4101 research outputs found
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Remarkable Lives: Charlotte Tetley in conversation with Jerome Carson
No full textPurpose – The purpose of this paper is to provide a profile of Charlotte Tetley.Design/methodology/approach – Charlotte provides a short biographical account and is then interviewed by Jerome. In the biography Charlotte talks about her long battle with mental health problems and treatments that did not help.Findings – Charlotte’s mental health problems started at the age of twelve and eased when she left home at 17. It was in her final year at University that her problems returned.Research limitations/implications – Charlotte’s story in one of not just surviving long term mental health problems, but of coping with adversity and becoming a stronger person. It is one of thousands of remarkable survivor accounts.Practical implications – The story of the involvement of local police officers in Charlotte’s admission to hospital, is once more a sad indictment of the brutality handed out to many sufferers in acute mental distress.Social implications – Considering her background, twelve different schools, two exclusions, childhood mental health problems, Charlotte’s story shows the triumph of the human mind against social disadvantage. She is “somebody who conquered the storm.” Originality/value – Charlotte was helped by her indomitable spirit, by her mother, a therapist and a friend who stood by her. She tells us she can never be the same person she was before her mental health problems, but she has grown and in the process became a stronger perso
Phage-mediated horizontal transfer of a Staphylococcus ureus virulence-associated genomic island
No full textStaphylococcus aureus is a major pathogen of humans and animals. The capacity of S. aureus to adapt to different host species and tissue types is strongly influenced by the acquisition of mobile genetic elements encoding determinants involved in niche adaptation. The genomic islands nSaa and nSab are found in almost all S. aureus strains and are characterized by extensive variation in virulence gene content. However the basis for the diversity and the mechanism underlying mobilization of the genomic islands between strains are unexplained. Here, we demonstrated that the genomic island, nSab, encoding an array of virulence factors including staphylococcal superantigens, proteases, and leukotoxins, in addition to bacteriocins, was transferrable in vitro to human and animal strains of multiple S. aureus clones via a resident prophage. The transfer of the nSab appears to have been accomplished by multiple conversions of transducing phage particles carrying overlapping segments of the nSab. Our findings solve a long-standing mystery regarding the diversification and spread of the genomic island nSab, highlighting the central role of bacteriophages in the pathogenic evolution of S. aureus
Herding cats in search of employability skills
No full textThis workshop showcases an initiative that successfully closed an 'Employability Gap' between students and employers at another North West HE Institution, and provides a forum for Bolton staff from all disciplines to share experiences of what works (and what doesn't), when designing Employability into the curriculum.Employability is a term liberally sprinkled around Higher Education both in terms of what we offer students (i.e. value added opportunities from study) and how we are measured (i.e. the relevance of student occupations post-graduation). As facilitators responsible for the 'employability process', teaching professionals are expected to design curricula to meet both student and employer expectations - even though these can change rapidly due to changing economic and social circumstances. No surprise then that Employability can be a challenging issue. Delegates should be prepared to share personal insights and examples of local practice from their discipline areas with colleagues across the University
Assessing the impact of procurement processes on availability of medicines and medicals supplies in Malawi : A case of Central Medical Stores Trust (CMST)
No full textThe study would like to assess the impact of procurement processes on availability of medicines and medical supplies in Malawi, a case of Central Medical Stores Trust (CMST). The participants selected for this study were 30 from health centres and hospitals in Malawi and 29 responded to the interview questions. The study used a simple random and purposive sampling technique to come up with participants to the study.The data collected was analysed using thematic approach to look at trends. The results of the study reveal that the stock level of supply of medicines and medical supplies is not good. The majority of the participants interviewed said that stock level of supply was very low followed by those who said it was moderate. Most of the participants interviewed in this study said that CMST management lacked strategic planning and also poor quantification while some cited political interference and that the medicines and medical supplies had a short expiry date. The participants were further concerned that sometimes CMST recalls products but does not replace and this leads to many patients being returned and to buy medicines and other medical supplies to private pharmacies while some have said that the requested items are not supplied in full.Again, most of the participants interviewed revealed that lack of medicines and medical supplies meant failing to give medicines to all the patients throughout the year and when products that did not match are returned CMST does not replace and this leads to stock outs. The participants in the study strongly said that there had no alternative of getting medicines and medical supplies while others said would place emergency orders. Moreover, most participants also revealed that good procurement will ensure constant availability of medicines all the time. Some have said that when products are not overstocked expiry is avoided and hence losses are reduced. Again when asked about the advantages of good procurement and inventory management of drugs, other participants revealed that potency of medicine can be maintained through good inventory management
A journey of discovery: introducing Discover@Bolton, the library’s new resource search interface
No full textThe library has a rich collection of electronic resources. However, as the quantity of resources increases, so too do the platforms used to access them, and this can mean users are overwhelmed by the process. Moreover, important resources may be missed. This workshop will present Discover@Bolton, the library’s new cross resource-searching interface. Discover@Bolton is a web-based service that searches the content of the majority of our electronic resources, linking to full-text where available. By searching multiple databases simultaneously, users can access a wider range of library material, without having knowing which database to use. The reasons for the implementation of Discover@Bolton will be outlined, as will the advantages of using Discover@Bolton to access library material, both in terms of research, but also in the support of teaching and learning. There will also be an opportunity to try Discover@Bolton, and see its positive impact on finding library resources
BISSTO : Developing Information Literacy and Digital Literacy Skills
No full textThe BISSTO tutorial has been written and designed to meet the information needs of today’s students and staff. The BISSTO team plan to expand the content of BISSTO to further support the needs of a ‘Teaching Intensive Research Informed University’ The poster presentation displays some of the existing Information Literacy and Digital Literacy BISSTO content. We are then seeking staff feedback and engagement for further development by asking the question:“What do members of staff need to support both their student body and their own professional development needs?
An assessment to the impact of adoption of E-business to improve the supply chain functions :A case study of Agricultural Commodity Exchange (ACE)
No full textThe rationale of this study is to assess the impact on improving supply chain functions as a result of the adoption of e-business at Agricultural Commodity Exchange for Africa (ACE). The study uses data from the annual reports from 2006 to 2014 and also analyses qualitative data from the organization. The study established that in the long run adoption of e-business improves the supply chain functions and overall improves organizational performance in the agricultural sector. As much as there are many factors that can influence improvement in organizational performance, the adoption of supply chains that engages in IT functions cannot be overlooked. More adaptation to emerging technologies globally has been observed to enhance efficiency in the operations.The results of the study clearly suggest that e-business adoption improves on efficiency, costs, logistics, trading processes as well as procurement. And on top of the current methods of e-business being employed, there is need for more use of new technologies to enhance overall performance in the agricultural supply chain. The findings of this paper also highlight other factors that affect supply chain performance. It has also been witnessed that most implementers are aware of the changes and require support and guidance.The paper also addressed the advantages that have been derived from such a transition and recommendations that can assist to improve supply chain operations further. It also highlights the drawbacks and bottlenecks of that transition
Facilitating Greek young learners with Asperger syndrome into the mainstream EAL (English as an Additional Language) classroom through the use of Interactive Whiteboard Technologies
No full textas an additional barrier to their successful integration in the mainstream education, robbing them of one more learning opportunity in comparison to their peers. Their abilities have often been overlooked or underestimated and their needs have been given low priority. However, on the basis of their cognitive abilities children with Asperger syndrome are attractive candidates for inclusive education although some teachers still express their concern. Obstacles to participation reside mainly in the school environment and such barriers can be eliminated as new technology seems to offer exciting opportunities to that end, IWBs being one of them. Recent literature has indicated a plethora of ways to support children’s learning through the use of the IWB.This study explores ways to facilitate the learning and inclusion of students with Asperger syndrome in EAL through the use of the IWB. The research took place in a language school in Greece and a case study approach was employed with naturalistic observations and semi-structured interviews so as to investigate how the IWB as a teaching and learning tool enhanced the teacher’s pedagogical practices and allowed her to meet the specific needs of the two participants.Findings suggest that new technologies offer new answers on dealing with barriers for children’s participation in education and social life but also that inclusion is inherently dependent on the teachers’ perception of technology as a facilitating factor, on their attitudes towards children’s with AS needs, in-service training and on the provision of sufficient resources. The case study also reports on various strategies that can potentially help students with AS meet their learning objectives
The Culture of Construction Organisations: the Epitome of Institutionalised Corruption
No full textThe culture of an organisation is a vital element of business competency that must align with its strategic goals, and enhance peoples' perceptions, feelings and behaviour in adapting to the world around them. Organisational culture may also bring about negative practices such as dishonesty and unethical behaviours. Recently the culture of some construction organisations has been called into question. For example, major construction projects around the globe have become involved in allegations of fraud and corruption. The cost is currently estimated at US1.5 trillion by 2025. Hitherto the role of the culture of construction organisations in fraud and corruption activities has been largely hidden. The study aim is to establish whether the culture of construction organisations promotes corrupt practices in the UK construction and infrastructure sector. The study employed mixed research methods with interviews supported by a questionnaire and an examination of five case studies in different countries. Findings show that the culture of construction organisations together with the nature of the industry promotes fraud and corruption. The study subsequently highlights key cultural factors that support fraud and corruption in a way that is almost institutionalised