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Background: The under-representation of women and other minority group members in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) academia is a problem internationally and is attributed in part to hostile workplace cultures. We draw on the social identity perspective to examine the dynamic inter and intragroup processes entailed in these experiences. In this paper, we report a reflexive thematic analysis of 219 responses to a free-text question on bullying and harassment embedded in a national survey of 40 STEM departments from across the United Kingdom. Most were women (53%) at an early, pre-lectureship career stage. Main findings: Our analysis shows who is the perpetrator and who is the victim is not arbitrary, and neither is the form that it takes; majority group members draw on discourses that warrant the exclusion of minority group members (e.g., women are not smart; incompatibility with religious identity). In this 'othering', minority group members learn that one is not regarded as a bona fide STEM academic ingroup member and accordingly are constrained in being able to claim and act on that identity. Thus, it is not just the acts themselves that are problematic, but the ways in which being denied a shared STEM academic identity is consequential for a range of putative benefits and leads to a range of strategies that all confer costs. Conclusions/potential implications: The solution must rest with senior STEM academics and with institutions. First, we need to challenge discourses and practices that narrowly define the boundaries and content of STEM academic identity. Second, all members of a community need to perceive an alignment between the purported values of an organisation for diversity, inclusion, and respect and how that organisation responds when those principles are violated. Formal processes of remedy need to recognise the dynamics entailed in status differences and remove the onus of complaint from isolated, low status individuals. In addition, there is a need to recognise the ways in which perpetrators are embedded in networks of support both within and without the university; and the importance, therefore, of widening the scope of evidence gathering and intervention.

This paper sets out to de-mystify the effects of the Barnett Formula – the mechanism which has delivered the bulk of the funding for Scottish domestic services over the past forty years. There has always been considerable ambiguity about the effects of the formula: with some holding that it is a mechanism which would eventually deliver converging levels of per capita spending in the different countries of the UK: while others held that it protected expenditure differentials. The paper explains why, partly because of the effects of relative population change, both views were correct at different times in the period up to 2015. In particular, at times of austerity, the formula operated to protect relative per capita spending levels in Scotland. Largely by accident, the Barnett Formula delivered some of the features expected in a properly functioning monetary union. After 2015, however, with the introduction of the post referendum fiscal settlement, the position is quite different. While Barnett still plays a part, the overall effect of the new funding system is to place Scotland in a vulnerable position, where it is at much greater risk of falling into a cycle of economic decline relative to the rest of the UK. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article assesses the implications of the 2017 Confidence and Supply Agreement between the Conservative Party and the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) in the context of the Barnett Formula and intergovernmental relations post the devolution settlement and the Good Friday Agreement. In light of the parties' shared objectives to strengthen and enhance the UK, the Confidence and Supply Agreement, sets out how the DUP would support the minority Conservative government in specific areas, including finance Bills and matters pertaining to the exit from the European Union. This article examines the nature and operation of this Agreement and assesses the extent to which it may be seen to have breached established conventions, rules and principles around devolved funding and the principle of political impartiality enshrined in the Good Friday Agreement. It is argued that the Confidence and Supply Agreement has contributed to the perceived shortcomings of the Barnett Formula as a robust, fair, financial methodology. The distribution of money to the devolved administrations should be modernised and based on need, accountability and transparency. It is also concluded that being locked into a parliamentary deal undermines the UK Government's ability to be impartial between the competing interests in Northern Ireland. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Students in higher education (HE) are required to complete a variety of writing tasks for coursework and examinations. However, for some students writing presents a major challenge. In the UK, the availability of tools for specialist assessors to help identify difficulties with the quality of written composition is limited. The aim of this study was to develop a practical new tool, the Writing Quality Scale (WQS) for assessing writing quality in HE, that was both easy to use and did not require specialist or subject knowledge. The reliability and validity of the tool and its ability to identify students in HE who may need support were evaluated by examining scripts from 120 students (60 male) aged 17 to 25 years. The WQS was found to have good inter-rater reliability and was sensitive enough to pick up age differences and differentiate between groups of students with and without dyslexia. The WQS will be a useful tool for specialist assessors in HE to help in the identification of those with poor writing quality and to understand more about the nature of their difficulties.

This article draws on data from a British Council-funded project which aimed both to compare global early English language learning (EELL) pedagogic practices in 2020 with those in 2010 and to investigate current EELL teaching and learning in primary schools. The project had an explicit focus on classroom language practice, that is, the languages teachers (and learners) use to deliver and learn English content, a key pedagogic concern in the literature. This article first compares survey data on classroom language use in 2010 and 2020 before presenting a more in-depth consideration of the 2020 data from fourteen case studies to give an overview of current classroom language practices.

This article attempts to provide a sociological analysis of the historical construction of social work activity. The analyses generally have two features in common. First, a central role in the development of social work is allotted to Clarity Organisation Society (COS), and second, the principles and practices of the COS, and thus in large measure the principles and practice of social work in general as it developed in Great Britain, are related to the prevailing social and economic philosophy. The suggestion in this article is that a consideration of the work of social scientist Samuel Barnett raises important doubts concerning the adequacy of the analysis. Barnett's writings highlight the obvious but often overlooked fact that the nineteenth century common sense body of knowledge concerning the aetiology and solution of social problems was not entirely consistent and homogeneous; his practice and influence suggest that there was a alternative available approach to social problems and their solution, other than that constituted by the COS.

The United Kingdom and Ireland have a well-established research base in motor competence (MC) research, ranging from reporting and monitoring levels of MC, developing assessment tools for MC, providing innovative curriculum and intervention design to support learning and development, as well as providing advocacy for particular groups, such as those with motor impairments. This expert statement, on behalf of the International Motor Development Research Consortium, draws together what is currently known about levels of MC in the United Kingdom and Ireland as well as current approaches to intervention in both countries. Subsequently presented are recommendations for researchers and practitioners to advance the field of MC for the benefit of children and youth in the United Kingdom, Ireland, and worldwide.

This essay argues that the Barnett formula—which determines the block grant paid annually by the UK government to each of the Devolved Administrations of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland—be reformulated, guided by the following principles: fiscal equity, accountability, transparency, and flexibility. The rationale for change is that the current fiscal arrangements make little policy sense and may not be sustainable in a changing political and economic context. The formation of a grants commission to help develop data, calculate disparities, and provide public advice to the Chancellor of the Exchequer is also advocated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The rising number of dementia diagnoses and imminent adoption of disease-modifying treatments necessitate innovative approaches to identify individuals at risk, monitor disease course and intervene non-pharmacologically earlier in the disease course. Digital assessments of dementia risk and cognitive function have the potential to outperform traditional in-person assessments in terms of their affordability, accuracy and longitudinal tracking abilities. However, their accessibility and reliability in older adults is unclear. Aims: To evaluate the usability and reliability of a smartphone assessment of lifestyle and cognitive factors relevant to dementia risk in a group of UK-based older adults. Method: Cognitively healthy adults (n = 756) recruited through the Dementias Platform UK Great Minds volunteer register completed three assessments of cognitive function and dementia risk over a 3-month period and provided usability feedback on the Five Lives smartphone application (app). We evaluated cognitive test scores for age, gender and higher education effects, normality distributions, test–retest reliability and their relationship with participants' lifestyle dementia risk factors. Results: Participants found the app 'easy to use', 'quick to complete' and 'enjoyable'. The cognitive tests showed normal or near-to-normal distributions, variable test–retest reliabilities and age-related effects. Only tests of verbal ability showed gender and education effects. The cognitive tests did not correlate with lifestyle dementia risk scores. Conclusions: The Five Lives assessment demonstrates high usability and reliability among older adults. These findings highlight the potential of digital assessments in dementia research and clinical practice, enabling improved accessibility and better monitoring of cognitive health on a larger scale than traditional in-person assessments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Christie A. and Swales J. K. The Barnett allocation mechanism: formula plus influence?, Regional Studies. This paper seeks to explain why the operation of the Barnett formula has failed to generate convergence in the per capita public expenditure levels in the four countries of the United Kingdom. Using Scotland as an example, this paper argues that a 'formula plus influence' allocation mechanism has been in place. This offers improved flexibility, greater political integration, and increased information flows than would be available through either a straight bargaining or a formula process. While devolution has not changed the Barnett formula, it has altered the environment in which it operates and that this may well destabilize an otherwise secure system. [image omitted] Christie A. et Swales J. K. La methode d'affectation Barnett: formule plus influence?, Regional Studies. Cet article cherche a expliquer pourquoi l'application de la formule Barnett n'a pas reussi la convergence des depenses publiques par tete dans les quatre pays du R-U. En se servant de l'Ecosse comme etude de cas, l'article affirme qu'une methode d'affectation 'formule plus influence' a ete en vigueur. Cela fournit une flexibilite augmentee, une integration politique plus importante et des flux d'information accrus qui n'auraient ete disponibles par moyen de simples negociations ou d'une simple formule. Tandis que la regionalisation n'a eu aucun impact sur la formule Barnett, elle a change le milieu auquel il se voit appliquer, et cela pourrait bien destabiliser un systeme par ailleurs solide. Formule Barnett Regionalisation Decentralisation fiscale Ecosse Finances publiques Christie A. and Swales J. K. Der Barnett-Zuweisungsmechanismus: Formel plus Einfluss?, Regional Studies. In diesem Beitrag wird eine Erklarung fur die Frage gesucht, warum sich mit der Barnett-Formel in den vier Landern des Vereinigten Konigreichs keine Konvergenz hinsichtlich der Hohe der offentlichen Pro-Kopf-Ausgaben erzielen lasst. Anhand des Beispiels Schottland wird argumentiert, dass bei der Zuweisung ein Mechanismus von der Art 'Formel plus Einfluss' zum Einsatz kam. Dies fuhrt im Vergleich zu einem einfachen Verhandlungs- oder Formelprozess zu einer Verbesserung der Flexibilitat, der politischen Integration und des Informationsflusses. Die Dezentralisierung hat die Barnett-Formel nicht verandert, wohl aber die Umgebung, in der sie zum Einsatz kommt, was durchaus zur Destabilisierung eines ansonsten sicheren Systems fuhren kann. Barnett-Formel Dezentralisierung Fiskale Dezentralisierung Schottland Staatsfinanzen Christie A. y Swales J. K. El mecanismo de la asignacion Barnett: ¿formula mas influencia?, Regional Studies. El objetivo de este articulo es explicar el porque la operacion de la formula Barnett no ha generado una convergencia en los niveles de gastos publicos per capita en las cuatro regiones del Reino Unido. Usando Escocia como ejemplo, en este ensayo argumentamos que se ha introducido un mecanismo de asignacion tipo 'formula mas influencia'. Esto ofrece una mejor flexibilidad, mayor integracion politica y mas flujos de informacion comparado con un proceso a traves de negociaciones directas o de formulas. Aunque la transferencia de competencias no ha cambiado la formula Barnett, si que ha alterado el entorno en el que funciona y esto bien podria desestabilizar un sistema que normalmente es seguro. Formula Barnett Transferencia de competencias Descentralizacion fiscal Escocia Finanzas publicas [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Barnett, in several of his published works, often refers to pragmatism in rather ungenerous terms. Most recently he criticized pragmatism as an allegiance to anything goes. In response to that caricature this paper shows that the most prominent of current pragmatists—Richard Rorty—offers his strong allegiance to a range of principles which actually coincide with many of those Barnett himself actually espouses. These principles—or ideals of the university as Barnett calls them—include cheerfulness, tolerance, reasonableness, generosity and a will to go on. The paper examines what Barnett has to say about each of these in his latest book and then shows where they have their counterparts in Rorty's work. Overall the paper suggests that Barnett has a problematically limited view of Rortyan pragmatism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the evolving landscape of antitrust and competition law as applied to the digital economy, particularly in jurisdictions like the Republic of China and the UK. It critically examines the "platform monopoly" thesis, which posits that leading digital platforms possess significant market power that harms competition, and argues against the presumption of inherent market dominance.

INTRODUCTION: Aging is often associated with cognitive decline. Understanding neural factors that distinguish adults in midlife with superior cognitive abilities (Positive‐Agers) may offer insight into how the aging brain achieves resilience. The goals of this study are to (1) introduce an optimal labeling mechanism to distinguish between Positive‐Agers and Cognitive Decliners, and (2) identify Positive‐Agers using neuronal functional connectivity networks data and demographics. METHODS: In this study, principal component analysis initially created latent cognitive trajectories groups. A hybrid algorithm of machine learning and optimization was then designed to predict latent groups using neuronal functional connectivity networks derived from resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging. Specifically, the Optimal Labeling with Bayesian Optimization (OLBO) algorithm used an unsupervised approach, iterating a logistic regression function with Bayesian posterior updating. This study encompassed 6369 adults from the UK Biobank cohort. RESULTS: OLBO outperformed baseline models, achieving an area under the curve of 88% when distinguishing between Positive‐Agers and cognitive decliners. DISCUSSION: OLBO may be a novel algorithm that distinguishes cognitive trajectories with a high degree of accuracy in cognitively unimpaired adults. Highlights: Design an algorithm to distinguish between a Positive‐Ager and a Cognitive‐Decliner.Introduce a mathematical definition for cognitive classes based on cognitive tests.Accurate Positive‐Ager identification using rsfMRI and demographic data (AUC = 0.88).Posterior default mode network has the highest impact on Positive‐Aging odds ratio. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The relationship between theory and qualitative research has been extensively examined in the literature and has emerged as a problematic matter. This debate has been driven forward mainly in Anglo-Saxon countries and has done scant justice to an understanding of these issues in regions of the South. This paper addresses this matter by drawing on a geopolitical perspective. The study here provides an analysis of 24 papers by Latin-American researchers in higher education, as included in the Web of Science between 2006 and 2015. Theories in Latin America are mainly produced in the North and exhibit two patterns: (i) critical perspectives are used to address local problems -- 'epistemic problematization'; and (ii) a nuancing of Northern theories so as to contextualize them -- 'epistemic nuancing'. Suggestions are also made for a new configuration of knowledge production in higher education studies -- a model of knowledge from and for the South.

This article examines the impact of the Barnett formula on the Scottish public finances since devolution. Forecasts of a spending squeeze and budgetary constraint have not materialized and Scotland's share of the UK budget has remained stable. The real budgetary problem for the Scottish Parliament has been managing spending growth not squeeze. While there are calls to replace Barnett, its benefits in terms of providing budgetary stability and the flexibility to deal with specific funding problems are significant and Barnett is well suited to the incremental approach through which the British public finances are managed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a case study of a 56-year-old man who was admitted to the hospital due to a significant pain in his left thigh. He underwent a surgical treatment wherein a surgical nail had been inserted into each thigh. The patient X-ray examinations shows a stress fracture of the locking screw of femoral nail. The patient was diagnosed with acute spondylodiscitis that complicates with intervertebral disc abscess, epidural abscess and paraspinal abscess.

In the UK, discussion of good citizenship during the COVID‐19 pandemic largely focused on compliance and non‐compliance with government rules. In this paper, we offer an alternative point of focus. Pandemic governance proceeded not only through rules/morality, but also through freedom/ethics. Good citizenship, therefore, involved practical reasoning in response to situations. We demonstrate this using diaries and other forms of writing collected by Mass Observation during the first six months of the pandemic. Responses to government rules and guidance varied by situation. Many people found governance through freedom/ethics confusing and burdensome. Faced with ethical dilemmas, they managed risks and responsibilities by deliberating, weighing justifications, and sometimes falling back on rules of thumb or heuristics. Discussion of good citizenship during future emergencies would benefit from a greater focus on situations, dilemmas, and justifications. Good citizenship during the COVID‐19 pandemic involved not only compliance with rules but also practical reasoning in response to situations. We demonstrate this using diaries and other forms of writing collected by Mass Observation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Psychology undergraduates need to produce good quality essays in order to succeed at university. Students find the transition to university writing difficult. Using a rubric, a profile of student weakness in psychology essay writing was described. The students were generally poor at the structural organisation of their essays. A pilot intervention to improve essay structure was designed based on the profile of student weakness. The intervention was trialled with a group of 23 psychology undergraduate students. Those students who took part in the intervention programme had higher exam essay marks with longer and more clearly structured essays after the programme than a matched group of controls. The intervention group students produced essays that linked evidence more clearly to topics and provided better conclusion sections. Psychology tutors were able to show improvement in student writing with a short explicit lesson based on a discipline-specific profile of writing. However, there was no improvement in vocabulary for linking topics and the structure of the introductions remained poor. Ideas for the further development of this intervention are discussed. (Contains 4 tables.)

Background: Retinoblastoma is the most common intra-ocular malignancy in children and frequently presents in very young patients who commonly require intravenous carboplatin. Delivering this is challenging due to a lack of uniform dosing recommendations, rapid changes in physiological function and the risk of side-effects., Methods: We conducted a retrospective review of neonates and infants in the UK with retinoblastoma, who have undergone carboplatin therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM). We report on the pharmacokinetic, treatment efficacy and toxicity data., Results: In total, 29 patients (median age 5 weeks at treatment onset) underwent a total of 74 TDM guided cycles of chemotherapy, involving real time sampling and dose adjustment. An additional 13 patients underwent TDM sampling to modify doses between cycles. Without the adoption of TDM guided dosing, carboplatin exposures would have been ≥20% outside the target AUC in 38/78 (49%) of treatment cycles. Excellent responses and a reassuringly low incidence of toxicities were observed following dose adjustment, despite the young patient age and the implementation of dose increases in the majority of cases., Conclusions: Real time TDM is safe, effective and deliverable for neonates and infants receiving carboplatin for retinoblastoma and should be considered standard of care up to the age of 6 months., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: A small amount of evidence suggests that nasal sprays, or physical activity and stress management, could shorten the duration of respiratory infections. This study aimed to assess the effect of nasal sprays or a behavioural intervention promoting physical activity and stress management on respiratory illnesses, compared with usual care., Methods: This randomised, controlled, open-label, parallel-group trial was done at 332 general practitioner practices in the UK. Eligible adults (aged ≥18 years) had at least one comorbidity or risk factor increasing their risk of adverse outcomes due to respiratory illness (eg, immune compromise due to serious illness or medication; heart disease; asthma or lung disease; diabetes; mild hepatic impairment; stroke or severe neurological problem; obesity [BMI ≥30 kg/m 2 ]; or age ≥65 years) or at least three self-reported respiratory tract infections in a normal year (ie, any year before the COVID-19 pandemic). Participants were randomly assigned (1:1:1:1) using a computerised system to: usual care (brief advice about managing illness); gel-based spray (two sprays per nostril at the first sign of an infection or after potential exposure to infection, up to 6 times per day); saline spray (two sprays per nostril at the first sign of an infection or after potential exposure to infection, up to 6 times per day); or a brief behavioural intervention in which participants were given access to a website promoting physical activity and stress management. The study was partially masked: neither investigators nor medical staff were aware of treatment allocation, and investigators who did the statistical analysis were unaware of treatment allocation. The sprays were relabelled to maintain participant masking. Outcomes were assessed using data from participants' completed monthly surveys and a survey at 6 months. The primary outcome was total number of days of illness due to self-reported respiratory tract illnesses (coughs, colds, sore throat, sinus or ear infections, influenza, or COVID-19) in the previous 6 months, assessed in the modified intention-to-treat population, which included all randomly assigned participants who had primary outcome data available. Key secondary outcomes were possible harms, including headache or facial pain, and antibiotic use, assessed in all randomly assigned participants. This trial was registered with ISRCTN, 17936080, and is closed to recruitment., Findings: Between Dec 12, 2020, and April 7, 2023, of 19 475 individuals screened for eligibility, 13 799 participants were randomly assigned to usual care (n=3451), gel-based nasal spray (n=3448), saline nasal spray (n=3450), or the digital intervention promoting physical activity and stress management (n=3450). 11 612 participants had complete data for the primary outcome and were included in the primary outcome analysis (usual care group, n=2983; gel-based spray group, n=2935; saline spray group, n=2967; behavioural website group, n=2727). Compared with participants in the usual care group, who had a mean of 8·2 (SD 16·1) days of illness, the number of days of illness was significantly lower in the gel-based spray group (mean 6·5 days [SD 12·8]; adjusted incidence rate ratio [IRR] 0·82 [99% CI 0·76-0·90]; p<0·0001) and the saline spray group (6·4 days [12·4]; 0·81 [0·74-0·88]; p<0·0001), but not in the group allocated to the behavioural website (7·4 days [14·7]; 0·97 [0·89-1·06]; p=0·46). The most common adverse event was headache or sinus pain in the gel-based group: 123 (4·8%) of 2556 participants in the usual care group; 199 (7·8%) of 2498 participants in the gel-based group (risk ratio 1·61 [95% CI 1·30-1·99]; p<0·0001); 101 (4·5%) of 2377 participants in the saline group (0·81 [0·63-1·05]; p=0·11); and 101 (4·5%) of 2091 participants in the behavioural intervention group (0·95 [0·74-1·22]; p=0·69). Compared with usual care, antibiotic use was lower for all interventions: IRR 0·65 (95% CI 0·50-0·84; p=0·001) for the gel-based spray group; 0·69 (0·45-0·88; p=0·003) for the saline spray group; and 0·74 (0·57-0·94; p=0·02) for the behavioural website group., Interpretation: Advice to use either nasal spray reduced illness duration and both sprays and the behavioural website reduced antibiotic use. Future research should aim to address the impact of the widespread implementation of these simple interventions., Funding: National Institute for Health and Care Research., Competing Interests: Declaration of interests We declare no competing interests., (Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an Open Access article under the CC BY 4.0 license. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Background: Prenatal alcohol exposure represents a substantial public health concern as it may lead to detrimental outcomes, including pregnancy complications and fetal alcohol spectrum disorder. Although UK national guidance recommends abstaining from alcohol if pregnant or planning a pregnancy, evidence suggests that confusion remains on this topic among members of the public, and little is known about what questions people have about consumption of alcohol in pregnancy outside of health care settings., Objective: This study aims to assess what questions and topics are raised on alcohol in pregnancy on a web-based UK-based parenting forum and how these correspond to official public health guidelines with respect to 2 critical events: the implementation of the revised UK Chief Medical Officers' (CMO) low-risk drinking guidelines (2016) and the first COVID-19 pandemic lockdown (2020)., Methods: All thread starts mentioning alcohol in the "Pregnancy" forum were collected from Mumsnet for the period 2002 to 2022 and analyzed using qualitative content analysis. Descriptive statistics were used to characterize the number and proportion of thread starts for each topic over the whole study period and for the periods corresponding to the change in CMO guidance and the COVID-19 pandemic., Results: A total of 395 thread starts were analyzed, and key topics included "Asking for advice on whether it is safe to consume alcohol" or on "safe limits" and concerns about having consumed alcohol before being aware of a pregnancy. In addition, the Mumsnet thread starts included discussions and information seeking on "Research, guidelines, and official information about alcohol in pregnancy." Topics discussed on Mumsnet regarding alcohol in pregnancy remained broadly similar between 2002 and 2022, although thread starts disclosing prenatal alcohol use were more common before the introduction of the revised CMO guidance than in later periods., Conclusions: Web-based discussions within a UK parenting forum indicated that users were often unclear on guidance and risks associated with prenatal alcohol use and that they used this platform to seek information and reassurance from peers., (©Nessie Felicia Frennesson, Julie Barnett, Youssouf Merouani, Angela Attwood, Luisa Zuccolo, Cheryl McQuire. Originally published in JMIR Infodemiology (https://infodemiology.jmir.org), 20.06.2024.)

Objectives: We evaluated Nanopore sequencing for influenza surveillance., Methods: Influenza A and B PCR-positive samples from hospital patients in Oxfordshire, UK, and a UK-wide population survey from winter 2022-23 underwent Nanopore sequencing following targeted rt-PCR amplification., Results: From 941 infections, successful sequencing was achieved in 292/388 (75 %) available Oxfordshire samples: 231 (79 %) A/H3N2, 53 (18 %) A/H1N1, and 8 (3 %) B/Victoria and in 53/113 (47 %) UK-wide samples. Sequencing was more successful at lower Ct values. Most same-sample replicate sequences had identical haemagglutinin segments (124/141, 88 %); 36/39 (92 %) Illumina vs. Nanopore comparisons were identical, and 3 (8 %) differed by 1 variant. Comparison of Oxfordshire and UK-wide sequences showed frequent inter-regional transmission. Infections were closely-related to 2022-23 vaccine strains. Only one sample had a neuraminidase inhibitor resistance mutation. 849/941 (90 %) Oxfordshire infections were community-acquired. 63/88 (72 %) potentially healthcare-associated cases shared a hospital ward with ≥ 1 known infectious case. 33 epidemiologically-plausible transmission links had sequencing data for both source and recipient: 8 were within ≤ 5 SNPs, of these, 5 (63 %) involved potential sources that were also hospital-acquired., Conclusions: Nanopore influenza sequencing was reproducible and antiviral resistance rare. Inter-regional transmission was common; most infections were genomically similar. Hospital-acquired infections are likely an important source of nosocomial transmission and should be prioritised for infection prevention and control., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest No author has a conflict of interest to declare., (Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

During the COVID-19 pandemic clinical practice in obstetrics and gynaecology (O&G) underwent swift and dramatic changes, some transient, others permanent. Training, continuous professional development, educational supervision, and other non-patient facing roles were initially paused. Trainees and trainers saw unprecedented changes to their working patterns. With these changes it is unsurprising there was a significant effect on training in O&G. For the majority obstetric training was unaffected. However, most trainees reported a reduction to their gynaecological training. Furthermore, three quarters of trainees reported COVID had negatively impacted on both their physical and mental well-being. Training recovery has been proactively managed and the impact on progression for many mitigated. There is no doubt the COVID-19 impacted training in O&G. The pandemic has had a greater impact on gynaecological training than obstetric training. The impact on gynaecological operative training persists. The long-term effects on trainees remain to be seen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, the economic policy uncertainty in various countries has gradually increased with the increasing complexity of global economic situation, and foreign direct investment and trade have also been impacted. As a historic event, does Brexit affect the economic consequences of economic policy uncertainty? In this regard, we aim to examine the Brexit spillovers on five major EU member states and the UK through economic policy uncertainty. Cluster analysis and TVP-VAR model are used to analyze the impact of economic policy uncertainty (EPU) on foreign direct investment (FDI) and international trade (TRADE) during Brexit. The results at different time horizons show that, in addition to the Netherlands, impulse responses of foreign direct investment and international trade have the characteristics of positive and negative conversion. Despite all this, impulse responses of international trade are lower than those of foreign direct investment. Time points when foreign direct investment and international trade have the greatest impulse response vary from country to country. Overall, the impact of economic policy uncertainty on them is more reflected in the late Brexit period. Based on the above findings, we draw policy implications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The internal structure and architecture of evaporite sequences is often overlooked, with attention frequently concentrating on the external geometries that salt bodies form. The availability of extensive 3D seismic data affords the opportunity to interpret the internal structures within these evaporite sequences and comprehensively characterise the different structural facies over large areas. This paper concentrates on the Zechstein Supergroup evaporite deposits within the Southern North Sea of the United Kingdom's Continental Shelf. This analysis of the internal structural complexity and stratigraphic heterogeneity utilises 26,000 km2 of 3D seismic data together with over 96 wells from the Southern North Sea. Characterisation of the different structural facies present was undertaken alongside mapping their spatial distribution to understand the relationship they have with one another and the structural evolution that may have been taken. This work has (1) characterised and mapped six different internal structural facies present within the Zechstein with increasing levels of deformation; (2) shown the internal lithological heterogeneity is indicative of variations in the vertical strength profile of layered evaporite sequences; (3) discontinuous high‐amplitude reflections within the Zechstein are as a result of the geometries being too steeply dipping for the seismic data to image; and (4) the ability to possibly predict the internal heterogeneity of areas of poorly imaged salt, such as within large diapiric salt structures, from surrounding structural facies. These findings suggest that there is significant internal complexity even within areas of the basin with minor mobilisation to the external salt geometry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Following a decades long period of investigational dormancy, there is renewed interest in employing psychedelics as psychiatric treatments. The academic journals, institutions, and countries that have helped sustain clinical psychedelic research and the evolution of the literature on clinical studies of psychedelics have only recently begun to be investigated. To expand upon this work, we conducted a bibliometric analysis of clinical studies of 5-methoxy-N, N-dimethyltryptamine (5-MeO-DMT), ayahuasca, dimethyltryptamine (DMT), lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), ibogaine, mescaline, 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), and psilocybin published from 1965–2021. Our search revealed 394 relevant articles. After a lull from the 1970s-1990s, publications in this area have resurged. Studies most frequently focused on MDMA (49%), LSD (19%), psilocybin (18%), and ayahuasca (7%). A subanalysis of studies from 1965 to 2009 ("Older cohort") compared to 2010–2021 ("Recent cohort") revealed that the Recent cohort had a higher proportion of studies investigating psychedelics' therapeutic applications and a lower proportion of studies investigating the effects of psychedelics on people using them in non-research settings. Compared to the Older cohort, psilocybin studies increased proportionally in the Recent cohort, while DMT and mescaline studies decreased. Network analyses of inter-country collaborations suggested that psychedelic researchers in the United Kingdom have the most diverse international collaborations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transnational education (TNE) is a fast moving area. The growth of TNE provision across the higher education (HE) sector has meant professional staff have developed considerable experience and knowledge in this field. However, the development of online and distance learning provision combined with the changing TNE landscape has given rise to new and innovative partnership types and models, creating new market opportunities, and inevitably more competition. New market entrants offer customised content, routes to qualifications, learning and tuition solutions, which present new partnership opportunities for universities. However, organisational practices for due diligence, stakeholder management, quality assurance, financial investment, decision-making and commercial and legal support can require significant adaptation and management. Professional staff must consider new ways to evaluate potential opportunities and risks in TNE where these involve multiple agencies and third parties. This article provides an insight into how these changes in the TNE environment impact professional staff in HE.

Background: Arteriovenous fistulas are considered the best option for haemodialysis provision, but as many as 30% fail to mature or suffer early failure., Objective: To assess the feasibility of performing a randomised controlled trial that examines whether, by informing early and effective salvage intervention of fistulas that would otherwise fail, Doppler ultrasound surveillance of developing arteriovenous fistulas improves longer-term arteriovenous fistula patency., Design: A prospective multicentre observational cohort study (the 'SONAR' study)., Setting: Seventeen haemodialysis centres in the UK., Participants: Consenting adults with end-stage renal disease who were scheduled to have an arteriovenous fistula created., Intervention: Participants underwent Doppler ultrasound surveillance of their arteriovenous fistulas at 2, 4, 6 and 10 weeks after creation, with clinical teams blinded to the ultrasound surveillance findings., Main Outcome Measures: Fistula maturation at week 10 defined according to ultrasound surveillance parameters of representative venous diameter and blood flow (wrist arteriovenous fistulas: ≥ 4 mm and > 400 ml/minute; elbow arteriovenous fistulas: ≥ 5 mm and > 500 ml/minute). Mixed multivariable logistic regression modelling of the early ultrasound scan data was used to predict arteriovenous fistula non-maturation by 10 weeks and fistula failure at 6 months., Results: A total of 333 arteriovenous fistulas were created during the study window (47.7% wrist, 52.3% elbow). By 2 weeks, 37 (11.1%) arteriovenous fistulas had failed (thrombosed), but by 10 weeks, 219 of 333 (65.8%) of created arteriovenous fistulas had reached maturity (60.4% wrist, 67.2% elbow). Persistently lower flow rates and venous diameters were observed in those fistulas that did not mature. Models for arteriovenous fistulas' non-maturation could be optimally constructed using the week 4 scan data, with fistula venous diameter and flow rate the most significant variables in explaining wrist fistula maturity failure (positive predictive value 60.6%, 95% confidence interval 43.9% to 77.3%), whereas resistance index and flow rate were most significant for elbow arteriovenous fistulas (positive predictive value 66.7%, 95% confidence interval 48.9% to 84.4%). In contrast to non-maturation, both models predicted fistula maturation much more reliably [negative predictive values of 95.4% (95% confidence interval 91.0% to 99.8%) and 95.6% (95% confidence interval 91.8% to 99.4%) for wrist and elbow, respectively]. Additional follow-up and modelling on a subset ( n  = 192) of the original SONAR cohort (the SONAR-12M study) revealed the rates of primary, assisted primary and secondary patency arteriovenous fistulas at 6 months were 76.5, 80.7 and 83.3, respectively. Fistula vein size, flow rate and resistance index could identify primary patency failure at 6 months, with similar predictive power as for 10-week arteriovenous fistula maturity failure, but with wide confidence intervals for wrist (positive predictive value 72.7%, 95% confidence interval 46.4% to 99.0%) and elbow (positive predictive value 57.1%, 95% confidence interval 20.5% to 93.8%). These models, moreover, performed poorly at identifying assisted primary and secondary patency failure, likely because a subset of those arteriovenous fistulas identified on ultrasound surveillance as at risk underwent subsequent successful salvage intervention without recourse to early ultrasound data., Conclusions: Although early ultrasound can predict fistula maturation and longer-term patency very effectively, it was only moderately good at identifying those fistulas likely to remain immature or to fail within 6 months. Allied to the better- than-expected fistula patency rates achieved (that are further improved by successful salvage), we estimate that a randomised controlled trial comparing early ultrasound-guided intervention against standard care would require at least 1300 fistulas and would achieve only minimal patient benefit., Trial Registration: This trial is registered as ISRCTN36033877 and ISRCTN17399438., Funding: This award was funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Health Technology Assessment programme (NIHR award ref: NIHR135572) and is published in full in Health Technology Assessment ; Vol. 28, No. 24. See the NIHR Funding and Awards website for further award information.

The U.S. Global Change Research Program reports that the frequency and intensity of extreme heat are increasing globally. Studies of the impact of climate change on child health often exclude sleep, despite its importance for healthy growth and development. To address this gap in the literature, we studied the impact of unusually high temperatures in the summer of 2022 on infants' sleep. Sleep was assessed objectively using Nanit camera monitors in infants' homes. Generally, sleep was not impacted when temperatures stayed below 88° but was negatively impacted when temperatures reached over 100°. Compared to non-heatwave nights, infants had less total sleep, less efficient sleep, took longer to fall asleep, had more fragmented sleep, and parents' visits were more frequent during the night. Following peaks in temperature, sleep metrics rebounded to better than average compared to non-peak nights, suggesting that infants compensated for disrupted sleep by sleeping more and with fewer interruptions once the temperature dropped below 85°. Increased instances of disrupted sleep in infancy have important implications for psychological health and development. Climate disruptions such as heat waves that create occasional or ongoing sleep disruptions can leave infants vulnerable and unprepared for learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article draws on a model of reflection that involves creating meanings through repeated encounters with evocative objects. Responses to one such evocative object, a 20-second video clip of children playing in the fine sand area, illustrates the "turning toward" and then "turning away" from the object to engage with broader themes. Parten's play types are used when analyzing children's play in the fine sand area (the evocative object). The focus then turns away to themes of English as a second language, messy play, energies of childhood, and Foucault's docile bodies. The intention was to integrate loosely formulated research aims relating to quality of the physical environment within the evolving life of the nursery setting to encourage a developing research orientation and reflective disposition. This way of approaching practitioner research is well adapted to a longer-term engagement with enduring areas of interest, such as developing the potential of the physical environment.

This paper provides a network analysis of the international flow of students among 210 countries and the factors determining the structure of this flow. Among these factors, bilateral hyperlink connections between countries and the number of telephone minutes (communication variables) are the most important predictors of the flow's structure, followed by trade, the physical distance between countries, a common border between countries and a common language between two countries. The USA is by far the most central country in the flow of international students, followed by China, the UK, France, Germany, Australia and India. These results are discussed in light of World-System Theory. Future research should examine how the network of international student flows changes over time and consider additional factors to provide a better understanding of the network as an international system.

Pharmacists have traditionally supported the prescribing process, arguably in reactive or corrective roles. The advent of pharmacist prescribing in 2004 represented a major shift in practice, leading to greater responsibility for making clinical decisions with and for patients. Prescribing rights require pharmacists to take a more prescriptive role that will allow them to contribute to long-standing prescribing challenges such as poor medication adherence, overprescribing, and the need for shared decision-making and person-centered care. Central to these endeavors are the development and possession of effective consultation skills. University schools of pharmacists in the UK now routinely include consultation skills training, which is also provided by national education bodies. These challenges remain difficult to overcome, even though it is understood, for example, that increasing the effectiveness of adherence interventions may have a far greater impact on the health of the population than any improvement in specific medical treatments. More recently, a concerted effort has been made to tackle overprescribing and the harm that may occur through the inappropriate use of medication. In routine pharmacy work, these priorities may linger at the bottom of the list due to the busy and complex nature of the work. Solutions to these problems of adherence, optimizing benefits of medication, and overprescribing have typically been pragmatic and structured. However, an arguably reductionist approach to implementation fails to address the complex patient interactions around prescribing and taking medication, and the heterogeneity of the patient's experience, leaving the answers elusive. We suggest that it is essential to explore how person-centered care is perceived and to emphasize the relational aspects of clinical consultations. The development of routine pharmacist prescribing demands building on the core values of person-centered care and shared decision making by introducing the concepts of "relational prescribing" and "open dialogue" to cultivate an essential pharmacotherapeutic alliance to deliver concrete positive patient outcomes. We provide a vignette of how a clinical case can be approached using principles of relational prescribing and open dialogue. We believe these are solutions that are not additional tasks but must be embedded into pharmacy practice. This will improve professional satisfaction and resilience, and encourage curiosity and creativity, particularly with the advent of all pharmacists in Great Britain becoming prescribers at graduation from 2026. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diaries and other materials in the Mass Observation Archive have been characterised as intersubjective and dialogic. They have been used to study top-down and bottom-up processes, including how ordinary people respond to sociological constructs and, more broadly, the footprint of social science in the 20th century. In this article, we use the Archive's COVID-19 collections to study how attempts to govern the pandemic by mobilising ordinary people to see like an epidemiologist played out in the United Kingdom during 2020. People were asked to think in terms of populations and groups; rates, trends, and distributions; the capacity of public services; and complex systems of causation. How did they respond? How did they use the statistics, charts, maps, concepts, identities, and roles they were given? We find evidence of engagement with science plural ; confident and comfortable engagement with epidemiological terms and concepts; sceptical and reluctant engagement with epidemiological subject positions; use of both scientific and moral literacy to negotiate regulations and guidance; and use of scientific literacy to compare and judge government performance. Governing the pandemic through scientific literacy was partially successful, but in some unexpected ways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Towards the end of the nineteenth century some individuals, such as the African-American Ida B. Wells, began to write about the close connections between racial prejudice and the politics of gender within the emerging civil rights and feminist movements. The historical geographies of such debates in Britain, debates that challenged racial prejudice within Britain, the British empire and in other parts of the globe, are relatively underexamined. Our knowledge of the extent to which these debates became aligned with first-wave feminist ideas is also limited. This article highlights one of the women, Catherine Impey, who was key to an emerging British discussion that critiqued racial prejudice in the British empire. Her journal, Anti-Caste, in which these discussions were aired was read by early feminists such as Wells and Isabella Ormston Ford. However, although Impey was supportive of some issues associated with the feminist movement, such as the demand for female suffrage, she is absent from feminist historiography. Through the example of the anti-caste movement, this article considers the extent to which the early feminist movement in Britain aligned itself with forms of prejudice beyond those of gender, and how the overlapping of such debates might have determined the extent to which Catherine Impey played a part in the emerging women's movement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents a discussion of the journalist and activist Ida B. Wells, focusing on her travel to Great Britain in the 1890s. Wells undertook the trip in order to speak publicly on the lynchings which were common in the southern U.S. at that time. Quotes from her articles and books recounting her travels and views are included. The ways in which her work and words defied social stereotypes of the time are analyzed. Well's pleasure at being treated courteously by white British people is noted. Some background information is provided in terms of her experiences in the U.S. as well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Synopsis: This article examines the lectures and reception of Ida B. Wells during her 1893 and 1894 anti-lynching tours of Great Britain. Focusing on the rhetorical strategies Wells used in her lectures on these tours, and the way in which she capitalized upon the attention she received in the press, I argue that these tours show us that Wells was at the center of British reform rather than marginalized or a lone militant as she would later become in the United States. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Our research, conducted with 30 Black students at a predominantly White institution, used mixed qualitative methods to investigate Black students' sense‐making of experiences that signalled their non‐belonging. All participants experienced both overt and covert racism including the n‐word, racist humour, and negative stereotyping; and this occurred in public and intimate spaces. Our reflexive thematic analysis centred on interactional dynamics that can explain how racism on campus is rendered acceptable; and how and why this is consequential for how Black students can act. We found that White students' practices of "acceptable" racism entailed the denial of responsibility and the privileging of White experiences to deflect responsibility. Importantly, these devices signal that the use of racist discourses does not always arise from unconscious bias or naivety. The perceived power dynamics whereby White students decide who belongs and what is acceptable contributed to Black students' inability to act on their own terms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Upland peatlands are nationally and internationally important habitats that can provide a range of ecosystem services, but many are considered degraded by human activities. On Exmoor, (South West England, UK) restoration activities are often aimed at reversing the effects of nineteenth century agricultural 'improvement' schemes, the effects of which are not yet fully understood. To develop this understanding, long-term ecological context is essential. We used sub-fossil pollen, plant macrofossils, testate amoebae, insects, coprophilous fungal spores and charcoal to study ecological conditions and disturbance regimes over the last ~ 7700 years at a site in Exmoor National Park ('Ricksy Ball'). Multivariate analyses were used to explore changes in ecological communities over time and a range of techniques were used to establish the chronology. During the last ~ 7700 years, anthropogenic disturbance regimes (burning, grazing, drainage) have varied through time, reflecting changing land use and management, the effects of which are evident in vegetation (pollen, plant macrofossils) and microbial (testate amoebae) communities. In particular, a combination of drainage and high-intensity grazing appears to have substantially altered local ecology during the nineteenth century, indicated by increases in coprophilous fungal spores and the loss of Sphagnum and associated biota. This occurred in the context of more gradual, centennial-scale declines in Sphagnum and microbial biovolumes. We provide a range of reference conditions and show that the moorland has been influenced by land management changes for millennia, and this may have been most pronounced during the nineteenth century. There is no single, readily identifiable, 'stable' pre-drainage baseline. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Under-investment in public service journalism has led to growing interest in the possibility of philanthropic support for the sector. Though long associated with non-profit journalism in North America, there is little tradition of philanthropy in UK journalism. This paper explains how recognition of public interest journalism as charitable can be achieved through more constructive interpretations of the existing law. Despite its initially conservative response, the Charity Commission has recently taken important steps towards recognising defined forms of journalism as charitable under the existing law. This paper reviews the democratic imperatives fulfilled by public interest journalism which justify such developments; and seeks to demonstrate how this framework for defining public interest journalism aligns with the public benefit requirement in charity law, opening up the possibility of new forms of charitably funded 'public benefit journalism'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is little awareness among pharmacists of the existence of the Montgomery judgment or its potential implications for medicines‐related consultations. Nina Barnett and Claudia Carr therefore undertook a survey of pharmacists in England to create a baseline for current knowledge about informed consent in the context of medicines‐related consultations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Each year there seems to be an increase in the number of mature students enrolled in my Bachelor of Education (BEd) classes. These mature learners experience stress. As there is a need to better comprehend the experiences of the adult learner enrolled in a one-year intensive tertiary education programme, I enrolled in university as a student, and kept a journal as a Narrative research source. I experienced insecurity, loneliness, excitement, a sense of selfishness; I questioned what I was doing, learned a new language, and became an explorer. I became a better teacher because of this experience.

Introduction: While most children have developed effective handwriting by secondary school age, some have handwriting difficulties that hamper academic progress. Occupational therapists play a role in assessment and planning support, which may include introducing typing as an alternative. However, there is limited understanding regarding how decisions are made about recommending typing. This study explored the support provided to adolescents with handwriting difficulties by occupational therapists, and the contextual factors that influence their decision-making. Method: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 13 occupational therapists and analysed using thematic analysis. Findings: Although there was shared practice underpinned by occupational therapy philosophy, there was also divergent practice due to different approaches. Roles and responsibilities, resources, and evidence and experience influenced occupational therapists' practice. Understanding the adolescent's motivation, the effect of handwriting difficulties on well-being and the need for a functional method to record schoolwork, was central to occupational therapists' decision-making to recommend typing. Conclusion: Strategies are needed to address the knowledge-practice gap, including evidence-based guidelines. Closer collaboration between occupational therapists and school staff could increase understanding of roles and highlight the unique occupational therapy contribution. Further research examining whether, when and how to introduce typing as an alternative to handwriting would support best practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The collection of papers in this special issue arose from the 2018 and 2019 workshops in Integrated Microscopy Approaches in Archaeobotany (henceforth IMAA), hosted by the University of Reading, UK. The IMAA has an interdisciplinary ethos and not only brings together students and specialists to facilitate cross-sector exchanges of a broad variety of skills, but also the discussions that take place there are driven by a practical microscopy element. The IMAA crosses boundaries between archaeobotany, palaeoecology and wider geoscientific and archaeological specialisms, as well as between professional sectors, which is reflected in the contributions to this special issue. The papers continue to develop our interpretations and understanding of taphonomic processes in archaeobotanical assemblages, with several highlighting the important role ethnoarchaeological and experimental approaches have to play in untangling these complex processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

What is it to be a university? In what does the being of the university reside in the 21st century? To draw on a Heideggerian expression, what is its "being possible"? To address such questions seriously, we are drawn to imagine the university as it might unfold and so sketch out feasible utopias for it. But such a project of the imagination requires in the first place a sense as to the past and present trajectory of the university. The dominant ideas--and forms--of the university have to be identified. A further step taken here is that of furnishing conceptual resources that may help us imagine the university into the future. Four imaginaries of the university are then sketched, with allegiance being given especially to the coming of the ecological university.

If a curriculum in higher education is understood to be an educational vehicle to promote a student's development, and if a curriculum in higher education is also understood to be built in large part around a project of knowledge, then the issue arises as to the links between knowledge and student being and becoming. A distinction is made here between knowing as such and "coming" to know, with the focus on the latter. It is argued that the process of coming to know can be edifying: through the challenges of engaging over time with disciplines and their embedded standards, worthwhile dispositions and qualities may develop, the worthwhileness arising through the formation of "epistemic virtues". Examples of such dispositions and qualities are identified, with differences between dispositions, on the one hand, and qualities, on the other hand, being observed. Educational implications of understanding the nurturing of student being in this way are sketched, with a set of 10 principles offered for curricula and pedagogy. It is suggested, finally, that the clarifying of the relationship between knowing and being is not only a value-laden but also a pressing matter.