Search

Discusses the impact of employee share ownership scheme on trade union and industrial relations in Great Britain. Employee responses to financial participation; Divergence between management objectives and employee relations; Factors that favors the share scheme; Association of financial participation with company performance.

Background Nonmelanoma skin cancer (NMSC) is the most common tumour following solid organ transplantation. In 2000 a survey of U.K. centres managing renal transplant recipients (RTRs) showed that only 21% offered skin cancer surveillance. Objectives The survey was repeated in 2006 in the U.K. and Australia. The aims were to determine if U.K. practice had changed since 2000, to define skin cancer surveillance practice in Australian RTRs and to compare this with that in the U.K. Methods Questionnaires were sent to 84 U.K. and 45 Australian centres providing long-term RTR follow-up. Results Fifty-six (67%) U.K. centres caring for 82% ( n = 16 349) of the RTR population replied. Sixty-six per cent provided annual skin cancer surveillance and 39% offered full skin examination (FSE) compared with 21% and 20% in 2000. Eighty-one per cent of surveillance was performed by nondermatologists ( n = 30), nine (30%) of whom had received formal training for the role. Thirty-one (69%) Australian centres covering 86% ( n = 5392) of the RTR population responded. Ninety-seven per cent provided skin cancer surveillance, and 61% offered FSE. Forty per cent ( n = 12) of skin cancer surveillance was conducted by nondermatologists. Two nondermatologists had received formal training. Conclusions Despite a substantial improvement in the provision of skin cancer surveillance for RTRs in the U.K. between 2000 and 2006, only 39% of units offer FSE. In contrast, virtually all Australian centres offer annual skin cancer surveillance, with more dermatology involvement. Lack of training for nondermatologists involved in skin cancer surveillance is evident in both countries. The availability of dermatologists and the variation in NMSC risk between the populations may explain the different practices observed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reports on a study of skin cancer surveillance in Great Britain health centers managing renal transplant recipients. Increased risk of non-melanoma skin cancer among transplant recipients; Methods; Results; Conclusion that patients and medical personnel caring for them need to made aware of the risks.

Background: Psychoses, especially schizophrenia, are often preceded by cognitive deficits and psychosis risk states. Altered metabolic profiles have been found in schizophrenia. However, the associations between metabolic profiles and poorer cognitive performance and psychosis risk in the population remain to be determined., Methods: Detailed molecular profiles were measured for up to 8976 individuals from two general population-based prospective birth cohorts: the Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1986 (NFBC 1986) and the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC). A high-throughput nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy platform was used to quantify 70 metabolic measures at age 15-16 years in the NFBC 1986 and at ages 15 and 17 years in ALSPAC. Psychosis risk was assessed using the PROD-screen questionnaire at age 15-16 years in the NFBC 1986 or the psychotic-like symptoms assessment at age 17 years in ALSPAC. Cognitive measures included academic performance at age 16 years in both cohorts and general intelligence and executive function in ALSPAC. Logistic regression measured cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between metabolic measures and psychosis risk and cognitive performance, controlling for important covariates., Results: Seven metabolic measures, primarily fatty acid (FA) measures, showed cross-sectional associations with general cognitive performance, four across both cohorts (low density lipoprotein diameter, monounsaturated FA ratio, omega-3 ratio and docosahexaenoic acid ratio), even after controlling for important mental and physical health covariates. Psychosis risk showed minimal metabolic associations., Conclusions: FA ratios may be important in marking risk for cognitive deficits in adolescence. Further research is needed to clarify whether these biomarkers could be causal and thereby possible targets for intervention.