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This short briefing paper addresses the next stage in the evolution of regional development policy. It is clear that the cluster idea has held sway in this field for some 20 years. By now, practitioners and academics are widely sceptical of policy capabilities to create let alone build clusters. Recessionary times make this more difficult. Moreover, where some recent success can be seen, it is associated with command economies such as China where normal market and democratic barriers to large public investments in such measures are absent. Nevertheless, clusters exist in many places and there is evidence, displayed in this paper, that in some regions they have mutated into multi-cluster platforms. Now, as regions seek to rebalance, platform policies are evolving and being implemented. This paper shows how this is in part a response to “Grand Challenges” and the emergence of “challenge-driven” innovation. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Emergency care at a primary health care (PHC) level must be strengthened to reduce overall mortality and morbidity in any country. Developing recommendations for improvement in this area should take into consideration the context and nuances of the current emergency care system and primary health care context. Contribution to policy from the experts in the cross-cutting fields of PHC and emergency care is lacking. This study aims to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of emergency care in primary health settings and develop consensus-based recommendations for the strengthening of emergency care at this level. Using a modified Delphi technique, data were collected from various data sources to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of emergency care at PHC level, from which recommendation statements were developed. These recommendations were proposed to a panel of experts using a Delphi survey to build consensus on 14 recommendations to strengthen emergency care at PHC level. Ten experts were recruited to participate (n = 10) with a response rate of 90% in round II and 80% in round III of Delphi. Recommendations broadly addressed the areas of education and training in emergency care, the role and placement of various actors, leadership in emergency care and the development of a national plan for emergency care. Consensus was reached in round II for 97.61% of the statements and after modification based on open-ended comments, 98.21% consensus was reached in round III. Strengthening emergency care at primary and subsequent levels of health care requires a coordinated effort and mandate from authority in order to effect real change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate the sustainability of Robot-assisted upper limb therapy (RT-UL) as part of routine occupational therapy and physiotherapy clinical practice. Two separate audits, 12 months apart, of RT-UL computer data records were undertaken to determine sustainability in a subacute rehabilitation unit. Records of the two audits were compared in terms of the number of early subacute stroke survivors using RT-UL, the number of RT-UL sessions, duration of RT-UL sessions, and disciplines prescribing RT-UL. During Audit 1 58% (n = 18) of stroke survivors received RT-UL compared to 50% (n = 7) in Audit 2. The total number of RT-UL sessions reduced between audits (148 vs. 36 sessions) reflecting the overall reduction in admission rates for stroke survivors. There was no significant difference between audits in the average number of RT-UL sessions per patient (p = 0.203) nor the length of sessions (p = 0.762). Patients engaged in active therapy more than three-quarters of the time when on the robotic device. Physiotherapists were the primary prescribers of RT-UL when compared to occupational therapists. RT-UL was in continued and regular use with stroke survivors 2 years after initial implementation within an inpatient rehabilitation setting. RT-UL practice was intensive and used routinely with patients. RT-UL is a sustainable and intensive intervention for stroke survivors within an inpatient rehabilitative setting. The cost-benefits of RT-UL should be evaluated from the perspective of the whole rehabilitation service not just at an individual patient level. RT-UL may be considered a "bridging" form of UL practice for those with more limited active UL movement until there is sufficient UL movement and power for more complex real-world task-specific practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article offers information or reviews various articles, organizations, and web sites related to gender and development which include the report "Through women's eyes: a gendered research agenda for disaster social science," by Elaine Enarson, the online article "Oxfam Gender, Disaster Risk Reduction, and Climate Change Adaptation: A Learning Companion," by Fiona Gell, and the Gender and Disaster Network organization.

The detection of noncoding transcription at multiple enhancers within the mammalian genome raises critical questions regarding whether and how this activity contributes to enhancer function. Here, using in vivo analysis of a human growth hormone (hGH) transgene locus, we report that activation of a domain of noncoding transcription adjacent to the long-range hGH-N enhancer, HSI, is established by the enhancer independent of any interactions with its target promoter. We further demonstrate that the appearance of this enhancer-linked noncoding transcription is temporally and spatially concordant with induction of hGH-N in the embryonic pituitar Finally, we show that the level of transcriptional enhancement of hGH-N by HSI is directly related to the intensity of HSI-dependent noncoding transcription and is fully independent of the structure of the locally transcribed RNA. These data extend our understanding of the relationship of long-range enhancer activity to enhancer-dependent noncoding transcription and establish a model that may be of general relevance to additional mammalian loci. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since Paul David first published his economic histories of path-dependent innovation, the subject has exerted fascination upon scholars of innovation and technological change and, latterly, regional scientists and economic geographers. This paper speaks of the third and fourth of these communities in the main, though it may have theoretical and empirical elements of interest to the first two as well. It begins with an overview of recent perspectives and critiques concerning the relevance of the path dependence concept to the understanding of regional economic development and its associated governance. It then goes on to discuss the contribution of evolutionary economic geography to thinking about “branching” from path dependence and the creation of new paths. Evidence for key generic spatial processes of path transition is provided before the main content of the paper concludes with new insights into the contributions of regional innovation policy to path evolution. Conclusions are then drawn. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent decades have seen a proliferation of conservation programmes designed to encourage private landholders to protect and enhance biodiversity on their land. This paper reviews research emphasising the role of social context in shaping private land conservation (PLC) outcomes. We examine the potential for a collaborative policy-making process incorporating design and implementation of PLC programmes to reduce conflict between conservation agencies and landholders and increase community consensus around PLC issues. Collaborative partnerships nested at the sub-watershed governance level may represent the most appropriate geographic scale for engaging community interest, whilst linking PLC efforts to higher-level institutional frameworks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reflects on the conceptual framework of the CSAA 2010 conference, which was focused on the theme of ‘a scholarly affair.’ The argument posed is that cultural studies scholars have an ongoing concern for the difficulties, complexities, challenges, limitations as well as critical, creative and clarifying possibilities bound up in the very institutional and everyday contexts of knowledge and cultural production in which they live, work and play. An overview is given of how contributions in this special section of Continuum investigate diverse sites, theories, issues and methodologies that respond to this concern. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Levels of oxidatively damaged cellular DNA and urinary excretion of damaged 2′-deoxyribonuclosides are widely measured in biomonitoring studies examining the role of oxidative stress induced by environmental exposures, lifestyle factors and development of disease. This has promoted efforts to harmonise measurements of oxidised guanine nucleobases by the variety of analytical approaches for DNA and urinary levels of damage, in multi-laboratory trials that are centred in Europe. The large inter-laboratory variation reported of values of oxidatively damaged DNA is reduced by harmonising assay protocols. Recent attention on optimal conditions for the comet assay may lead to better understanding of the most critical steps in procedure, which generate variation in DNA damage levels between laboratories. Measurements of urinary excretion of oxidatively generated 8-oxo-7,8-dihydro-2′-deoxyguanosine also show large differences between different methods, where chromatographic techniques generally show more reliable results than antibody-based methods. In this case, standardising calibrants is aimed at improving within technique agreement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report the pathotyping of six Australian isolates of Marek's disease virus-1 (MDV1) isolated between 1992 and 2004 and association of virulence with meq gene polymorphism. Unvaccinated and herpesvirus of turkeys (HVT)-vaccinated specific pathogen free chickens were challenged at day 5 with 500 plaque forming units of Marek's disease virus. The isolates induced gross Marek's disease lesions in 53 to 94% of unvaccinated chickens, and HVT induced a protective index ranging from 38 to 100% by 56 days post challenge. This experiment provides evidence that current Australian isolates of MDV1 vary significantly in pathogenicity. However, there was no clear evidence that the most virulent recent isolates were more pathogenic than isolates from the 1980s or that any of the isolates belong to the highest pathotype category of very virulent plus. Evidence is presented that virulence can be predicted by measurements taken as early as 13 days post challenge. The meq gene sequences of five of the isolates used in the experiment were determined. When compared with the very virulent US isolate Md5, there was a 177 base-pair insertion and distinct point mutations in each of the five isolates. There were no individual mutations in the meq sequences that correlated with levels of virulence. However, amino acid alignment of the five Australian and 14 international isolates revealed that the number of repeat sequences of four prolines (PPPP repeats) in the meq gene (overall range 2 to 8) was strongly associated with virulence across all isolates, with the most pathogenic isolates having the fewest number of repeats. The results suggest that the presence of the 177 base-pair insertion alone is not an indicator of attenuation. Rather, the number of PPPP repeats, independent of the presence of the insertion, is a better indicator of pathogenicity. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is the third-leading cause of death in the United States. Despite clinical practice guidelines endorsed by national organizations, the management of COPD deviates from guideline recommendations. Patients with COPD are frequently underdiagnosed and misdiagnosed, due in large part to the lack of spirometry testing. When diagnosed, about one third of patients are not receiving any COPD-related drug therapy. Factors that contribute to suboptimal management include provider, patient, and system factors. Physician factors such as understanding and attitude toward the disease, and awareness of guidelines, may affect appropriate management of COPD. Patient factors include medication non-adherence, understanding of the disease, severity of their symptoms, and access to medications. System factors such as insurance coverage may limit aspects of COPD care. To overcome clinical inertia, a multifaceted approach is required. Provider and patient education, the use of health informatics, changes in provider work-flow and the recent development of performance measures, such as the use of spirometry in patients with COPD, can improve the delivery of recommended care for COPD patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this paper is to explore the extent to which regional culture informs the organizational culture of incumbent firms in specific regions and vice versa. To achieve this, we draw on a repertoire of conceptual and theoretical instruments, few of which have featured in the analysis of regional evolution hitherto. For example, the ideas of innovation systems of paradigm and regime are deployed as regional paradigms and regimes to access the dynamics of regional evolution. The concept of “spacing” is used to reveal the ways actors shape given places by meanings or symbols. Subsequently, the methodology of “cultural framing” is used to position key regional narratives and their meaning for regional evolution. This approach is then tested in a stylized manner against the main focal regions of the CURE project before being used in more detail to compare and contrast two of the more distinctive regional and corporate settings, Westphalia and Wales. In conclusion, we show the path inter-dependences and new path creations of both cast a new light on regional evolution in general and that of these regions in particular. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This study examined the moderating effect of context and timeframe on the predictive ability of Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) constructs. Three hundred and eighty-three students completed TPB measures either in a campus bar or a library and were randomly allocated to one of three timeframe conditions: tonight, tomorrow or next week. There was a three-way interaction such that the subjective norms of participants in a bar were more predictive of their intentions to binge drink that night, whereas the subjective norms of participants in a library were less predictive of intentions to binge drink that night. This research provides empirical evidence that ignoring context may result in underestimation of the importance of normative factors in binge drinking. It also suggests that other research utilising the TPB needs to take greater account of the impact of context of data collection, which has been neglected to date. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The argument developed in this paper is that a resilient economy requires a growth agenda that is underpinned by a balanced industrial mix, the development and adoption of new knowledge or technological platforms, and risk taking in radical and incremental innovations as well as in soft and hard innovations. In other words, it is desirable to promote a sustainable and endogenous way to 'reset' the economy - borrowing the phrase from this study by Florida - by endorsing a growth agenda that includes also creative and cultural industries. It will further be argued that a policy agenda for the EU's economic growth takes little account of the opportunities and potential of creative and cultural industries, favouring hard technologies and services. A growing literature is starting to highlight the innovation capacity of cultural and creative industries as they intersect the innovation processes of other manufacturing and services sectors with innovative and creative outputs. The indecision of EU policy-makers on how to take advantage of creative and cultural industries for the delivery of a Smart Europe - as part of the Europe 2020 agenda - translates into a lack of commitment to such industries and indeed to a clear cohesion agenda. We make a strong case for EU policy-making to break the deadlock and clearly spell out a policy agenda that has an effective spatial dimension and that directly interfaces with its innovation policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article features resources related to gender and development, offering descriptions of and information on books such as "Gender and Social Policy in a Global Context: Uncovering the Gendered Structure of 'The Social'," edited by Shahra Razavi and Shireen Hassim, the paper "Why Social Pensions are Needed Now. HelpAge International Briefing," from HelpAge International, and the organization International Labour Organization (ILO) Department of Social Security.

Psychological issues following hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) are unfortunately common. Literature specific to the transplant experience for the needs of adolescents and young adults (AYA) is lacking. The purpose of this article is to (1) describe the allogeneic transplant experience for AYA transplant patients during the first year following transplantation including demographic and treatment characteristics, (2) present AYA data obtained during and following a six-part posttransplant discharge study, (3) illustrate typical AYA experiences using case studies, and (4) propose AYA intervention strategies within Erickson's stages of psychosocial development. A quality of life model provided the research conceptual framework, and the content analysis framework for the qualitative research. Themes that emerged within each domain were the following: sexuality/fertility, fatigue, depression/poor coping/habits, adherence issues, use of technology, dependency issues, changes in roles/relationships, issues with school/education, financial issues, family problems/issues, miscellaneous, religion/spirituality, fear of future, uncertainty, life, death, more life appreciation. These data guide us for providing targeted interventions for the needs of this AYA population. This paper has presented literature and developmental theory, qualitative and qualitative data from an intervention study, and clinical cases in order to propose a developmental treatment model for AYA transplant patients. A coordinated and multidisciplinary approach is needed for the HCT patient who is an AYA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper posits that the writings of Helene Cixous convey a remarkable intimacy, firstly in the representation of love, with its relationship to knowledge and time; and, secondly, in the relationship her texts create with the reader. Cixous's use of her life, from the publication of her dreams to the life events which are the creative impetus for texts such as The Book of Promethea (1983) and The Day I Wasn't There (2000) inform a discussion of the figures of the lover, the dead child, and that of the brother, his interdiction against appearing in her texts, and the ethical dimension this produces for the reader. Finally, the implications of Cixous's imbrication of literature, dreaming, writing and life is considered as a gesture of intimacy which opens a possibility for radically reconceiving our usual separation of these realms of experience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An essay is presented on the prison experience in Syria under the rule of former President Hafez Al-Assad and his son President Bashar Al-Assad. It presents several prison narratives including "The Cocoon," by Hasiba 'Abd al-Rahman, "In Praise of Hatred" by Khalid Khalifa, and "The Shell: The Diary of a Voyeur" by Mustafa Khalifa. The author states that writings in Bashar-era explicitly depict torture and executions in prison while before Bashar narratives focused on isolation in prison.

Women's earnings, employment, and commutes have generally lagged men's. Geographers emphasize the effects of women's gender roles on their spatial entrapment as limiting their job opportunities and labor market status. This research methodologically advances spatial entrapment research by utilizing a national model of commuting with spatial fixed effects to make more accurate predictions and generalizations. Second, this research found that a control group of same-sex partners allows for more direct isolation and measurement of the gender role effect on women's commutes. This research concluded that women's gender roles are negatively affecting their commuting range and, therefore, their labor market status. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Instrumental and reactive subtypes of aggression are likely to have different biopsychosocial roots. This has implications for research aimed at identifying aetiological mechanisms and for forensic practice. In this methodological note we describe the development of a unidimensional measure of lifetime persistent instrumental aggression based on information collected from a random sample of 241 Scottish male prisoners. We applied modern psychometric methods - confirmatory factor analysis and item response theory methods - to the development of a short, reliable and informative measure of this important forensic construct. Results indicated that information from files and interviews could be combined to develop a unidimensional measure of the degree of instrumentality, which provided a psychometrically robust measure of the construct of instrumental aggression. Further, item response theory analyses indicated good measurement across the middle to high range of the trait. Identifying life-long patterns of instrumental aggressive behaviour, and distinguishing instrumental aggression from the broad pool of aggressive behaviour, has the potential to improve understanding of underlying mechanisms, increase the accuracy of risk assessments, and contribute to more effective treatment and management strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents the findings of a small-scale study undertaken at a UK university. The purpose of the research was to investigate the perceived impact and value of the Academic Library Liaison service at the university. This was considered to be a critical issue of concern, in the light of drivers threatening the UK higher education library sector to de-professionalize-or worse, remove such services. A mixed methods approach was adopted, combining an online questionnaire disseminated to academic staff, resulting in 29 responses from three academic departments and in-depth interviews with eight members of academic staff. The results indicate that although academic staff do value the service provided by Academic Liaison Librarians (ALLs), there is scope to increase awareness of the range of services on offer. The study also demonstrates that academic staff prioritize the contribution that ALLs can make through the possession of in-depth subject knowledge, IT skills and well-developed communication skills, and the provision of advice on copyright matters and assistance with institutional repositories. This holds implications for curriculum design on the part of LIS educators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the application of the theory of finite abelian groups to prove that there are certain numbers of primes in a given initial segment of the natural numbers, which was published in the 1889 paper of Joseph Perott. It says that the idea of Perott was called a remark on Euclid's theorem and the proof was based on two simple lemmas such as homomorphism and isomorphism. Moreover, an earlier paper where Perott proved a substantial result of the theorem is also discussed.

The existence of elementary reading specialists in schools has increased, and their role in improving schoolwide efforts for prevention and intervention of reading risk has received increased emphasis. The purpose of this article is to describe the components of a multitier schoolwide reading model in the early grades in which the reading specialist serves an essential leader. Recommendations are made for the role of the reading specialist in establishing and maintaining a model that is cohesive and integrated. In addition, the need for strong support from the principal is discussed, as well as specific roles the principal needs to play to ensure success. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

*Gender and migration * Globalisation * Remittances * Migrant domestic labour and care work * Impact of migration on families *Forced migration * Organisations [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we explore regional innovation in the use of varieties of algae as inputs to industrial processes. It is important to understand that algae are one of nature's most bountiful products, with an almost infinite variety of applications. Algae have received prominence in the research literature because of the strong evidence that they can make a major contribution to the production and-importantly-storage of renewable energy. Following the introduction to this paper, Section 2 reviews the nature and application of algae in two main aspects of clean energy production: first as biogasolene or biodiesel; second as large-scale storage batteries for electricity. The latter is particularly important as one classic deficiency of electricity is the difficulty in storing it for lengthy periods other than in short-life batteries. However (Section 3), there are other uses for algae, ranging from aquaculture to medicine and the production of cosmetics. In the southwest corner of the Iberian Peninsula, between Faro in Portugal through Huelva to Cadiz in Spain, is a significant research and commercial algae production zone. The paper describes the key system elements in play in this trans-border innovation network and considers prospects for new path creation towards biofuels, the main research and application centres for which are in the San Francisco Bay Area in California. Conclusions and recommendations for policy action are then drawn. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Occurrences of fish kills are increasing in aquatic ecosystems worldwide, and have been attributed to natural phenomena, as well as human modification and pollution of terrestrial and aquatic environments. Despite contemporary research activities, the science of fish kill investigations is still rudimentary and has advanced little since the 1960s. Here, we highlight the complexity of fish kills and provide a critical commentary on the key challenges that must be overcome in order to advance the science of fish kill investigation. Such challenges include recognizing the potential for carry-over effects, biotic factors, and multiple stressors when conducting fish kill investigations. We recommend an interdisciplinary approach that includes recent innovations in field physiology, functional genomics, and greater reliance on fish health professionals. We also recommend additional efforts to develop databases for tracking fish kills, as well as more attempts to publish fish kill studies in the peer-reviewed literature. The recommendations that we provide will advance our ability to identify fish kill causes, and consequently allow us to implement preventative measures to reduce the frequency and magnitude of fish kills worldwide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two studies investigated undergraduates' knowledge of the UK government recommendations about binge drinking and sensible drinking, and also examined how labelling oneself as a binge drinker is associated with binge drinking perceptions. In Study 1, 325 undergraduates reported how many units constitute binge drinking, and labelled themselves as a 'binge drinker' or 'non-binge drinker'. Participants overestimated how many units constitute binge drinking relative to the UK government recommendations. Also, 59% labelled themselves as 'non-binge drinkers' and gave significantly higher estimates compared with 'binge drinkers'. In Study 2, 386 undergraduates defined binge drinking and reported how many units constitute sensible drinking. Only 13% of undergraduates defined binge drinking in terms of units of alcohol, and undergraduates overestimated how many units constitute sensible drinking. This research found wide variation in personal understanding of the term binge drinking and suggests a review of how to communicate recommendations about alcohol consumption to young people is needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Andragogy refers to theory specific to teaching adults, as opposed to pedagogy, which refers to the teaching methodologies used to instruct children. Popularized by adult educator Malcolm Knowles, andragogy relies on 5 basic tenants: adult learners are self-directed, they possess life experience that informs their learning, they possess a desire to actively participate in the learning process, their learning needs to be relevant to their lives, and they are highly motivated to learn. A review of the literature in library science (specifically library instruction) and adult education aims to arm librarians with a working knowledge of andragogy. This is an especially important undertaking as adult learners are becoming a much larger student demographic at colleges and universities around the world, and the specific needs, characteristics, and anxieties of adult learners are often overlooked. Instruction librarians' most valuable tool for working with adult learners is bibliographic instruction. Effectively designed sessions can alleviate the library anxiety of adult learners and empower them to become better students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: This study, as part of a larger programme of research, sought to investigate the effect that participation in a 40-min live group music programme, involving facilitated engagement with song-singing and listening, three times a week for eight weeks, had on agitation and anxiety in older people with dementia. Methods: A randomized cross-over design, with music and reading control groups, was employed. Forty-seven participants with mild - moderate dementia, from two aged care facilities in Queensland, Australia, were recruited. Participants were assessed three times on the Cohen-Mansfield Agitation Inventory - Short Form (CMAI-SF) and the Rating Anxiety in Dementia Scale (RAID). Results: A sub-analysis of 24 participants attending ≥50% of music sessions found a significant increase in the frequency of verbal aggression over time, regardless of group (F(2,46) = 3.534, p < 0.05). A series of multiple regressions found cognitive impairment, length of time living in the facility and gender to be predictors of agitation overall and by subtype. Conclusion: Participation in the music programme did not significantly affect agitation and anxiety in older people with dementia. Both the music and reading group activities, however, gave some participants a 'voice' and increased their verbalization behaviour. Agitation was found to be predicted by a number of background factors (namely level of cognitive impairment, length of time in the facility and gender). Future studies would benefit more from in-depth participant assessment prior to study commencement, helping to moderate the influence of low scores, and by undertaking interventions at times when assessed symptoms are most prevalent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article offers information on several resources on topics related to food. The briefing paper "Women: the Key to Food Security" examines the important roles of women in ensuring food security. The book "Chains of Fortune: Linking Women Producers and Workers With Global Markets," edited by Marilyn Carr, features case studies of women workers and producers in various countries. Moreover, a paper by Nira Ramachandran discusses issues related to food security and women involvement in South Asia.

by Eleanor Kilroy Laws hold up a mirror to the societies that have created them. While laws can be progressive, and promote positive change, where they reflect values and culture that are inimical to the rights of women, they serve as a major obstacle to the attainment of gender equality. Here, we profile WLUML, a network organisation which works to challenge laws that discriminate against women, across the Muslim world. by Maddy Coy The growing presence of lap-dancing, pole-dancing, and strip clubs on the streets of many European towns has been met with dismay by many women, whose attempts to have them closed down have met with varying levels of success. In the summer of 2010, Iceland took the step of banning such clubs and in this piece Maddy Coy explores what lies behind this aspect of the sex industry, and why the ban is important. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this paper is to investigate the thesis that regional innovation systems are adept at facilitating new demands, notably from 'platform' industries or clusters because they may by means of policy instruments catalyse innovations across industry or cluster borders. They facilitate such transversality of knowledge flows because they already learned to integrate Triple Helix interactions and now are able to apply that logic to inter-cluster knowledge interactions. With reference to evidence from the evolution of renewable energy consumer and producer awareness and action, it is suggested that the basic thesis about innovation gains from such regional knowledge spillovers is relatively easy to find in exemplar renewable energy regions. It is concluded that those regions with innovative development agencies of the kind discussed will prosper from tapping new horizontal cross-fertilisation opportunities which are relatively costless and are easily turned into international knowledge portals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tackling violence in prisons and forensic institutions is a key role for mental health professionals. Major strides have been made in the last twenty years in the evaluation and management of individual risk factors. However, the understanding of situational-or institutional-risk factors is less well developed. This special section considers PRISM. PRISM is a set of structured professional guidelines for assessing and managing the risk of violence in institutions. In contrast to better known forms of structured judgment approaches the focus of concern is the functioning of the institution, not the individual patient or prisoner. In this introductory paper we describe the development of PRISM, its conceptual and empirical base, and demonstrate and propose a range of applications for the approach. We argue that PRISM can have value in a range of important practical tasks, but also, PRISM can be used to enhance our theoretical understanding of the risk processes that underpin institutional violence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

PRISM: Promoting Risk Intervention by Situational Management (Johnstone & Cooke, 2008) provides a systematic process for evaluating a range of situational risk factors known to influence institutional violence in prisons and secure hospital settings. This paper reports on findings from the first multiple case-study evaluation using this protocol. We applied PRISM in the Scottish Prison Service (SPS). The SPS is a modern prison system. It respects prisoners' human rights, maintains order and control via humane and dignified means, and works towards the rehabilitation of prisoners and reducing reoffending rates overall. The SPS comprises a national headquarters where relevant policies and protocols are derived but governors and senior management teams are based within the local prisons to ensure the effective running of the organisation. While the SPS can boast decreasing rates of serious violence, there are significant variations across sites. We used PRISM to explore the relevance of situational risk factors to understanding these variations. Results suggested that the protocol was a promising paradigm for assessing risk factors unique to each site as well as showing utility for exposing problems related to the national policies and practices. The risk assessment led to a range of risk management interventions being proposed. The implications of the findings are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

PRISM (Promoting Risk Interventions by Situational Management) has multiple uses. In this paper we describe case studies that consider, first, the riot and the consequent loss of Glendairy prison in Barbados, and second, the functioning of the temporary prison at Harrison's point created to contain, on a short-term basis, over 1000 prisoners. We analyze the organizational processes that led to the violence at Glendairy and we consider the processes that maintained the high level of violence at Harrison's Point. We conclude by providing recommendations about changes in institutional practice designed to prevent the transmission of the culture of acceptance of violence to the new state-of-the art prison being created. Moving from the practical to the theoretical, we argue that the application of PRISM can promote the understanding of the theoretical processes-risk processes-that operate to increase or decrease the likelihood of violence in institutions, whether prisons or forensic mental health facilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Develop and implement a music intervention protocol for use with older people with dementia and explore its effect on engagement. Design: A randomised cross-over trial with music intervention and reading control groups. Methods: A music protocol was developed through research team expertise, discussions with facility staff and musicians, practice session feedback and participants' musical preferences. A participant engagement observation checklist was devised to monitor levels of engagement. Results: Participants became more actively (F(2,68) = 5.279, p < .01) and passively (F(2,68) = 4.250, p < .05) engaged in song-singing over time. There was no increase in engagement during the reading control sessions over time. Conclusions: The method by which the music protocol was developed offers a framework and an example for similar, controlled trials. The participant engagement observation checklist also provides an exemplar of how engagement may be captured and illustrates the importance of using one, given participants became more engaged during song-singing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrogen and fuel cells may have a major role in the future energy market if governments give a high priority to reduction of CO2 emissions with associated R&D investment in efficient hydrogen technologies. It is predicted that China would have the highest share of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles in 2050 if their ambitious climate and energy security policies are adopted (OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development)/IEA (International Energy Agency) (2005) Prospects for Hydrogen and Fuel Cells (Paris: OECD Publications)). R&D in hydrogen and fuel cell technologies in China has been pushed by the central government's commitment to reduce air pollution emissions from transportation, to enhance energy security and improve national competitiveness. The paper focuses on current policies and progress on hydrogen and fuel cell development in China. Development prospects and challenges are discussed with a view to achieving better understanding of the emerging hydrogen economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on several information resources related to global economic crisis. A paper by Richard King and Caroline Sweetm discusses the relationship between recession and gender inequalities. Another paper by Rania Antonopoulos also focuses on the impact of financial crisis on the society. Another paper discusses the role of women in economic development in Europe.

The Powerful Owl is an elusive species inhabiting the forests of mainland eastern Australia. Obtaining crucial information on aspects of their breeding behaviour and dispersal has proven extremely difficult, even though other aspects of their ecology are well studied. Here we use molecular methods to investigate the breeding behaviour and dispersal of the Powerful Owl in two different habitats: highly fragmented forest along the urban fringe and continuous forest. DNA profiles of Powerful Owls were obtained predominately from shed feathers collected opportunistically between 1995 and 2006. Seven breeding pairs of Powerful Owls were identified, from which shed feathers were collected during 2003, 2004 and 2005. By comparing DNA profiles, one pair of Owls was found to have occupied the same breeding site for 10 years (1995–2005). The dispersal or movements of five offspring from this pair was also determined to be either of two scenarios: (1) the juvenile moves from the natal territory; however, isn't breeding; and (2) the juvenile is recovered as part of a breeding pair. Two pairs of Owls breeding in the urban fringe habitat were closely related, but no incidences of extra-pair fertilisation were detected among pairs in either habitat. This study provides new information about the breeding behaviour and dispersal of the Powerful Owl, and shows the potential of using genetic data sourced from shed feathers for studying cryptic, rare or elusive species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Substantial research supports the need for early intervention efforts for students at risk for failure. Despite the empirically documented importance of early, explicit reading intervention for students who enter school without critical prereading skills, many kindergarten programs delay intensive reading instruction until later in the year. Instead, during the 1st months or semester of kindergarten the emphasis is on teaching readiness skills. The authors compared the progress of kindergarten students who received small-group reading intervention across the full school year with those who began the same intervention midyear. Students with a full year of intervention outperformed those who had only a half year of intervention. Because of the concerns about starting a structured and intensive intervention for students who are transitioning to kindergarten, the authors offer suggestions for helping to address some important readiness skills while providing early reading intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article reviews several papers and articles on the relationship between gender and climate change, including "Gender, Water and Development," edited by Anne Coles and Tina Wallace, "The Gender and Water Development Report 2003: Gender Perspectives on Policies in the Water Sector" from GWA, and "Gender Mainstreaming: An Essential Component of Sustainable Water Management" by Kristen Lewis.

Organisation profile: Central American Women's Network (CAWN) by Katherine Ronderos and Liz Cooke In this issue's organisation profile, we look at the Central American Women's Network. This UK-based organisation works in both Central America and in Europe to strengthen and promote the rights of Central American women, with partnership at the core of their strategy. Tracking the impact of the global economic crisis - ten things women's groups can investigate by Diane Elson Diane Elson has been at the forefront of thinking on feminist economics for the past quarter of a century. In this piece for Gender & Development she turns her attention to the ongoing economic crisis. Highlighting the lack of information available on the human impact of the crisis, and its gendered effects, Diane provides a possible methodology for tracking the impact of the crisis on the ground. International Women's Day by Liz Cooke This year, on 8 March, many of our readers will be taking part in activities to mark International Women's Day (IWD) 2010. Over the years, IWD has been observed in different ways in different countries - but how did the day itself come into being? Here, we provide a brief history of the origins of the day which celebrates the world's women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractObjective:While many patients with type 2 diabetes require insulin to achieve glycemic goals, little is known about patients persistence with insulin or other injectable antidiabetic therapies. The objective of this study was to evaluate persistence with injectable antidiabetic agents in patients with type 2 diabetes who were naïve to these treatments.Methods:The study cohort was obtained using administrative and pharmacy claims data from a commercial managed care organization of approximately 1.2 million members with pharmacy benefits. The inclusion criteria were members with type 2 diabetes who had at least one pharmacy claim for insulin glargine, insulin detemir, exenatide, or isophane insulin human (NPH insulin) from January 1, 2006 through June 30, 2006. The first claim for any of these injectable therapies was considered the index prescription. Members were excluded if they filled a prescription (a) for any injectable antidiabetic medication from July 2005 through December 2005; or (b) for short/rapid-acting or mixed insulins during 2006, either prior to the index date or within 30 days following the index date. The primary outcome was persistence with the index drug, defined as number of months between the initiation of therapy (i.e., index date) and either the end of therapy (date of last fill plus days supply) or study period of 12 months. The secondary outcome was the percentage of patients with claims for new antidiabetic agents added after index date. Multivariate regression with life data (survival analysis) was performed with number of months of persistence as the dependent variable.Results:The cohort consisted of 1769 members with a mean (SD) age of 53.2 (12.5) years and 47.4 were men. Mean (SD) months of persistence for members on insulin glargine, insulin detemir and exenatide were similar at 7.8 (4.1), 7.8 (4.4), and 7.6 (4.4), respectively. Members taking NPH insulin had statistically lower persistence at 5.6 (4.5) months (P<0.001). Overall persistence was 28.7 for injectable antidiabetics at 1 year among treatment-naïve patients. In a multivariate regression model, patients who were younger (P  0.025) and who initially received NPH insulin (P<0.001) were less likely to persist. There was no association between persistence and sex, initial copayment, or number of oral antidiabetic medications at time of index prescription. Members in the exenatide and NPH insulin groups were less likely to receive new antidiabetic agents compared with the insulin glargine group (P<0.001). Limitations include the use of pharmacy claims to proxy the type of diabetes and patients with gestational diabetes may have been included. Missing or inaccurate claims data, the use of samples and hospitalizations may have occurred and would result in an underestimation of persistence.Conclusions:Persistence was low for injectable antidiabetics at 1 year among treatment-naïve patients. Patients who received insulin glargine, insulin detemir, or exenatide were more likely to persist than patients receiving NPH insulin. Older patients were more likely to persist, but sex, copayment and number of oral antidiabetic medications at initiation of the injectable antidiabetic were not associated with persistence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Historically, racial identity research has focused on either the process by which identity develops or the content of the identities that individuals hold. This paper investigates the nexus of these approaches. Specifically, cluster analysis was used to locate 204 African American college students in one of four statuses of development outlined by Phinney (1989) and examine movement across clusters over time. Mean differences in the content of individuals' racial Centrality, racial Regard, and racial Ideology beliefs across clusters at both time points were then assessed. Results indicate some relationship between process and content such that higher levels of development are associated with higher levels of identification with and more positive attitudes toward one's racial group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article is about progression in further and higher education for migrants to the United Kingdom who are users of non-standard varieties of English. The focus is on the struggles of Tobi, a first-generation migrant Nigerian student. Tobi's story describes the local barriers he must navigate in order to gain access to the courses he wishes to follow, both at the college where he is studying and at the local university to which he wishes to progress. These barriers include mastery of academic English and assessments of literacy. The contrast is drawn out between Tobi's aspirations to progress 'up' along an educational trajectory, and his actual experience of moving 'downwards'. Widening participation and the stratification of higher education are seen in relation to other processes and structures that impact on Tobi's experience: migration, social class and capital, language and language ideologies, and academic literacy. Tobi's trajectory also exemplifies the tension between his own language use and the variety of English he is expected to orient towards. We end the paper with a discussion of models of academic literacy, which may provide a starting point for addressing the pedagogic challenges faced by Tobi and his teachers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses the growth of humanism, which was popularized by philosopher Ferdinand Canning Scott Schiller during the 20th century. It presents the family background of Schiller, his view of pragmatism, his quest of building humanism as a development of pragmatism, and his criticism of Christian theology.

Changes to how police forces in England and Wales are working to manage their public image in an environment of heightened accountability and transparency are explored. The locus of control of information shaping the portrayal of the police in the news media is discussed, as is the impact of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) 2000. The findings from case studies of two police forces in the East Midlands are reported. The case studies indicate that, whilst police and media cooperation is not a new phenomenon, UK police forces are becoming increasingly proactive, strategic and professionalised in their use of the news media. For their part, the media are dependent on the news 'fed' to them on a regular basis by police press relations units. Nevertheless, thanks in particular to their use of the FOIA 2000, the media continue to play a role as independent watchdog and reporter of police activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract This preliminary pilot study explores sustained benefits of pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) in people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) attending a 12-month home-based pulmonary maintenance program. The incidence of COPD is high and ageing populations will see this continue and possibly increase. PR programs are effective, however, benefits may dissipate if the program is not continued. The maintenance program involved: strength retraining exercises; collaborative goal setting; regular telephone calls; and home visits. Around half of the 29 participants remained in contact with the program for 12 months and 21 completed final or 6-month assessment. Most participants maintained: respiratory functioning; quality of life; and self-efficacy, with some showing improvements. Outcomes provide knowledge for improving patient care through a home-based strategy to maintain benefits of PR programs. Results suggest that in light of likely decline in benefits 6-12 months after PR, the maintenance program contributed to sustained benefits for COPD individuals and also provide information to aid investigators planning the design of similar larger research with this population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This preliminary pilot study explores sustained benefits of pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) in people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) attending a 12-month home-based pulmonary maintenance program. The incidence of COPD is high and ageing populations will see this continue and possibly increase. PR programs are effective, however, benefits may dissipate if the program is not continued. The maintenance program involved: strength retraining exercises; collaborative goal setting; regular telephone calls; and home visits. Around half of the 29 participants remained in contact with the program for 12 months and 21 completed final or 6-month assessment. Most participants maintained: respiratory functioning; quality of life; and self-efficacy, with some showing improvements. Outcomes provide knowledge for improving patient care through a home-based strategy to maintain benefits of PR programs. Results suggest that in light of likely decline in benefits 6–12 months after PR, the maintenance program contributed to sustained benefits for COPD individuals and also provide information to aid investigators planning the design of similar larger research with this population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research focuses on those working weekends and also having a workweek of 20 hours or less, which we define as having a weekend-based short workweek (WBSW). The purpose of this paper is to examine the characteristics of workers with a WBSW, with emphasis on gender, family status, and work-life balance. To our knowledge, this is the first study examining work schedules having overlapping characteristics of both weekend work and part-time hours. The country of research for this study is Canada. We found that workers with a WBSW are more likely to be female, but less likely to be married or have dependent children. They are also more likely to be younger, less educated, less experienced, and low-waged. Nonetheless, job satisfaction among those with a WBSW is only slightly lower than those without one. Moreover, we found a group of older, married females with high job satisfaction notwithstanding having a WBSW. We presume that some have managed to balance the substantial work, economic, and family obligations that they face, but also wonder whether some have become resigned to their available employment options rather than having found decent work per se. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]