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Value Hidden in Plain Sight – an Allied Health Professional Case Study
No full textThis chapter discusses the meaning of value with regard to a business: how does a business view its own value – value in terms of monetary profit, value in terms of its employees, and value in terms of the business as a whole. This chapter offers an alternative to the traditional view of measuring value and whether a business is successful or not only by profit. We do not suggest for one minute that this metric is not valid, but we do offer a way of measuring value from a different perspective looking at value in entrepreneurial behaviours. Following Tett (2021) we call that perspective a ‘lens’; we discuss viewing value from the lens of the funder (most likely a bank or venture capitalist); the lens of the business owner; and the lens of the employee and the customer. To do this, we take an ethnographic approach of participant observation and review a case study; Saunders notes that ethnography is used to study a culture or social group (Saunders et al.,et al., 2019), and the case study chosen for this chapter is of an allied health professional (AHP). This approach allows us to take a step back from the traditionally understood definition of value, and research the culture and social dynamics within the AHP group in a qualitative way and view value in context – that context being value from each lens, or each point of view. We move beyond the current lens of viewing the value of a business in terms of its profit, and look at the value in terms of human capital (Bourdieu, 1986). To do that we take the established definitions of enterprise and entrepreneurship and look again at what value means in this context and suggest a qualitative view to stand alongside the current quantitative view. We did this by taking an ethnographic stance and developing taught content from learnt experiences. By using the case study, we are able to highlight where traditional entrepreneurial attributes are applied without recognition. We link those entrepreneurial attributes to human capital, thereby offering a means by which their value can be recognised and encouraged, leading to an enhanced company performance
Stereotactic radiosurgery versus whole-brain radiotherapy in melanoma brain metastasis: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Get PDFBackground: Melanoma is an aggressive malignancy with a propensity towards the brain, with brain metastases (BM) clinically diagnosed in 40–50% of metastatic cases and the main cause of mortality and morbidity among patients with metastatic melanoma. The aim of this study was to discover any significant difference in overall survival and disease recurrence between SRS and WBRT.
Methods: A systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted in accordance with PRISMA guidelines. Three databases were searched, and articles published from 2000 to October 2023 included (last search date 2nd November 2023). Meta-Analysis was performed using R studio.
Results: Of the 128 articles identified, a total of 19 studies were included in the analysis (2617 patients- 1117 WBRT & 1500 SRS). The median overall survival for patients that underwent WBRT was 4.4 months compared to 7.8 months for patients that underwent SRS. A Wilcox rank sum test was conducted and a significant difference in overall survival was found between the two groups (p<0.05) with a Wilcox value of, W= 27.5. Random-effect meta-analysis of recurrence failed to reach a statistically significant result, though showing a trend of increased risk for recurrence in patients treated with SRS (RR= 0.63, CI: 0.37-1.06, p=0.61). Number of patients with neurocognitive decline was also recorded; however only 6/19 studies reported it: 39/127 (31%) in WBRT and 21/52 (40%) in SRS patients.
Conclusions: This is the first systematic review and meta-analysis discussing the efficacy and safety of WBRT versus SRS in metastatic brain melanoma. Although SRS may increase the risk of recurrence, it appears to offer significant increase in overall survival compared to WBRT. Furthermore, when considering the safety profile of WBRT, it may prove as a superior treatment modality even when accounting for cofounders. Further randomised controlled trials will need to be conducted to formalise a treatment pathway for these patients with poor prognosis
Sport Heroes and Leadership
No full textStudies have found that when children and young people are asked who their heroes are, they will often respond by citing their parents or a sports person (Stephens et al, 2003). Similarly, adults too will commonly acknowledge sports stars, particularly from their past, as heroes who left an ineradicable impact on their lives growing up. The functions of sport heroes are many and varied and can be explored in both sociological and psychological terms (Kinsella et al, 2015). They can, for example, galvanise national identity, symbolise what can be achieved through hard work and courage – or simply display sublime moments of exceptional quality that offers profound meaning to those that witnessed them. Also, there are many debates on what specifically qualifies a sports person as a hero, and to what extent that such heroism conditions them in becoming effective leaders – both within and outside the field of sport. Therefore, this chapter will critically explore the key characteristics of the sports hero and investigate the degree in which different hero types serve different functions. Particular emphasis will be placed on the leadership function of sports heroes, differentiating between heroes who become leaders and leaders who attain hero status
Producing context specific land cover and land use maps of human-modified tropical forest landscapes for infectious disease applications
Get PDFSatellite-based land cover mapping plays an important role in understanding changes in ecosystems and biodiversity. There are global land cover products available, however for region specific studies of drivers of infectious disease patterns, these can lack the spatial and thematic detail or accuracy required to capture key ecological processes. To overcome this, we produced our own Landsat derived 30 m maps for three districts in India's Western Ghats (Wayanad, Shivamogga and Sindhudurg). The maps locate natural vegetation types, plantation types, agricultural areas, water bodies and settlements in the landscape, all relevant to functional resource use of species involved in infectious disease dynamics. The maps represent the mode of 50 classification iterations and include a spatial measure of class stability derived from these iterations. Overall accuracies for Wayanad, Shivamogga and Sindhudurg are 94.7 % (SE 1.2 %), 88.9 % (SE 1.2 %) and 88.8 % (SE 2 %) respectively. Class classification stability was high across all three districts and the individual classes that matter for defining key interfaces between human habitation, forests, crop, and plantation cultivation, were generally well separated. A comparison with the 300 m global ESA CCI land cover map highlights lower ESA CCI class accuracies and the importance of increased spatial resolution when dealing with complex landscape mosaics. A comparison with the 30 m Global Forest Change product reveals an accurate mapping of forest loss and different dynamics between districts (i.e., Forests lost to Built-up versus Forests lost to Plantations), demonstrating an interesting complementarity between our maps and the % tree cover Global Forest Change product. When studying infectious disease responses to land use change in tropical forest ecosystems, we recommend using bespoke land cover/use classifications reflecting functional resource use by relevant vectors, reservoirs, and people. Alternatively, global products should be carefully validated with ground reference points representing locally relevant habitats. [Abstract copyright: Copyright © 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Sign language in d/Deaf students’ spoken/written language development: A research synthesis and meta-analysis of cross-linguistic correlation coefficients
Get PDFThis paper presents the first systematic review and meta-analysis on cross-linguistic correlations between sign language and spoken/written language competences in bilingual d/Deaf learners. A total of 202 effect sizes were identified based on 70 independent samples that appeared in 52 studies from 1981 to 2023 (N = 3570). The effect sizes involved seven sign language correlates (e.g., fingerspelling, phonological awareness [PA], lexico-semantic knowledge) and eight spoken/written language correlates (e.g., PA, lexico-semantic knowledge, word reading, reading comprehension). Estimated mean correlations of 26 cross-linguistic relationships ranged from r = 0.322 (p < 0.001) for sign language PA and reading comprehension to r = 0.645 (p < 0.001) for fingerspelling and word reading. Among other moderators, age/grade (elementary, secondary, vs. university/adult), signer status (native vs. non-native), program type (bilingual vs. Total Communication/SimCom), and task type (passage vs. sentence comprehension) either showed significant moderation effects or resulted in differing size (small, medium vs. large) in the correlation coefficients among subgroups of primary studies. The meta-analytic findings lend support to the legitimate application of linguistic interdependence, common underlying proficiency, cross-linguistic transfer facilitation, and their associated constructs to the educational development of signing/bimodal bilingual learners. The moderator analysis results, in particular, have shed light on the conditioning of linguistic interdependence and transfer and expanded current understandings about the complexity of the issue and its practical implications in bilingual deaf education
Exploring the Landscape of Intracranial Aneurysms in South America: A Comprehensive Narrative Review Intracranial Aneurysms in South America
Get PDFExploring the landscape of intracranial aneurysms in South America unravels a complex interplay of epidemiological factors, clinical manifestations, and therapeutic challenges. The study methodically conducts a comprehensive literature review spanning the years 2003 to 2023, focusing on English-language articles obtained from diverse databases to elucidate the multifaceted nature of intracranial aneurysms in the region. Results and discussions categorize outcomes into positive domains, emphasizing successful treatments, favorable recoveries, and high survival rates, while also shedding light on negative aspects such as residual aneurysms and complications. The research illuminates significant gaps in pathological typing of intracranial aneurysms and exposes challenges in healthcare accessibility, notably the disparities in neurosurgical resources. Management challenges, including constrained infrastructure access, a neurosurgeon shortage, and gender disparities, are underscored. Transitioning to future prospects, the study advocates for strategic interventions, proposing expanded neurosurgical training, multidisciplinary approaches, improved funding, enhanced access to care, and fostering international collaborations. The study concludes by emphasizing the pivotal role of collaborative efforts, intensified training programs, and global partnerships in propelling intracranial aneurysm management forward in South America, ultimately contributing to enhanced patient outcomes across the region
Accountancy students’ perceptions of the quality of teaching and learning experiences in two UK business schools: implications for generic skills development
Get PDFPurpose
Focusing on the quality of teaching and learning, this study aims to explore the perceptions of accountancy students in two emerging UK Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) of the quality of their learning experiences and the impact of these experiences on generic skills development.
Design/methodology/approach
A questionnaire survey was used to collect the data. OLS regression was used to test the hypothesis regarding the impact of student learning experiences (lecturer ability, assessment and curriculum) on generic skills development.
Findings
Students value the lecturer as the most important determinant of the quality of their experience. They rated their assessment programme very positively, and the curriculum suggests that students tend to experience a deep blended approach to learning. They also felt that they acquired a wide range of soft competency skills such as those associated with research, critical thinking and time management. Multivariate findings indicate that lecturer ability and curriculum contribute significantly and positively to generic skills development.
Practical implications
The study provides a benchmark for international accounting and business educators in any efforts to assess the efficacy of HE delivery since the pandemic. By implication, it enables the identification of enhancements to the previous character of delivery and hence offers the means to direct improvements to the student experience. Such improvements can then be seen in the National Student Survey (NSS) scores, thereby positively contributing to the next Teaching Excellence Framework. Additionally, such tangible enhancements in NSS scores may be advantageous to HEIs, in the UK and other Western countries, in their efforts to recruit international students on whom they place great reliance for increased revenue, to their international business education programmes.
Originality/value
This study addresses the research gap surrounding the link between teaching and learning approaches in accounting and the development of generic skills. Furthermore, acknowledging that the COVID-19 pandemic with its imposed structural change in the HE teaching and learning environment ushered in a new model of curriculum delivery, this study reflects on the pre-COVID-19 scenario and gathers student perceptions of their teaching and learning experiences before the changes necessitated by lockdowns. It therefore brings the opportunity to anchor future research exploring the post-COVID-19 environment and secure comparative analyses
SuTuRe study. Supporting Students to Return to study following course interruption
Get PDFBackground:
The pre-registration BSc Nursing course in the UK is renowned for being challenging due to its requirement for 2300 hours each for theoretical and practice-based learning. It is therefore inevitable that some students may need to interrupt their study at some point during the course. In many cases, these students do not return and leave the course, which has an impact on the future nursing workforce.
Aims:
To examine the reasons why pre-registration student nurses interrupt their studies and consider ways to enable them to return successfully and complete the course.
Methods:
The research project was based in one higher education institution (HEI) in the North West region of England. Interrupted students due to return to study in semester 1 of the 2022/23 academic year (n=95) were invited to participate in semi-structured interviews.
Findings:
Health, including mental health was the dominant factor leading to the interruption of study for the students.
Conclusion:
This research has led the HEI to introduce an improved support package for students. Alongside other recommendations it is hoped the changes will reduce attrition and lead to an improved interruption/return-to-study experience
Efficacy of a Comprehensive Weight Reduction Intervention in Male Adolescents With Different FTO Genotypes
Get PDFBackground: The FTO gene polymorphisms may influence the effects of lifestyle interventions on obesity. The present study aimed to assess the influence of the rs9930506 FTO gene polymorphism on the success of a comprehensive weight loss intervention in male adolescents with overweight and obesity. Methods: This study was carried out on 96 adolescent boys with overweight and obesity who were randomly assigned to the intervention (n = 53) and control (n = 43) groups. The blood samples of the participants were collected, and the FTO gene was genotyped for the rs9930506 polymorphism. A comprehensive lifestyle intervention including changes in diet and physical activity was performed for 8 weeks in the intervention group. Results: Following the lifestyle intervention, BMI and fat mass decreased significantly in the intervention group compared with the control group (both p < 0.05), while no change was found in weight, height or body muscle percentage between the groups. The participants in the intervention group with the AA/AG genotype and not in carriers of the GG genotype had a significantly higher reduction in BMI (−1.21 vs. 1.87 kg/m2, F = 4.07, p < 0.05) compared with the control group. Conclusion: The intervention in individuals with the AA/AG genotype has been significantly effective in weight loss compared with the control group. The intervention had no association effect on anthropometric indices in adolescents with the GG genotype of the FTO rs9930506 polymorphism. Trial Registration: Name of the registry: National Nutrition and Food Technology Research Institute; Trial registration number: IRCT2016020925699N2; Date of registration: 24/04/2016; URL of trial registry record: https://www.irct.ir/trial/2144
Near-infrared spectroscopic indices for unresolved stellar populations. III. Composite indices definition as age and metallicity tracers and model comparison
Get PDFRecent advances in the stellar population studies of unresolved galaxies in the NIR domain demonstrated that it contains several line-strength indices to be potentially used as diagnostics for stellar population properties. Reduction of the extinction and possibility to disentangle different stellar populations dominating different spectral ranges are obviously beneficial. To this aim, we have investigated the connections between 19 Lick/IDS indices and 39 NIR indices measured in the central regions of 32 galaxies observed with X-shooter. We adopted a systematic approach deriving a correlation matrix using all the optical and NIR indices measured for the galaxies and building new NIR composite indices to maximise their correlations with the best age and metallicity optical tracers. We found that the new T1 and [AlFeCr] composite indices are promising age and metallicity diagnostics in NIR, respectively. We finally tested the T1 and [AlFeCr] indices with the predictions of simple stellar populations models and we found that models show a general agreement with the data. Some fine tuning and further comparison between models and data, that are now largely available, is necessary to reach the prediction level of the optical line-strength indices