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HEALINT4ALL digital interactive platform for European and national placements audit for medicine and allied health professions following a user-centered design
No full textTo ensure optimal clinical learning environments for students in the medical and allied health professions, it is essential to establish robust quality processes. Within the HEALINT4ALL ERASMUS + project an evidence-based protocol to assess the quality of placements for Medicine and Allied Health Professions (AHPs) in clinical environments created. While the existence of a protocol itself is useful, its application can be proved difficult, as relevant forms and audit processes should be established. Audit of clinical placements is time demanding process in an already busy healthcare setting, while exchange of audits between higher education institutions (HEI) and HEI and clinical placements may be lengthy due to internal forms and processes. Thus, a digital interactive platform for European and national placements audit following a user-centered design created. Stakeholders’ workshops and an iterative evaluation process ensured the usability and acceptability of the platform, complemented by Nielsen’s heuristic evaluation within a group of experts in education technology or quality assurance of placement. The proposed platform supports a globally prepared medical and AHPs international workforce able to transfer skills and practice and offer best interventions to enhance patient treatment, by providing a more effective process and faster appraisal of clinical environments
Disaccharide compositional analysis of chondroitin sulphate using WAX HILIC-MS with pre-column procainamide labelling; application to the placenta in pre-eclampsia
Get PDFChondroitin sulphate (CS) and dermatan sulphate are linear negatively charged heteropolysaccharides. These glycosaminoglycans are involved in cellular signalling via binding to growth factors. CS is expressed in a range of tissue and biological fluids and is highly expressed in the placenta. There is evidence that decorin; a CS proteoglycan is significantly decreased in pre-eclampsia and fetal growth restriction. It is considered that GAG chain composition may influence cellular processes that are altered in pre-eclampsia. The goal of the present study was to develop an LC-MS method with precolumn procainamide labelling for the disaccharide compositional analysis of CS. The method was used to investigate whether the disaccharide composition of placenta-extracted CS is altered in pre-eclampsia. The study revealed differential disaccharide compositions of placental chondroitin sulphate disaccharide between pre-eclampsia and other pregnancy samples. This suggests that the method may have diagnostic potential for pregnancy disorders. Furthermore, the findings suggest that CS sulphation might play a significant role in maternal labour
Resistance training practices of Brazilian Olympic sprint and jump coaches: toward a deeper understanding of their choices and insights (part III)
Get PDFIn the final part of this three-article collection on the training strategies of Brazilian Olympic sprint and jump coaches, we provide a detailed description of the resistance training methods and exercises most commonly employed by these speed experts. Always with the objective of maximizing the sprint and jump capabilities of their athletes, these experienced coaches primarily utilize variable, eccentric, concentric, machine-based, isometric, complex, and isoinertial resistance training methods in their daily practices. Squats (in their different forms), Olympic weightlifting, ballistics, hip thrusts, lunges, calf raises, core exercises, leg curls, stiff-leg deadlifts, and leg extension are the most commonly prescribed exercises in their training programs, during both the preparatory and competitive periods. Therefore, the current manuscript comprehensively describes and examines these methods, with the additional aim of extrapolating their application to other sports, especially those where sprint speed is a key performance factor
Mothers’ lived experience of maternal separation: a phenomenological exploration
No full textThere is little literature on the topic of maternal separation from an existential philosophical perspective. An existential-phenomenological approach provides a thorough and organised analysis of maternal separation by examining the various aspects of human experience, including the physical, social, personal, and spiritual realms. An exploratory study was carried out to gain insights into the phenomenon of maternal separation by examining the subjective experiences of mothers who attended boarding schools, focusing on their lived experiences. A hermeneutic phenomenology methodology was selected that combined van Manen's approach with Structural Existential Analysis, as developed by van Deurzen (2014). Six mothers were selected through purposive sampling and two semi-structured interviews were conducted. The first interview focused on gathering their experiences of maternal separation related to boarding school, while the second interview focused on their current understanding of the maternal separation experience, with a particular emphasis on their relationships with key individuals in their lives. The mothers had to be over 30 years and had started attending boarding school between the ages of 5 and 13. The data analysis involved clustering common themes found among the participants' transcripts. Three main themes were identified: the emotional journey, being a mother, and re-evaluation. A structural existential analysis was performed on the themes, which showed that the loss experienced by the separation from their mothers influenced their parenting style. It was also found that their parenting approach perpetuated past patterns. The study findings elicited interest in the experiences of mothers of boarders, which is an area that requires further exploration. Additionally, the researcher recommends investigating the experiences of childless women who had attended boarding school
The right to know: equal pay, privacy and the impact on professional relationships
No full textA right to know policy allows employees to request and receive from their employer the pay information of those colleagues performing the same work and work of equal value. It gives those who suspect they are receiving discriminatory pay a formal avenue to obtain information prior to launching an equal pay claim. This overcomes the taboo of talking about pay with colleagues, and can lead to settlement or decisions not to launch claims, thereby freeing up tribunal time. A right to know previously operated in the UK (and still operates in Northern Ireland), although it was repealed by the Coalition Government in 2013 on the dubious ground of relieving burden on business. A Private Member’s Bill introduced in 2020 would have restored the right, although it fell at the end of the Parliamentary session. While the new EU Pay Transparency Directive (which obliges member states to implement the right to know amongst other transparency measures) does not apply to the UK, it presents an opportunity to re-examine the policy. This paper considers the value of the right to know for those in the UK with suspicions about pay discrimination, and addresses some of the main objections to its reimplementation, including the burden on business, privacy concerns, and the impact on professional relationships of having pay information more readily accessible. The paper concludes that, while a right to know cannot combat systemic undervaluation of female-dominated roles, it is vital in removing barriers preventing women from pursing individual claims for equal pay
The trials of urine specimen collection when diagnosing a urinary tract infection in the adult female population
Get PDFBackground: The urinary tract consisting of the kidneys, ureters, urethra and bladder is commonly invaded with a urinary tract infection. Frequently caused by uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC) and recognized as the offending microbe responsible for a urinary tract infection. The objective of this study was to explore the perspectives relating to the challenges of collecting a midstream urine specimen when diagnosing a urinary tract infection.
Methods: A descriptive-interpretive qualitative research approach was adopted, and thirty female participants enrolled on the study were recruited from a specialist centre for acute and chronic urinary tract infections. Semi-structured interviews were conducted as part of a wider study, and the NVivoTM software was used to organize and group the data into thematic insights.
Results: The experiences of producing a midstream urine specimen were challenging, but despite the trials, it was regarded as the most adequate method that would diagnose the presence of a urinary tract infection.
Conclusions: Exploring the perspectives relating to the challenges of collecting a midstream urine specimen when diagnosing a urinary tract infection was fundamental. The interview data provided diverse perceptions of the trials and challenges encountered during urine specimen collection and the diagnostic process
Existing understanding of geographic profiling principles within UK policing
Get PDFThe purpose of this study was to ascertain the existing level of geographic understanding and the ability to integrate geographic considerations into investigations within the police (without prior training on geographic profiling) at two different levels of investigative experience, compared to professional geographic profilers. Three groups of investigative professionals - geographic profilers (geos), detective constables (DCs) and probationary police constables (PCs) - were given a simulation case that deals with a real series of potentially linked cases of arson. During these individual simulation interviews, qualitative data on participants’ verbal utterances and vocalised thought processes was recorded, then analysed and quantified. Both the quantity of investigative statements made as well as their content and quality were scrutinised. Quantitatively, the DC and geo groups were almost identical in terms of how many investigative considerations they made in relation to geographic and temporal (related to time of day, day of the week, etc.) aspects of a crime. However, qualitative analysis revealed a gap in the level of understanding of the importance of some geographic considerations between geos and the police. Overall, the research concludes that police investigators are a very fertile ground for receiving training on geographic profiling, as some of it is already naturally integrated into their investigations, and that increasing investigators’ understanding of geographic profiling could enhance their operational capabilities in the thousands of cases in which no expert geographic profiler is brought in to support them
Four speculative poems: 'Soulless', 'Simulant', 'Celestial Sound and Light Show', 'The Worm'
No full textThese four sci fi poems (speculative poetry) by A J Dalton appeared in the Feb 2024 issue of the Worlds Of IF magazine (Vol.1, No.1, issue 177). In the same issue, there was a Robert Silverberg short story and also a short story by A J Dalton
Digital transformation: A multidisciplinary perspective and future research agenda
Get PDFDigital transformation has had an unprecedented influence on all sectors of business over the last decade. We are now entering an era characterized by the extensive digital transformation of businesses, society, and consumers. Therefore, digital transformation has become a pivotal focus for organizations across various sectors in recent years. Despite differing scholarly perspectives on the concept and elements of digital transformation, a consensus exists that it significantly impacts consumer decisions and necessitates organizational adaptation. Recent challenges such as the COVID‐19 pandemic have further accelerated the need for digital transformation and its effects on consumers. This necessitates an editorial perspective on this most important topic to establish future research agenda encompassing the various dimensions of digital transformation. The purpose of this editorial perspective is to review research on digital transformation from a multidisciplinary viewpoint and provide insights into several key domains—Internet‐of‐Things, social media, mobile apps, artificial intelligence, augmented and virtual reality, the metaverse, and corporate digital responsibility—that are poised to fuel the pace of digital transformation. Each domain is analyzed through a lens of introduction, role, importance, multifaceted impact, and conclusions. Future research directions are suggested
Defamation and the right to freedom of speech: the UK in comparative perspective
No full textIn an effort to balance the protection of reputation and the right to free speech, the UK Parliament attempted to fundamentally transform English libel law through the Defamation Act 2013. This book evaluates the success of this attempt by means of a comparative analysis of relevant law in the United States of America (US), Germany, and the European Court of Human Rights. It examines the reasons that it was deemed necessary to reform the common law of defamation in England and Wales, the changes wrought by the act, and the case law it has engendered. As defamation often occurs internationally, the book also takes a broad comparative look at the way in which other relevant jurisdictions attempt to balance reputational protection and free speech. The natural starting point is the US where freedom of expression is strongly protected by the US Constitution. From there the focus shifts to Germany where both competing legal interests are likewise given constitutional protection. The European Court of Human Rights’ jurisprudence is also examined because of its highly developed balancing approach and its general reflection of European legal thinking. Recent high-profile defamation cases such as those concerning the actors Johnny Depp and Amber Heard, decided in the UK as well as the
US, form interesting and informative case studies. The final section of the work rates the libel reform attempted in the UK against its own benchmarks, provides suggestions about the way in which it is developing, and concludes that valuable lessons can still be learnt from the comparator jurisdictions. The book will be essential reading for those working in the areas of human rights law and media law