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The views of the few or the voices of many: Methods of exploring leadership roles through alternative approaches within Higher Education.
Get PDFAuthors whose work is accepted for publication in a non-open access Springer book are permitted to self-archive the accepted manuscript (AM), in an institutional repository, for public release after an embargo period. The AM terms of use, permit users to view, print, copy, download and text and data-mine the content, for the purposes of academic research, subject always to the full conditions of use. Authors may make a closed deposit on acceptance, provided the embargo periods above are adhered to for public release. Under no circumstances may the AM be shared or distributed under a Creative Commons, or other form of open access license, nor may it be reformatted or enhanced. Accepted manuscript terms of use: https://www.springernature.com/gp/open-research/policies/accepted-manuscript-termsIn the following chapter I begin by discussing the changing landscape in higher education and argue why “leadership” is an important part of every academic’s journey. I discuss why we need to challenge traditional views of leadership and critically how we need to explore individuals’ views and reflections on their own leadership journeys. Furthermore, I will critically reflect on how we need to adopt different research methods to allow leadership journeys to emerge with a focus on the use of Q-methodology and why such approaches allow not only the emergence of understanding but can serve a dual purpose and contribute not only to a global understanding but also an individual’s personal development
Unmasking the phantom
Get PDFThis article explores an experience of bereavement in adolescence and the use of musical theatre in the grieving process
Psychometric Validation of the Psoriasis Symptoms and Impacts Measure (P-SIM), a Novel Patient-Reported Outcome Instrument for Patients with Plaque Psoriasis, Using Data from the BE VIVID and BE READY Phase 3 Trials
Get PDFFrom Springer Nature via Jisc Publications RouterHistory: received 2021-05-27, registration 2021-06-16, accepted 2021-06-16, pub-electronic 2021-07-14, online 2021-07-14, pub-print 2021-10Publication status: PublishedFunder: UCB PharmaAbstract: Introduction: Plaque psoriasis can significantly impact patients’ quality of life. We assessed psychometric properties of the Psoriasis Symptoms and Impacts Measure (P-SIM), developed to capture patients’ experiences of signs, symptoms and impacts of psoriasis. Methods: Pooled, blinded, 16-week data from 1002 patients in the BE VIVID and BE READY bimekizumab phase 3 trials were analysed. The suitability of the P-SIM missing score rule (weekly scores considered missing if ≥ 4 daily scores were missing) was assessed. Test–retest reliability was evaluated using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs). Convergent validity was assessed between P-SIM and relevant patient-reported outcome (PRO) (Dermatology Life Quality Index [DLQI], DLQI item 1 [skin symptoms], Patient Global Assessment of Psoriasis) and clinician-reported outcome (ClinRO) scores (Psoriasis Area and Severity Index [PASI], Investigator’s Global Assessment [IGA]) at baseline and week 16. Known-groups validity was assessed, comparing P-SIM scores between patient subgroups predefined using PASI/IGA scores. Sensitivity to change over 16 weeks was evaluated; responder definition (RD) thresholds were explored. Results: The missing score rule used did not impact P-SIM scores. Test–retest reliability analyses demonstrated excellent score reproducibility (ICC 0.91–0.98). Inter-item correlations at baseline and week 16 were strong (> 0.5), apart from “choice of clothing” with “skin pain” and “burning” at baseline (both 0.49). All P-SIM scores were moderately to strongly correlated with other outcomes, demonstrating convergent validity, apart from ClinROs (PASI, IGA) at baseline that had low variability. P-SIM scores discriminated known groups at week 16, confirming known-groups validity. Changes from baseline to week 16 in P-SIM and other clinically relevant outcomes were strongly correlated (> 0.5; weaker with ClinROs), establishing sensitivity to change. Anchor-based RD analyses determined a four-point P-SIM item score decrease as indicative of marked clinically meaningful improvement. Conclusion: P-SIM scores demonstrated good reliability, validity and sensitivity to change. A four-point RD threshold could be used to assess 16-week treatment effects. Trial Registration: BE VIVID: NCT03370133; BE READY: NCT03410992
Tracheostomy for COVID-19: evolving best practice.
Get PDFFrom Europe PMC via Jisc Publications RouterHistory: ppub 2021-08-01, epub 2021-08-31Publication status: PublishedThis article is one of ten reviews selected from the Annual Update in Intensive Care and Emergency Medicine 2021. Other selected articles can be found online at https://www.biomedcentral.com/collections/annualupdate2021 . Further information about the Annual Update in Intensive Care and Emergency Medicine is available from https://link.springer.com/bookseries/8901
Visual impairment and medication safety: a protocol for a scoping review.
Get PDFFrom Europe PMC via Jisc Publications RouterHistory: ppub 2021-09-01, epub 2021-09-15Publication status: PublishedFunder: National Institute for Health ResearchBackgroundThe number of individuals with a visual impairment in the UK was estimated a few years ago to be around 1.8 million. People can be visually impaired from birth, childhood, early adulthood or later in life. Those with visual impairment are subject to health inequities and increased risk for patient safety incidents in comparison to the general population. They are also known to be at an increased risk of experiencing medication errors compared to those without visual impairment. In view of this, this review aims to understand the issues of medication safety for VI people.Methods/designFour electronic bibliographic databases will be searched: MEDLINE, Embase, PsycInfo and CINAHL. Our search strategy will include search combinations of two key blocks of terms. Studies will not be excluded based on design. Included studies will be empirical studies. They will include studies that relate to both medication safety and visual impairment. Two reviewers (SG and LR) will screen all the titles and abstracts. SG, LR, RM, SCS and PL will perform study selection and data extraction using standard forms. Disagreements will be resolved through discussion or third party adjudication. Data to be collected will include study characteristics (year, objective, research method, setting, country), participant characteristics (number, age, gender, diagnoses), medication safety incident type and characteristics.DiscussionThe review will summarise the literature relating to medication safety and visual impairment
A New and Living Way A Study of Leviticus as Rhetoric A Multi-Disciplinary Critique of Moshe Kline’s Approach to the Reading and the Writing of the Book
Get PDFThis research is focused on the rhetoric of Leviticus as a bounded book, and on the different ways that scholars argue for its structure and purpose. In so doing, it examines the validity of Milgrom’s words that “structure is theology,” asking if the
compositional structure of the book indicates its ideological thrust. The thesis question is epistemological—how can one know? How can one know if the book of Leviticus has a coherent literary structure (its composition), and, if so, what purpose that structure is meant to serve (its suasive intent)? The thesis method is empirical—on what evidence is knowing based? The thesis conclusion is that the final form of the book of Leviticus does indeed show strong evidence of an internal literary structure with suasive intent. However, given that a series of scholars since Milgrom have proposed various literary structures and purposes for the book, how can one know which are most plausible? Are there rhetorical-critical tools one can use to appraise any proposal, to gain evidence of its plausibility? This thesis takes the form of an empirical Case Study, and models a multi-disciplinary, rhetorical-critical approach to appraising a proposal by Moshe Kline, evaluating his reading based on his understanding of how
the writing was structured. The thesis intends to test and evaluate the validity and reliability of the exemplar proposal, not to defend it. My main contribution to the field is therefore both specific and general: specifically, to evaluate, using literary-critical tools, the plausibility and significance of Kline’s composition proposal in the context of others, and, then generally, to demonstrate how these tools may be used by scholars to appraise the adequacy of other composition proposals. The assumption here is that the use of a range of tools will limit researcher bias and increase the validity of conclusions in rhetorical-critical studies. In simple terms, use of a suite of methods can help in discerning whether any specific proposal of literary composition constitutes an adequate explanation of the evidence regarding the structure and purpose of the text. The evidence from the specific Case Study is sufficient to confirm the plausibility (the validity and reliability) of Kline’s composition proposal, though a number of provisos are indicated. It concludes that the composition of Leviticus projects a sanctifying
journey, “a new and living way.” Further depth is added to the study because Kline’s model of Leviticus’ composition proposes not just a new reading of Leviticus but also argues for a new paradigm of writing in certain ancient texts. Therefore, this thesis not only evaluates Kline’s reading of Leviticus but also his paradigm of writing itself
Targeted Delivery of Epidermal Growth Factor to the Human Placenta to Treat Fetal Growth Restriction
Get PDFFrom MDPI via Jisc Publications RouterHistory: accepted 2021-10-17, pub-electronic 2021-10-25Publication status: PublishedFunder: Medical Research Council; Grant(s): MR/P023401/1Funder: European Regional Development Fund; Grant(s): 2014-2020.4.01.15-0012Funder: Estonian Research Council; Grant(s): PRG230Placental dysfunction is the underlying cause of pregnancy complications such as fetal growth restriction (FGR) and pre-eclampsia. No therapies are available to treat a poorly functioning placenta, primarily due to the risks of adverse side effects in both the mother and the fetus resulting from systemic drug delivery. The use of targeted liposomes to selectively deliver payloads to the placenta has the potential to overcome these issues. In this study, we assessed the safety and efficacy of epidermal growth factor (EGF)-loaded, peptide-decorated liposomes to improve different aspects of placental function, using tissue from healthy control pregnancies at term, and pregnancies complicated by FGR. Phage screening identified a peptide sequence, CGPSARAPC (GPS), which selectively homed to mouse placentas in vivo, and bound to the outer syncytiotrophoblast layer of human placental explants ex vivo. GPS-decorated liposomes were prepared containing PBS or EGF (50–100 ng/mL), and placental explants were cultured with liposomes for up to 48 h. Undecorated and GPS-decorated liposomes containing PBS did not affect the basal rate of amino acid transport, human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) release or cell turnover in placental explants from healthy controls. GPS-decorated liposomes containing EGF significantly increased amino acid transporter activity in healthy control explants, but not in placental explants from women with FGR. hCG secretion and cell turnover were unaffected by EGF delivery; however, differential activation of downstream protein kinases was observed when EGF was delivered via GPS-decorated vs. undecorated liposomes. These data indicate that targeted liposomes represent a safe and useful tool for the development of new therapies for placental dysfunction, recapitulating the effects of free EGF
Unbiased estimation of the gradient of the log-likelihood in inverse problems
Get PDFFrom Springer Nature via Jisc Publications RouterHistory: received 2020-03-10, registration 2021-01-07, accepted 2021-01-07, pub-electronic 2021-03-03, online 2021-03-03, pub-print 2021-05Publication status: PublishedFunder: King Abdullah University of Science and Technology; doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100004052; Grant(s): BaselineFunder: Alan Turing Institute; doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/100012338Abstract: We consider the problem of estimating a parameter θ∈Θ⊆Rdθ associated with a Bayesian inverse problem. Typically one must resort to a numerical approximation of gradient of the log-likelihood and also adopt a discretization of the problem in space and/or time. We develop a new methodology to unbiasedly estimate the gradient of the log-likelihood with respect to the unknown parameter, i.e. the expectation of the estimate has no discretization bias. Such a property is not only useful for estimation in terms of the original stochastic model of interest, but can be used in stochastic gradient algorithms which benefit from unbiased estimates. Under appropriate assumptions, we prove that our estimator is not only unbiased but of finite variance. In addition, when implemented on a single processor, we show that the cost to achieve a given level of error is comparable to multilevel Monte Carlo methods, both practically and theoretically. However, the new algorithm is highly amenable to parallel computation
The LEGATOS technique: A new tissue‐validated dynamic contrast‐enhanced MRI method for whole‐brain, high‐spatial resolution parametric mapping
Get PDFFrom Wiley via Jisc Publications RouterHistory: received 2020-06-30, rev-recd 2021-04-23, accepted 2021-04-24, pub-electronic 2021-05-15Article version: VoRPublication status: PublishedFunder: Dowager Countess Eleanor Peel Trust; Id: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100000832Funder: Cancer Research UK; Id: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100000289; Grant(s): C8742/A18097Purpose: A DCE‐MRI technique that can provide both high spatiotemporal resolution and whole‐brain coverage for quantitative microvascular analysis is highly desirable but currently challenging to achieve. In this study, we sought to develop and validate a novel dual‐temporal resolution (DTR) DCE‐MRI‐based methodology for deriving accurate, whole‐brain high‐spatial resolution microvascular parameters. Methods: Dual injection DTR DCE‐MRI was performed and composite high‐temporal and high‐spatial resolution tissue gadolinium‐based‐contrast agent (GBCA) concentration curves were constructed. The high‐temporal but low‐spatial resolution first‐pass GBCA concentration curves were then reconstructed pixel‐by‐pixel to higher spatial resolution using a process we call LEGATOS. The accuracy of kinetic parameters (Ktrans, vp, and ve) derived using LEGATOS was evaluated through simulations and in vivo studies in 17 patients with vestibular schwannoma (VS) and 13 patients with glioblastoma (GBM). Tissue from 15 tumors (VS) was examined with markers for microvessels (CD31) and cell density (hematoxylin and eosin [H&E]). Results: LEGATOS derived parameter maps offered superior spatial resolution and improved parameter accuracy compared to the use of high‐temporal resolution data alone, provided superior discrimination of plasma volume and vascular leakage effects compared to other high‐spatial resolution approaches, and correlated with tissue markers of vascularity (P ≤ 0.003) and cell density (P ≤ 0.006). Conclusion: The LEGATOS method can be used to generate accurate, high‐spatial resolution microvascular parameter estimates from DCE‐MRI
Vaginal Examinations During Childbirth: Consent, Coercion and COVID-19
Get PDFFrom Springer Nature via Jisc Publications RouterHistory: accepted 2021-02-05, registration 2021-02-06, pub-print 2021-04, pub-electronic 2021-04-08, online 2021-04-08Publication status: PublishedAbstract: In this paper I assess the labour ward admission policies introduced by some National Health Service (NHS) trusts during the COVID-19 pandemic, arguing that these intersected with other policies in a manner which may have coerced birthing people into consenting to vaginal examinations they might have otherwise refused. In order to fully understand the potential severity of these policies, I situate this critique in the historical and contemporary context of the problematic relationship between consent and vaginal examinations. Identifying the legal wrongs associated with performing coerced vaginal examinations, I highlight that the law is inadequately equipped to provide appropriate redress. Further, I illustrate that the issue explored in this paper reflects broader problems which exist with regard to the focus of, and the (under)investment in, the maternity services
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