The analysis suggests that several assumptions privileged in moral injury research may be empirically contradicted, at least in relation to the experiences of UK military veterans. These assumptions include that moral injury is exclusively driven by individual, episodic acts of commission and omission, invariably leads to guilt and necessarily bifurcates into variants of either perpetration or betrayal. Instead, participants understood the moral violations they experienced as socially contingent. Rather than 'treating' moral injury as a disorder of thinking and feeling located within an individual, the socially contextualised understanding of moral injury indicated by this study's findings may prompt the development of psychological and social interventions that understand moral injury as the fallout of what occurs between people and within systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Moral injury was originally conceived as a socially‐inflicted wound of betrayal experienced by military veterans (Shay, 1994). However, moral injury has since been redefined by psychological researchers as an individualised, predominantly perpetration‐driven, and psychopathological phenomenon (e.g., Currier et al., 2015; Jinkerson, 2016). However, social scientific researchers (e.g., Hodgson & Carey, 2017; Molendijk, 2019; Wiinikka‐Lydon, 2017) have contested mainstream psychology's medicalisation and decontextualisation of moral injury. This theoretical review integrates insights from across these discourses, and brings them into dialogue with ideas from moral psychology, evolutionary science, and community psychology. The aim of this cross‐disciplinary review is to promote a more holistic understanding of moral injury that does justice to its individual and social dimensions. Drawing on these different theoretical strands, this paper proposes that moral injury can be best understood as a psychological wound to basic human needs for social belonging and cohesion. The implications of this integrative understanding of moral injury for applied psychologists and other societal actors are explored. While the relevance of moral injury to civilian populations such as health and social care professionals is clear (e.g., Dombo et al., 2013; French et al., 2021), this paper focuses on military veterans, whose experiences originally prompted the coinage of the term. Please refer to the Supplementary Material section to find this article's Community and Social Impact Statement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Employers are increasingly selecting and developing employees based on skills rather than qualifications. Governments now have a growing focus on skilling, reskilling and upskilling the workforce through skills-based development rather than qualifications as a way of improving productivity. Both these changes are leading to a much stronger interest in digital badging and micro-credentialing that enables a more granular, skills-based development of learner-earners. This paper explores the use of an online skills profiling tool that can be used by designers, educators, researchers, employers and governments to understand how badges and micro-credentials can be incorporated within existing qualifications and how skills developed within learning can be compared and aligned to those sought in job roles. This work, and lessons learnt from the case study examples of computing-related degree programmes in the UK, also highlights exciting opportunities for educational providers to develop and accommodate personalised learning into existing formal education structures across a range of settings and contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]