2821 research outputs found
Sort by
Synthesis of researcher reported strategies to recruit adults of ethnic minorities to clinical trials in the United Kingdom: A systematic review
Get PDFBackground: People from ethnic minorities are reported to have higher rates of physical
illness (diabetes and ischemic heart disease) and mental disorders. Disparities relate not just
to diagnosis, but also to care pathways and treatment outcomes. Despite this, they are
underrepresented in clinical research. This reduces the generalisability of research findings
across multi ethnic populations and hinders the development of accessible services.
Researchers often face difficulties in recruiting ethnic minority participants to clinical
research due to low levels of cultural competence and limited resources. There are few
published trials focusing on ethnic minorities in the UK and we need to
understand what recruitment strategies have already been implemented and recommended
when recruiting ethnic participants. This will help researchers in applying these lessons to
future clinical trials.
Method: To identify strategies for recruiting ethnic minorities to clinical trials in the UK a
systematic review of published randomised controlled trials (RCT) exclusively targeting
ethnic minorities was conducted. Multiple databases were searched by combining the terms
“ethnic minorities”, “randomised controlled trials” and “United Kingdom”. Data was
extracted on recruitment strategies described by each RCT and then themes were created.
Results: Twenty-one included RCT’s identified various strategies to recruit ethnic
communities to clinical trials. These have been described under three overarching themes; adaptation of screening and outcome measures, culturally specific recruitment training and
recruitment processes.
Conclusion: The review highlighted that researchers employed limited strategies to enhance
the recruitment level. The full extent of the use of strategies was not described well in the
publications. There is a need for wider training and support for the trialist to enhance and
build up recruitment skills to facilitate the recruitment of ethnic minorities to clinical trials
The impact of teacher training processes on the professional practices of university lecturers : a review of policy and practice
No full textThe emphasis on the teaching quality of university lecturers in the UK has become an emergent theme in UK education policy over the last 40 years. Prior to this shift in emphasis, it was seen as acceptable for an academic to be solely an expert in their particular subject area. A key theme to emerge from the policy interventions regarding teaching quality is the issue of teacher training processes for university lecturers. The purpose of this paper is to examine these policy developments against the research evidence regarding the subsequent impact of the policy on academics at both practitioner and institutional level. The paper finds that policy rhetoric would indicate an enthusiasm of successive governments to ensure meaningful training programmes for academics, e.g. Post Graduate Certificate in Higher Education (PGCEHE); this has been further supported by the introduction of professional bodies during this time period, e.g. Higher Education Academy (HEA). When contextualised against practitioner experiences and institutional interpretations of government policy the paper concludes that this is a problematic task due to the fragmented approach of UK higher education institutions in adopting these policies but also the varying research methods used to examine the topic area
A comparison between written and digital communication and the effect on the dental appliances constructed.
Get PDFIntroduction: Communication as a concept should be thoroughly studied as nearly all organisational schemes include some form of communication. Hence, a lack of effective communication between the members can majorly impact the efficiency and the overall success of the organisation. This is especially true in the field of dentistry, as the methods in which dental clinicians and technicians communicate with each other can highly impact the quality of the constructed dental appliances. The aim of this literature review was to compare written and digital means of communication between dental clinicians and technicians and examine its effect on the dental appliances constructed.
Materials and Methods: A literature search was performed using databases such as PubMed, ScienceDirect, WileyOnlineLibrary and Discover@Bolton. The keywords used included the following: communication, dentist, technician, written, digital. The searches were limited to articles in English, published from 1960 to 2018.
Results: It was found that the majority of the research evidence reported that there are ongoing communication issues between dental clinicians and dental technicians when written means of communication are used. Therefore, alternative methods such as incorporating digital means of communication can enhance the quality of the interactions between the said parties which can lead to improvements in appliance construction.
Conclusions: The conducted research led to the conclusion that digital means of communication such as digital cameras, oral scanners, CAD-CAM, etc. can lead to a much more accurate and thorough exchange of information between dental clinicians and dental technicians. This can in turn lead to better appliance construction
In-vitro cytotoxicity evaluation of dental ceramics’ surface characterisation.
Get PDFThe use of dental glaze and shades on all-ceramic materials is crucial to achieve sufficient levels of aesthetics for restorations. However, their biocompatibility and impact on the oral environment remains a topic of limited research. The purpose of this experiment is to explore any potential cytotoxicity caused by the use of extrinsic staining on dental ceramics, using an In-Vitro methodology. Surface characterisation materials for glass-ceramics and zirconia were assessed. A variety of 8 group combinations of glaze and stains were applied onto glass-ceramic specimens (Celtra, n=7, e.max, n=4) and Zirconia specimens (Katana, n=7). Following the fabrication, the treated specimens were allowed to leach potential ions into serum-free media for 72 hours. LDH assay was used to test the cytotoxicity produced using human gingival fibroblast or human dermal fibroblasts. Based on the results from the pilot study using the e.max materials, a positive correlation was found between the cytotoxicity and the application of extrinsic glazing and staining procedures. The p value of 0.005 was lower than the threshold we set at 0.05, which provided evidence for the cytotoxicity. The results for the Katana and Celtra were disregarded due to complications during the methodology.
It can be concluded that cytotoxicity to cells was caused by the application of external glaze and shades. This was due to an increased amount of LDH released following contact with the media containing leached ions from the surface of the treated specimens. However, further research must be conducted to gain greater knowledge on this subject area
The employers’ reach: mentoring undergraduate students to enhance employability
No full textThe increased need for supporting students who lack relevant employability skills has resulted in higher education institutions organizing mentoring schemes that will prepare students for future career opportunities. These schemes aim to address the often cited mismatch between what the higher education (HE) sector is offering and the employers’ expectations of future graduates. In addition, such schemes can also go some way to addressing the differential outcomes in graduate employability experienced by students from ‘non-traditional’ backgrounds (Mountford-Zimdars, A., Sanders, J., Moore, J., Sabri, D., Jones, S., & Higham, L. (2016). What can universities do to support all their students to progress successfully throughout their time at university? Perspectives, policy and practice in higher education, pp. 1–10). A number of authors have linked concepts of social and cultural capital to the benefits mentoring schemes can bring to individuals’ employability. For example, mentoring relationships can help individuals develop a professional identity and networks.
This chapter presents a case study of a mentoring scheme that was run over a number of years, where undergraduate students were mentored by industry professionals. In the initial phases of the project, a key issue emerged for the students, which was a lack of confidence that hindered them in interacting with their mentors. Over time, the scheme was redesigned to include supported and facilitated opportunities for students and mentors to engage with each other. This resulted in more productive mentoring relationships forming, and students gaining lasting impact from the process in terms of enhanced professional networks, increased confidence and insight into the ‘real world’ of senior management. During our experience of this project, we have found the concepts of social and cultural capital useful for conceptualizing the benefits of mentoring for enhancing employability, but also for understanding the barriers to engagement with such schemes that some groups of students face
Childness or child-less: signs taken for wonders
Get PDFIt is argued that there are several problems with Peter Hollindale’s concept,
“childness.” First, it is suggested that the term not only has too much semantic
latitude, but that its definitional attributes are themselves incompatible, pulling in
different directions: from the pragmatic and empirical to the more figurative and
aspirational. Linked with this point is a second one: that despite Hollindale’s
avowed claim that his term is ‘extremely flexible, and … historically, socially and
culturally determined’ (pp. 76-7), it ultimately defers to a biological essentialism.
Thirdly, and as a result of this, the term fails adequately to address many key issues
in children’s literature criticism, despite Hollindale’s otherwise exemplary and
perceptive readings of texts. Finally, it is suggested that the key issue, of how
childhood is seen to be constructed, confers on the child an unwarranted
voluntarism that neglects questions of power (i.e. of socialisation and colonisation)
probed by others, resulting in a rather Romantic conceptualisation of the child –
and, indeed, of “childness.
Why do young people use online forums for mental health and emotional support? Benefits and challenges
Get PDFABSTRACT
A qualitative approach was used to explore young people’s experiences of using synchronous and asynchronous online forums to gain insight into the use of online services for mental health. Nineteen young people took part in two online synchronous focus groups facilitated by the online counselling service, KOOTH.com. Inductive thematic analysis indicated that forums do not replace the role of a counsellor, they provide a valuable place for young people to gain additional, lower level support requirements. Individuals suggested the forums were supportive environments where they felt able to interact to share helpful advice and ask questions, making them feel less alone and more connected to others. Issues of concern were around the affordances of the site and technical issues
Active Learning Environments: Teaching space but not as you know it!
No full textTraditional “chalk and talk” lecture-style classrooms are quickly evolving to become student-centred, technology-rich flexible learning environments that support active and collaborative learning. An active learning environment facilitates greater collaboration between tutor and learner by the introduction of student-centred pedagogy and supporting learning technologies. It is now recognised that using an active learning approach results in greater student engagement, retention and success. There are many potential challenges to adopting an active learning approach. None more so than, what happens if it all goes wrong? Therefore, it is vital for tutors to be effective and familiar with the use of technology to support active learning in conjunction with new pedagogies and room facilities.
This presentation will examine the affordance of using an active learning approach to enhance the student experience. Central to the theme of the presentation will be the state of the art active learning room within the Institute of Management, University of Bolton facilitated by Sony Vision Exchange and Ubicast lecture capture. Lecture capture systems provide opportunities for students to review lecture content at any time. Delegates will be encouraged to engage in discussion around how to embed active learning in their teaching and in particular the use of the Sony Vision Exchange suite
