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Despite ever-strengthening political rhetoric to the contrary, there can be little doubt that the holistic value of an undergraduate degree is far greater than merely its potential for employability enhancement. However, what is less clear is the extent to which fee-paying students perceive broader aspects of value, and how such value perceptions are formed. This paper outlines findings from an exploratory case study comprising six life history interviews in which past and present law students from a post-92 university in the UK were asked to explore how they perceive the value of their degree, specifically focusing on how and when such value perceptions might have been shaped by their life experiences. Through analysis of the resultant data, a wide range of possible 'generative mechanisms' were identified which may influence student value perceptions in this context. Generative mechanisms are not direct causes but things which have the potential to have a real-world impact given the right conditions. By understanding such mechanisms, legal education providers -- and to a lesser extent also providers from other disciplines -- can more effectively design and market their programmes to ensure that they deliver maximum value that is perceived within their markets.

The Pitt Review of the 2007 summer floods in the UK, published in 2008, commended the potential of natural flood management (NFM) for reducing flood risk. NFM is a nature‐based approach that has since gained substantial interest from both practitioners and academics. The review further highlighted the need for catchment‐based flood management (CBFM) to enhance resilience to flooding and climate change by incorporating NFM and wider nature‐based solutions into hard flood protection systems. Such integrated approaches are considered to be more sustainable and adaptable than the traditional hard‐engineered measures. More recently, the European Commission's European Green Deal also highlighted the need for greater use of nature‐based solutions including NFM for managing flood risk. Whilst there have been many attempts to quantify the effects of NFM through hydraulic and hydrological modelling, there is still no systematic review conducted for these modelling works. This review aims to summarise the current NFM modelling approaches, as well as discussing their key limitations related to data, model methods, and real‐world applications. This paper then goes further to highlight potential solutions to some of these challenges and provides guidance to assist modellers to improve future modelling and data collection process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the last decade, the detection of neurotropic astroviruses has increased dramatically. The MLB genogroup of astroviruses represents a genetically distinct group of zoonotic astroviruses associated with gastroenteritis and severe neurological complications in young children, the immunocompromised, and the elderly. Using different virus evolution approaches, we identified dispensable regions in the 3′ end of the capsid-coding region responsible for attenuation of MLB astroviruses in susceptible cell lines. To create recombinant viruses with identified deletions, MLB reverse genetics (RG) and replicon systems were developed. Recombinant truncated MLB viruses resulted in imbalanced RNA synthesis and strong attenuation in iPSC-derived neuronal cultures confirming the location of neurotropism determinants. This approach can be used for the development of vaccine candidates using attenuated astroviruses that infect humans, livestock animals, and poultry. The MLB genogroup of astroviruses are associated with gastroenteritis and severe neurological complications in vulnerable individuals. The development of reverse genetics system for MLB astroviruses reveals genetic elements that are dispensable for viral replication in cell culture but lead to attenuation in human neurons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rising costs, an increasingly competitive graduate jobs market, and the introduction of alternative routes to highly skilled employment, have led many to question the "value" of higher education courses. This is the fourth in a series of papers which examines the value of a law degree from a range of perspectives: Part 1 explored theory from the marketing discipline in an attempt to identify the full range of possible value components; Part 2 analysed the online prospectus pages of over 50 UK law schools to understand which aspects of value were being articulated to the market; and Part 3 reported on life history interviews conducted with past and present students from a UK university, ultimately presenting a theory of value from a student viewpoint. This final paper provides a perspective from employers. It reports the findings of a qualitative study comprising 13 semi-structured interviews with people who have responsibility for trainee solicitor recruitment in England and Wales. The data reveals that whilst these influential individuals are guided by their own diverse range of value perceptions, they appear to reflect a common view that the legal profession is changing, and legal education needs to respond. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The "value" of university courses in the UK is increasingly equated with their potential for employability enhancement. Part 1 of this research utilized theory from the marketing discipline to highlight the many other aspects of value that a law degree in particular offers beyond lawyer qualification, and Part 2 presented a theory of value for the UK legal education market specifically, based upon the value propositions articulated by UK providers in their online prospectus pages. This third paper in the series explores student perspectives on this theme, identified through six life history interviews conducted with past and present LLB students from a post-92 university in the UK. The findings indicate that – whilst employability (and lawyer qualification specifically) is unquestionably important – there is still much untapped value potential that can be harnessed in order to differentiate law programmes in an increasingly competitive market. As the relevant regulatory body prepares to make radical changes to the way that solicitors qualify in England and Wales from 2021, the time for providers to develop differentiated and distinctive value is now. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For decades, law has been perceived as one of the most worthwhile degree programmes for students to undertake. In more recent years, contemporary rhetoric has begun to question the "value" of higher education in the modern world, and forthcoming regulatory changes in England and Wales will significantly dilute the concept of a "qualifying law degree", which in all likelihood has historically played a role in attracting large numbers of students to such programmes. In Part 1, theory from the marketing discipline was used to quantify holistically the true "value" of a law degree, with the aim of challenging the overly economic lens through which higher education is increasingly viewed, and constructing a theoretical model designed to help education providers identify, develop and articulate the value of their courses. This follow-up, empirical study builds on that earlier work by exploring the nature and extent of the "value" that is currently articulated by over 50 UK legal education providers on their online prospectus pages. The findings of this study are then used to propose a theory of "value" within the legal education sector, which can be used to identify opportunities for innovation and value creation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rising costs, vast increases in the proportion of young adults progressing to higher education and the introduction of alternative pathways to professional qualifications have in recent decades prompted some to argue that the "value" of an undergraduate law degree is diminished. Increasingly students, politicians, and society more widely appear to assess such value on an overly economic basis, focusing almost exclusively on employability and neglecting the wider and longer-term benefits for individuals, as well as for local and global communities. As the Solicitors Regulation Authority prepares to launch its new Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE), there is a risk that law schools may inadvertently erode existing value by placing too great an emphasis on preparing students for those centralised assessments and/or in how they respond to other market pressures. This paper draws on marketing theory to evaluate more holistically the potential value of a law degree, specifically in a post-SQE era. It is submitted that constructing resonating value propositions in relation to the wider and/or unique benefits of their programmes may help law schools to preserve, enhance and articulate value, thereby challenging the broader political rhetoric before it is too late. To this end, a new conceptual model is proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The UK's referendum decision of 23 June 2016, where voters elected to leave the European Union (EU), will fundamentally change aspects of national law. Much debate has focused on the constitutional implications of the decision and the procedure by which the government seeks to facilitate the exit. Further, issues of substance including the part played by immigration and the control of the UK's borders have also dominated legal and political commentary. Yet there has been no critical examination of the effects it will have on motor vehicle insurance law. The statute governing much of the law (the Road Traffic Act 1988), along with the extra-statutory agreements providing protection for the third-party victims of negligent uninsured drivers and untraced vehicles, is each profoundly influenced by EU directives. Given the Brexit decision and the resolution of the government to facilitate the UK's exit of the Union, we argue that the protective rights for such victims of motor accidents are likely to be reduced. Further, the advancement of the law, developed through the jurisprudence of the Court of Justice, will be lost. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Yangtze River basin is home to more than 400 million people and contributes to nearly half of China's food production. Therefore, planning for climate change impacts on water resource discharges is essential. We used a physically based distributed hydrological model, Shetran, to simulate discharge in the Yangtze River just below the Three Gorges Dam at Yichang (1 007 200 km2/, obtaining an excellent match between simulated and measured daily discharge, with Nash-Sutcliffe efficiencies of 0.95 for the calibration period (1996-2000) and 0.92 for the validation period (2001-2005). We then used a simple monthly delta change approach for 78 climate model projections (35 different general circulation models - GCMs) from the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5 (CMIP5) to examine the effect of climate change on river discharge for 2041-2070 for Representative Concentration Pathway 8.5. Projected changes to the basin's annual precipitation varied between -3.6 and +14.8% but increases in temperature and consequently evapotranspiration (calculated using the Thornthwaite equation) were projected by all CMIP5 models, resulting in projected changes in the basin's annual discharge from -29.8 to +16.0 %. These large differences were mainly due to the predicted expansion of the summer monsoon north and west into the Yangtze Basin in some CMIP5 models, e.g. CanESM2, but not in others, e.g. CSIRO-Mk3-6-0. This was despite both models being able to simulate current climate well. Until projections of the strength and location of the monsoon under a future climate improve, large uncertainties in the direction and magnitude of future change in discharge for the Yangtze will remain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a bid to attract students amidst increasing competition within the sector, many universities claim that their teaching is “research-informed”. However, there is some disagreement amongst academics about what actually counts as research-informed teaching and therefore how it should be developed and delivered. Furthermore, whilst academic reputation is a key factor for prospective university applicants, the primary objective of the majority is to enhance employability. Institutions must therefore be careful to ensure that research-informed teaching is developed in a way that is perceived to help rather than hinder this fundamental objective. This article seeks to define research-informed teaching and then considers whether clinical approaches to both teaching and research can offer more widely applicable strategies for effective integration of the two. Two case studies are considered: first, the writer’s own experience as a solicitor in private practice; and secondly, Hallam Law, Sheffield Hallam University’s pro bono law clinic. It is submitted that by adopting a clinical approach to the research and teaching on more orthodox, academic modules, it may be possible to develop and deliver research-informed teaching in a way that enhances employability and therefore appeals to prospective law students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Yangtze River Basin is home to more than 400 million people, contributes to nearly half of China's food production, and is susceptible to major floods. Therefore planning for climate change impacts on river discharges is essential. We used a physically-based distributed hydrological model, Shetran, to simulate discharge in the Yangtze River just below the Three Gorges Dam at Yichang (1,007,200 km²), obtaining an excellent match between simulated and measured daily discharge, with Nash-Sutcliffe efficiencies of 0.95 for the calibration period (1996-2000) and 0.92 for the validation period (2001-2005). We then used a simple monthly delta change approach for 78 climate model projections (35 different GCMs) from the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project-5 (CMIP5) to examine the effect of climate change on river discharge for 2041-2070 for Representative Concentration Pathway 8.5. Projected changes to the basin's annual precipitation varied between -3.6% and +14.8% but increases in temperature and consequently evapotranspiration (calculated using the Thornthwaite equation) were projected by all CMIP5 models, resulting in projected changes in the basin's annual discharge from -29.8% to +16.0%. These large differences were mainly due to the predicted expansion of the summer monsoon north and west into the Yangtze basin in some CMIP5 models, e.g. CanESM2, but not in others, e.g. CSIRO-Mk3-6-0. This was despite both models being able to simulate current climate well. Until projections of the strength and location of the monsoon under a future climate improve there will remain large uncertainties in the direction and magnitude of future change in discharge for the Yangtze. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: When the time comes, most people wish to die at home. Nevertheless, many deaths occur in hospital, often because of delays in the discharge process. This study explored the issues surrounding rapid discharge from hospital in the final days of life, and evaluated the contribution of a discharge sister role. Methods: A qualitative design was used, incorporating focus groups and interviews with key stakeholders. A total of 75 staff and 7 carers participated. Results: Participants highlighted the small window of opportunity available to facilitate a rapid but safe discharge from hospital. Early recognition of the last days of life was vital as was the availability of a skilled health professional, such as the discharge sister, to coordinate the patient's journey from hospital to preferred place of death. Conclusions: Rapid discharge is challenging and requires high levels of skill. The discharge sister navigated complex organisational systems to facilitate rapid discharge for those who might otherwise have died in hospital. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents several letters to the editor related to the field of palliative care, published in the December 2003 issue of the journal "Palliative Medicine." Marker symptoms for tolerability; Recommendations for the management of cancer pain; Differences in symptom prevalence in palliative care.

Myelin is a multilayered membrane that tightly wraps neuronal axons, enabling efficient, high-speed signal propagation. The axon and myelin sheath form tight contacts, mediated by specific plasma membrane proteins and lipids, and disruption of these contacts causes devastating demyelinating diseases. Using two cell-based models of demyelinating sphingolipidoses, we demonstrate that altered lipid metabolism changes the abundance of specific plasma membrane proteins. These altered membrane proteins have known roles in cell adhesion and signaling, with several implicated in neurological diseases. The cell surface abundance of the adhesion molecule neurofascin (NFASC), a protein critical for the maintenance of myelin-axon contacts, changes following disruption to sphingolipid metabolism. This provides a direct molecular link between altered lipid abundance and myelin stability. We show that the NFASC isoform NF155, but not NF186, interacts directly and specifically with the sphingolipid sulfatide via multiple binding sites and that this interaction requires the full-length extracellular domain of NF155. We demonstrate that NF155 adopts an S-shaped conformation and preferentially binds sulfatide-containing membranes in cis , with important implications for protein arrangement in the tight axon-myelin space. Our work links glycosphingolipid imbalances to disturbance of membrane protein abundance and demonstrates how this may be driven by direct protein-lipid interactions, providing a mechanistic framework to understand the pathogenesis of galactosphingolipidoses.

Purpose: To determine if sarpogrelate, a selective 5-HT2A receptor antagonist, is protective against light-induced retinopathy in BALB/c mice., Methods: BALB/c mice were dosed intraperitoneally with 5, 15, 30, 40, or 50 mg/kg sarpogrelate 48, 24, and 0 hours prior to bright light exposure (10,000 lux) as well as 24 and 48 hours after exposure. Additionally, a single injection regimen was evaluated by injecting mice with 50 mg/kg sarpogrelate once immediately prior to light exposure. To investigate the potential for additive effects of serotonin receptor agents, a combination therapy consisting of sarpogrelate (15 mg/kg) and 8-OH-DPAT (1 mg/kg) was evaluated with the 5-day treatment regimen. Neuroprotection was characterized by the preservation of retinal thickness and function, measured by spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) and electroretinography (ERG), respectively., Results: Mice that were light damaged and injected with saline had significantly reduced outer retinal thickness, total retinal thickness, and ERG amplitudes compared with naïve mice. A 5-day administration of 15, 30, or 40 mg/kg of sarpogrelate was able to partially protect retinal morphology and full protection of retinal morphology was achieved with a 50 mg/kg dose. Both 15 and 30 mg/kg doses of sarpogrelate partially preserved retinal function measured by ERG, whereas 40 and 50 mg/kg doses fully preserved retinal function. Additionally, a single administration of 50 mg/kg sarpogrelate was able to fully preserve both retinal morphology and function. Administration of 15 mg/kg of sarpogrelate and 1 mg/kg of 8-OH-DPAT together demonstrated an additive effect and fully preserved retinal morphology., Conclusions: A 5- or 1-day treatment with 50 mg/kg sarpogrelate can completely protect the retina of BALB/c mice from light-induced retinopathy. Partial protection can be achieved with lower doses starting at 15 mg/kg and protection increases in a dose-dependent manner. Treatment with low doses of sarpogrelate and 8-OH-DPAT elicits an additive effect that results in full protection of retinal morphology.