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A systematic review: Which psycho-social-environmental factors do autistic students identify as being important for positive experiences in mainstream secondary school?
Get PDFMainstream secondary school can be a challenging environment for autistic students, in part due to social and sensory factors. Research to date has focussed on identifying the negative aspects of school experience; however, few studies have identified factors that promote positive experiences. We take a neuro-affirmative approach when exploring how schools can support autistic students, informed by both the social and the human rights models of disability. We conducted a systematic review of qualitative studies in which autistic adolescents and adults identified factors that related to positive experiences in mainstream secondary school. We identified 117 relevant studies and 36 met inclusion criteria. Through thematic synthesis, we developed overarching themes: ‘Understanding and Acceptance’, ‘Environments that suit me’ and ‘Agency to meet my needs’, with additional subthemes. This study identified that agency, understanding and acceptance by both staff and peers, as well as access to engaging activities, were key factors in creating a positive and supportive environment for autistic students. Adaptation to both the social and sensory contexts were important to meet the needs of autistic students. The findings suggest that policy and practice should focus on creating a positive environment in schools for autistic students, in addition to addressing current challenges
Clinical Outcomes of Benzodiazepine Prescribing for People Receiving Opioid Agonist Treatment: A Systematic Review of the Evidence
Get PDFMany countries are experiencing an increased use of unregulated benzodiazepines in combination with opioids and other drugs, which contributes to drug-related harm. This descriptive review identifies and synthesises the outcomes of studies co-prescribing benzodiazepines and opioids. A systematic review was undertaken in Medline, CINAHL, PsychInfo, Embase, and the Cochrane databases covering publications from 1 January 1991 to 18 November 2021. Inclusion criteria were peer reviewed, English language studies of adults prescribed opioid agonist treatment (OAT) and a concurrent benzodiazepine, and reporting outcome data. Of the 4370 titles screened, 18 papers were included. The main outcomes identified covered all-cause mortality (ACM) (n = 5); overdose death (n = 3); retention in treatment (n = 7); and hospitalisation/emergency department encounters (n = 2). Other outcomes included QTc interval, cognitive function, illicit drug use, and mental health. The prescription of benzodiazepines alongside OAT increased the ACM by 75–90%, while evidence on overdose death was less robust but indicative of increased risk (40–334%). There was an indicative positive effect on treatment retention, with increased retention in those prescribed a benzodiazepine with OAT compared to those not prescribed or taking non-prescribed benzodiazepines. In conclusion, methodologically robust epidemiological studies found increased ACM and overdose death but possibly improved retention. However confounders (e.g., psychiatric comorbidity) exist, so a trial is recommended
Prevalence and determinants of smoke-free homes in 12 European countries: the TackSHS Survey
Get PDFBackground Homes are one of the primary locations where people are exposed to second-hand smoke (SHS) in Europe. We describe the prevalence and identify the main determinants of having home-smoking restrictions in 12 European countries. Methods Cross-sectional survey in 12 European countries conducted in 2017–2018 (TackSHS Project). Approximately 1000 participants representing the general population aged ≥15 years of each country were interviewed face-to-face. Individual and country-level characteristics were explored through adjusted prevalence ratios (PR) obtained from multilevel Poisson models with random effects. Results Among 11 734 participants, 70.2% (95%CI: 69.4–71.0%) had smoke-free homes and 17.5% (95%CI: 16.8–18.2%) had partial home-smoking restrictions in place. Prevalence of smoke-free homes ranged from 44.4% in Greece to 84.5% in England. Having a smoke-free home was significantly inversely associated with current (PR=0.60) or former (PR=0.95) smoking and living in a household with one (PR=0.70) and two or more (PR=0.58) people who smoke. It was also significantly associated with being ≥65 years old (PR=1.05), being female (PR=1.07), having a high educational level (PR=1.09), and living with children (PR=1.09). Having a smoke-free home was associated with living in Northern Europe, while partial home-smoking restrictions were more likely among respondents from Eastern Europe and countries with lower per capita gross domestic product. Conclusions The prevalence of smoke-free homes in Europe is relatively high, but with large variability across countries. European countries with a lower prevalence of smoke-free homes should implement tailored interventions targeting identified determinants and incorporate the success of other countries
Megaflutes in the Menteith Hills, Central Scotland
Get PDF‘Flutings’ or ‘flutes’ are elongated, flow-parallel subglacial bedforms associated with relatively fast flowing glaciers. Analysis of recently acquired high-resolution (50 cm) LiDAR data has identified the presence of large, very low-relief flutings on the Menteith Hills in Central Scotland. These subtle landforms, up to 1 km in length and 10s of metres wide, are interpreted as ‘megaflutes’, falling in between the accepted definition of flutes and the much longer mega-scale glacial lineations. This new geomorphological evidence mapping suggests that the palaeo Teith Glacier grew thick enough to breach the local watershed, forcing a branch of glacier ice to flow into the Forth Valley. The megaflutes are located near the accepted Loch Lomond Stadial (Younger Dryas Stadial) limits in the area, yet are currently undated. Flutes are difficult to identify in the field, on aerial imagery or digital elevation models with ≤ 5 m resolution due to their low-relief and/or often widespread vegetation cover. LiDAR is therefore a valuable tool for revealing these landforms where they would otherwise go unnoticed. This new research offers a fresh perspective for the glacier landform record in a key part of Central Scotland and highlights the importance of high-resolution LiDAR data for mapping subtle glacial geomorphology
Above and Belowground Ecological Linkages in Temperate Forest Soils
No full textForests worldwide are an integral part of humanity’s natural capital in which stocks of natural assets generate ecosystem services that enhance the welfare of humans. These natural resources are crucial for accommodating a diverse range of species and regulating the climate, cycling nutrients, and supporting human livelihoods by providing a sustainable flow of goods and services. However, the loss of forest cover globally poses severe threats, including significant biodiversity loss, as forests are home to over 80% of terrestrial species. Deforestation and forest degradation, primarily driven by agriculture, leads to habitat fragmentation and diminished biodiversity, increased carbon emissions, and the degradation of land, which intensify the negative effects of climate change and threaten the well-being of both human and natural systems.
Global efforts to increase forest cover through reforestation and afforestation are crucial strategies to tackle these environmental challenges. However, these initiatives sometimes overlook the complex processes occurring belowground, which are vital for the long-term health and stability of forest ecosystems. Soil biodiversity and the interactions within soil communities play critical roles in nutrient cycling, water retention, and overall ecosystem resilience, factors that must be considered to ensure the success and sustainability of forest restoration efforts.
This thesis explores the complex relationships between the aboveground and belowground components of temperate forest ecosystems. It specifically examines the impact of woodland creation and maturation on soil sustainability and the overall health of the ecosystem. Throughout this thesis I use a chronosequence of woodland creation sites (20-160 years), comparing them to ancient woodland (250+ years) and adjacent pasture sites to investigate the mechanisms involved in soil carbon storage and the dynamic interactions within the rhizosphere. This includes the study of fine root morphology, microbial communities, earthworm populations, and soil physico-chemical properties to understand the impact of forest development and the transformation of agricultural land into woodlands on soil carbon stocks and biodiversity.
I demonstrate that woodland sites store more soil organic carbon than neighbouring pastures, with old-growth forests showing a fourfold increase. I also found that carbon levels in woodland soil aggregates vary with age, with woodlands aged between 81-160 years showing higher carbon concentrations in microaggregates and finer soil particles compared to pastures. I observed a reduction in specific root length as woodlands matured, suggesting a shift in root traits from efficient resource uptake to more conservative resource use. Fine roots play a crucial role in nutrient acquisition and symbiotic relationships with soil microorganisms, which led me to investigate the changes in microbial communities, such as bacteria and fungi, during different stages of woodland development. My research reveals that older woodlands support unique ectomycorrhizal communities influenced by tree species and woodland age. I also identified specific fungal taxa associated with different forest succession stages, providing insights into their ecological roles within woodland ecosystems. Additionally, I examine earthworm populations, which are known to play a significant role in soil bioturbation and nutrient cycling, further influencing the structure and function of the soil ecosystem. I found the abundance of earthworm functional groups vary with woodland age, with endogeic earthworms declining and epigeic earthworms increasing in relative abundance as woodlands mature. Species diversity increased with woodland age, peaking in the oldest woodlands. Woodland age and ground cover were identified as significant environmental factors influencing earthworm populations.
Overall, this thesis provides a comprehensive understanding of the ecological changes that occur during woodland creation and succession, highlighting the complex relationships between soil carbon storage, root morphology, microbial communities, and earthworm populations. My findings contribute to the field of forest ecology and can inform forest management practices to enhance biodiversity and ecological health
Modelled marine migrations of Atlantic salmon post-smolts from Irish and Scottish rivers vary interannually with local currents and salinity
Get PDFAtlantic salmon (Salmo salar) populations have suffered declines across their range in recent decades, largely attributed to decreasing marine survival rates. The first few months at sea are thought to be a time of particular vulnerability, but investigation into drivers of survival is limited by a lack of knowledge of migratory paths. Here, we model the early marine migration of Atlantic salmon from Scottish and Irish rivers over 27 years. Movement is simulated over the first 3 months at sea using a Lagrangian particle tracking model (FVCOM i-state configuration model) coupled with an active swimming model that is dependent on ocean currents, salinity, and compass direction. Our model is driven by the reanalysis of a high-resolution ocean model (Scottish Shelf Waters Reanalysis Service). Differences in the speed of migrations, the proportion of time spent in different oceanographic regions, and the proportion of migrations reaching the Norwegian Sea are seen between years. These differences are related to changes in local ocean conditions: years with lower on-shelf salinity, stronger on-shelf northwest currents, and stronger shelf-edge currents were associated with greater migration success. Within years, differences in modelled migrations between rivers were best explained by their minimum distance from the continental shelf edge
Characterization of the impact of dietary immunostimulant CpG on the expression of mRNA biomarkers involved in the immune responses in Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar)
Get PDFInfectious diseases have significantly impacted Atlantic salmon aquaculture worldwide. Modulating fish immunity with immunostimulant-containing functional feeds could be an effective strategy in mitigating disease problems. Previously, we characterized the impact of polyriboinosinic polyribocytidylic acid (pIC) and formalin-killed typical Aeromonas salmonicida bacterin on miRNA expression in Atlantic salmon fed a commercial diet with and without immunostimulant CpG. A set of miRNA biomarkers of Atlantic salmon head kidney responding to pIC and/or bacterin immune stimulations was identified (Xue et al., 2019) [1]. Herein, we report a complementary qPCR study that investigated the impact of the pIC, bacterin and dietary CpG on the expression of immune-relevant mRNAs (n = 31) using the same samples as in the previous study (Xue et al., 2019) [1]. Twenty-six of these genes were predicted target transcripts of the pIC- and/or bacterin-responsive miRNAs identified in the earlier study. The current data showed that pIC and/or bacterin stimulations significantly modulated the majority of the qPCR-analyzed genes involved in various immune pathways. Some genes responded to both stimulations (e.g. tnfa, il10rb, ifng, irf9, cxcr3, campb) while others appeared to be stimulation specific [e.g. irf3, irf7a, il1r1, mxa, mapk3 (pIC only); clra (bacterin only)]. A. salmonicida bacterin stimulation produced a strong inflammatory response (e.g. higher expression of il1b, il8a and tnfa), while salmon stimulated with pIC showed robust interferon responses (both type I and II). Furthermore, the current data indicated significant down-regulation of immune-relevant transcripts (e.g. tlr9, irf5, il1r1, hsp90ab1, itgb2) by dietary immunostimulant CpG, especially among pre-injection and PBS-injected fish. Together with our prior miRNA study, the present research provided complementary information on Atlantic salmon anti-viral and anti-bacterial immune responses and on how dietary CpG may modulate these responses
Political Economy of News Media and Journalism
No full textThe political economy of news media and journalism critically examines the structures, processes, and democratic role of journalism within society. It is focused on the power relations that shape the production, distribution, and consumption of online, print, and broadcast news media. The field originated from classical Western political economy in the 17th century. Western media political economies of journalism can be traced back to the early 20th century, with the Frankfurt School’s culture industry approach and Dallas W. Smythe’s radical media approach. Scholars like Armand Mattelart and Jesús Martín-Barbero developed political economy of communication and culture approaches on the Global South. These traditions were informed by Marxian critiques and mainstream economic perspectives. Since the mid-20th century, radical media political economies of journalism have encompassed three key strands:corporate ownership and control; labor and standpoints of resistance; and platform capital and labor. By comparison, the cultural-industries school has analyzed the distinctiveness of individual sectors within journalism, including their structural and creative-labor characteristics. A subset of this school, the infomediation approach, highlights the impact of digital platforms. Unlike the cultural-industries school, radical media political economists often link their research to industry impact. These approaches draw on theoretical perspectives, including liberal pluralism, Marxism, and conflict theories, to analyze the commodification of journalism and social relations. Methodologically, these approaches typically draw on qualitative social science or humanistic methods to analyze media companies, governmental interventions, media production, labor, and resistance. Some political economists also use industry-level statistics to track media ownership concentration, the financial state of media markets, individual companies, and labor market trends. Future research should examine the financialization of journalism, its impact on funding models, the integration of generative artificial intelligence into the labor process, and a wider range of advocacy and activist organizations and practices
Availability of Alcohol on an Online Third-Party Delivery Platform Across London Boroughs, England: Exploratory Cross-Sectional Study
Get PDFBackground: Higher availability of alcohol is associated with higher levels of alcohol consumption and harm. Alcohol is increasingly accessible online, with rapid delivery often offered by a third-party driver. Remote delivery and online availability are important from a public health perspective, but to date, relatively little research has explored the availability of alcohol offered by online platforms. Objective: This cross-sectional exploratory study describes the availability of alcohol on the third-party platform Deliveroo within London, England. Methods: We extracted the number of outlets offering alcohol on Deliveroo for each London borough and converted these into crude rates per 1000 population (18-64 years). Outlets were grouped as outlets exclusively selling alcohol, off-licenses, and premium. We calculated Pearson correlation coefficients to explore the association between borough’s crude rate of outlets per 1000 population and average Indices of Multiple Deprivation (IMD) 2019 scores. We extracted the number of outlets also selling tobacco or e-cigarettes and used non-Deliveroo drivers. We searched addresses of the top 20 outlets delivering to the most boroughs by outlet type (60 total) to determine their associated premise. Results: We identified 4277 total Deliveroo-based outlets offering alcohol across London, including outlets delivering in multiple boroughs. The crude rate of outlets per 1000 population aged 18-64 years was 0.73 and ranged from 0.22 to 2.29 per borough. Most outlets exclusively sold alcohol (3086/4277, 72.2%), followed by off-licenses (770/4277, 18.0%) and premium (421/4277, 9.8%). The majority of outlets exclusively selling alcohol sold tobacco or e-cigarettes (2951/3086, 95.6%) as did off-licenses to a lesser extent (588/770, 76.4%). Most outlets exclusively offering alcohol used drivers not employed by Deliveroo (2887/3086, 93.6%), and the inverse was true for premium outlets (50/421, 11.9%) and off-licenses (73/770, 9.5%). There were 1049 unique outlets, of which 396 (37.8%) were exclusively offering alcohol—these outlets tended to deliver across multiple boroughs unlike off-licenses and premium outlets. Of outlets with confirmed addresses, self-storage units were listed as the associated premise for 85% (17/20) of outlets exclusively offering alcohol, 11% (2/19) of off-licenses, and 12% (2/17) of premium outlets. We found no significant relationship between borough IMD scores and crude rate of outlets per 1000 population overall (P=.87) or by any outlet type: exclusively alcohol (P=.41), off-license (P=.58), and premium (P=.18). Conclusions: London-based Deliveroo outlets offering alcohol are common and are sometimes operating from self-storage units that have policies prohibiting alcohol storage. This and the potential for increased alcohol accessibility online have implications for public health given the relationship between alcohol’s availability and consumption or harm. There is a need to ensure that regulations for delivery are adequate for protecting children and vulnerable adults. The Licensing Act 2003 may require modernization in the digital age. Future research must explore a relationship between online alcohol availability and deprivation
Eric Henry Liddell 100 Years on from 1924
Get PDFAt the former Stade Olympique de Colombes in Paris on March 22, 2024 a plaque was unveiled as a tribute to Eric Henry Liddell. The stadium was the main stadium for the 1924 Summer Olympic Games in which the Chinese born athlete, of Scottish parentage, running for Great Britain won Olympic Gold in the 400 metres in a world record time of 47.6 s. This was not the only medal that the athlete won at these Olympic Games, but it was perhaps the most significant due to the circumstances. Because of his religious beliefs Liddell had refused to run in the 100 metres, one of the events that he had been selected for, because the heats for the event were scheduled for the Sunday. The core of the athlete’s faith as a Scottish evangelical was a burning conviction in personal salvation through the merits of Jesus and this meant honouring the sabbath and not running on the Sunday. An act that was to contribute to the David Puttnam produced film Chariots of Fire, first released in 1981 and re-released on July 13, 2012 in support of the 2012 London Olympic Games. This paper examines the life of Eric Henry Liddell and its enduring significance 100 years on from the 1924 Paris Olympic Games. The research was supported by a grant from the Eric Liddell Foundation which enabled research assistance from the United Kingdom (UK) and the People’s Republic of China (China). The paper draws upon newspaper reports, documents, memorabilia form the Eric Liddell Foundation archives and film footage from the BBC archives
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