Search

AbstractAn increasing focus of recent research is on the role of technology in support of teaching, learning and renewal or revitalization of endangered languages. The potential roles of a given piece of technology logically depend, at least to some extent, on the features built into the technology at design stage. Since most language revitalization and renewal efforts are local, community-based initiatives, the preferences and insights of community members are critical to build into the design, to maximize the relevance and appeal of the technology to those who might use it to maintain and increase knowledge and skills in their language. Recognizing this, the project reported on here incorporated co-design into the development of a mobile app, Warrma Mangarrayi (“Listen to Mangarrayi”). The app design also drew on a model of language revitalization, which offers a conceptualization of how technology can be a resource for a language revitalization team whose goals include everyday phrase-based communication in the endangered language. In this article we discuss the iterative user-centered co-design process adopted for the research and the improvements resulting from community user feedback on different versions and how the resulting resource, Warrma Mangarrayi, responded to community needs and aspirations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This literature review systematically analyses publications and articles up to mid-2023 related to the COVID-19 pandemic in the field of HE, specifically identifying pressures that students are experiencing. The aim of the review was to identify insights into the tensions faced by students in HE following their experiences of educational interruptions due to COVID-19. Additionally, this review explored the literature relating to the personal, professional, academic and societal pressures experienced by HE students. Student engagement, sense of belonging, alienation and resilience in a post-pandemic context was also examined. Results suggest that the effects of COVID-19 have increased pressure on HE students in multifaceted and interconnecting ways. Post-pandemic, students' mental health and wellbeing is significantly reducing resilience. Issues facing the cohort of students currently at school will filter on into HE if not actioned. Therefore, Government and HEIs need to address the macro, meso and micro after effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. To do this, further focussed research is needed into post-pandemic HEI support systems and practical pedagogical strategies. HEIs could examine the effects of stress and anxiety resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic and could apply conceptual tools and educational theories to influence future strategies to increase students' resilience, engagement, sense of belonging and thus academic resilience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Women with cerebral palsy have the same sexual and reproductive healthcare (SRH) needs and rights as non-disabled women across the life course. Multi-level barriers prevent their SRH needs from being met in a timely way. Grouped according to Bronfenbrenner's socio-ecological model, these include physical and psychosocial determinants. The aim of this scoping review was to collate global literature of access to, and utilisation of, SRH for women with cerebral palsy across the life course. We screened five databases for international empirical studies published in English between 2000–2019. Twelve studies met the inclusion criteria. The review highlights that women with cerebral palsy face challenges to receiving good quality healthcare, including limited practitioner knowledge and training on the effects of cerebral palsy in adulthood and how it interacts with women's SRH needs. Much more research is needed to inform the provision of appropriate SRH treatment for women with cerebral palsy across the life course. This article blends together the findings of 12 international studies on healthcare of girls and adult women with cerebral palsy, particularly focusing on sexual and reproductive health and healthcare. The review indicates a significant gap in evidence about the experiences of healthcare transitions for women with cerebral palsy as they move from childhood to adulthood and children's to adult healthcare The review highlights large gaps in the global literature, in relation to sexual and reproductive healthcare across the lifecourse of disabled women in general, but women with cerebral palsy in particular. The studies found that General Practitioners (GPs) (family doctors) did not consider how prescribed contraceptives relate to impairment effects for girls and women with cerebral palsy. Barriers to good quality sexual and reproductive healthcare for women with cerebral palsy include: inaccessible physical environment and procedures (cervical smear and breast scans), and limited practitioner knowledge about the effects of cerebral palsy in adulthood for women and its interaction with sexual and reproductive health needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To showcase how applications of automatic speech recognition (ASR) technology could help solve challenges in speech-language pathology practice with children with communication disability, and contribute to the realisation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). ASR technologies have been developed to address the need for equitable, efficient, and accurate assessment and diagnosis of communication disability in children by automating the transcription and analysis of speech and language samples and supporting dual-language assessment of bilingual children. ASR tools can automate the measurement of and help optimise intervention fidelity. ASR tools can also be used by children to engage in independent speech production practice without relying on feedback from speech-language pathologists (SLPs), thus bridging the long-standing gap between recommended and received intervention intensity. These innovative technologies and tools have been generated from interdisciplinary partnerships between SLPs, engineers, data scientists, and linguists. To advance equitable, efficient, and effective speech-language pathology services for children with communication disability, SLPs would benefit from integrating ASR solutions into their clinical practice. Ongoing interdisciplinary research is needed to further advance ASR technologies to optimise children's outcomes. This commentary paper focusses on industry, innovation and infrastructure (SDG 9) and partnerships for the goals (SDG 17). It also addresses SDG 1, SDG 3, SDG 4, SDG 8, SDG 10, SDG 11, and SDG 16. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Literature reviews generally analyse and synthesis the evidence (or lack thereof) in a particular topic area and they are an increasingly popular form of scholarly activity. The scoping review is a popular literature review approach that has been adopted across the social and health sciences over the last fifteen years. With this upsurge in use, differences of opinion about how to analyse and report scoping reviews has also grown. Drawing on work carrying out a scoping review on oral health and child maltreatment, we put forward a structured approach to analysis and reporting of such reviews: the PAGER (Patterns, Advances, Gaps, Evidence for practice and Research recommendations) framework. In this article, we reflect on the strengths and limitations of the framework, drawing on examples, laying out the methodological processes, and making suggestions as to how it might improve reporting. The article makes a contribution to efforts that seek to improve the reporting and utility of scoping reviews in health and social research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Credited with averting almost 68% of new cases between 2000 and 2015, insecticide-treated bednets (ITNs) are one of the most efficacious malaria-prevention tools. Their effectiveness, however, depends on if and how they are used, making 'compliance' (and the social factors affecting it) a key area of interest for research on malaria transmission. This article situates the notion of compliance with 'bednet use' within everyday practices in an area of south-west Burkina Faso with high malaria transmission. By drawing on ethnographic fieldwork conducted between 2017 and 2018, it critically describes the precarious micro-environments that foreground bednet use—from gender and age to the means of (re)production of social and labour conditions—and assesses the bednets' effectiveness and community uptake. Bednet use stems from concrete, ordinary dynamics that interweave only apparently at the margins of the time individuals most need to be protected by a net. This work conceptualises 'compliance' beyond binary indicators of intervention uptake and locates 'use' as the result of contingent assemblages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the theoretical and practical role(s) of humour in facilitating outreach about sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) in Sierra Leone. While humour might be considered an insensitive way of approaching difficult issues, this project shows that incongruity can in fact be productive. Recognizing that humour itself can be a form of symbolic or physical violence in some contexts, we argue that humour is a means of opening up conversations about violence (in this case SGBV) in order to address the social and legal challenges associated with it. Our pilot project – devised by an interdisciplinary team and conducted in partnership with a Sierra Leonean access-to-justice NGO, Timap for Justice – used comedy and performance to meet two key challenges: to disseminate awareness about social and legal issues related to commonplace practices of SGBV, and to open up a broader discussion about experiences of SGBV. Using empirical evidence from focus groups and interviews, this article shows how a humorous approach proved to be a productive mode of engagement and examines key concepts including 'the vicinity of laughter' (involving the spatial and interpersonal aspects of humour), the connections between laughter and memory, and the paradoxical relationship between lived experience, humour and violence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This qualitative study explored the way middle-aged Lebanese women address their sexual difficulties. Data analysis revealed three overarching themes and subthemes. From these we developed a help-seeking behavior framework for sexual difficulties. The framework focuses on: the perception of the problem, the beliefs about help-seeking and the sources of help. This framework can be used to facilitate access to personalized sexuality-related care based on a better understanding of the complex interplay of personal, socio-cultural and service-related factors that influence help-seeking behavior for sexual problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is a systematic review of the UK Widening Participation (WP), Higher Education (HE) student demographic. It argues that the presence of traumatic emotional experiences in WP student populations connected to psychosocial and academic trust alienation theory contributes to engagement barriers in HE. Using PRISMA guidelines, 43 publications were screened based on inclusion/exclusion criteria. This paper identifies WP students' experiences of trauma and how this affects their HE educational engagement. Secondly, it encourages the HE community to consider commitment to the WP demographic. Thirdly it identifies support strategies for WP student success and improvements for HE Institutions (HEI's) commitment to meeting WP agendas. Additionally, educational and psychological links that have not previously been examined are presented acknowledging the complexities of the WP student demographics. Furthermore, reinforcement for HEI's commitment to social mobility from both a political and institutional standpoint aligning to the WP student demographic barriers to engagement is articulated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children are affected by chronic middle ear infection or otitis media from infancy that has a negative impact on development of listening and communication skills. Deficits in these skills are often not detected until school-age when the opportunity for early intervention is lost. Primary health and early childhood workers need screening tools to assist them with detecting the problem early, but there is a scarcity of tools. This study reports the development and validation of a screening tool for detecting communication problems in young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children. The tool, called the Hearing and Talking Scale (HATS), relies on a systematic use of parent observations of communication behaviours of their children in everyday situations. Developed by using a co-design approach, the HATS is culturally and linguistically appropriate for use with parents/carers of young children by front-line workers not trained in speech-language pathology. We validated the HATS by comparing the HATS score of 68 children (46 Indigenous and 22 non-Indigenous children) with their performance in standardised assessments. The accuracy of the HATS was 80% and 81% when compared to the ASQ-TRAK and the Expressive Vocabulary Test respectively. The HATS takes 5 minutes to administer, and is easy to score and interpret. It can be used as part of a standard ear and hearing health check for young children to support early detection so that those with problems can be referred for specialist diagnosis and treatment at a young age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research into higher education has shown that for those who identify as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans* and/or Queer (LGBTQ), universities are places where both direct and indirect discrimination is experienced. This paper reports the findings from a systematic search and review on gender and sexual diversity in professional practice placements. This was part of a broader project exploring the way that students were supported and educated to provide appropriate support for LGBTQ people using their services and whether students who identified as LGBTQ experienced specific issues regarding the (non)disclosure of their gender or sexual diversity in placement settings. Three primary themes were identified. Environment: which relates to the way that homophobic and transphobic discrimination is experienced in professional practice. Influence: the importance of faculty on the environment as both a positive and negative force. Interventions: how students support LGBTQ people who use their services and how educators intervene with students who identify as LGBTQ. Our review showed how students in all included disciplines report feeling under-prepared for the realities of working with LGBTQ people in practice. However there are examples of positive practices which can support LGBTQ students through navigating disclosure of their own identities, as well as enabling all students to act as advocates and allies for the LGBTQ service users and peers/colleagues that they will inevitably work with and alongside, throughout their careers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a crime encompassing physical, psychological, financial, emotional, and sexual abuse by a current or former partner. The presence of love in abusive relationships tends to be marginalized in healthcare discourses. The authors' aim in this qualitative systematic literature review was to explore the interplay between IPV and romantic love and their impacts on women. The review provides a rare (but much needed) explanation and acknowledgement that love does sometimes exist in abusive relationships. These insights will assist healthcare workers in offering empathic care to women, based on understandings of the complex and highly unsettled nature of love in abusive relationships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Literature reviews are an important and popular part of synthesising evidence across a range of disciplines. There are numerous approaches, each with their distinctive features and purposes. The aim of this article is to advance the science of literature reviewing by describing a new form of review: The 'Focused Mapping Review and Synthesis' (FMRS). We critique the approach and highlight its similarities and differences in relation to existing review methodologies. There are four key features of FMRS. It: 1) focuses on a defined field of knowledge rather than a body of evidence; 2) creates a descriptive map or topography of key features of research within the field rather than a synthesis of findings; 3) comments on the overall approach to knowledge production rather than the state of the evidence; 4) examines this within a broader epistemological context. The FMRS can be used to answer questions that might not be appropriate for other review types and potentially offers a useful addition to the methodological toolkit of social researchers from multiple disciplines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The provision of instrumental lessons in certain areas of England can be hampered by the geographical position of some schools that are rural in nature, with teachers needing to travel long distances between schools. Internet-based technologies have been successfully used elsewhere to deliver instrumental lessons. A collaboration between the authors, North Yorkshire Music Action Zone and YouCanPlay allowed the delivery of instrumental lessons using Skype in combination with a Roland VR-3EX, an AV Mixer which offers 3 camera angles and good quality sound. Our aim was to repurpose existing technology to provide instrumental lessons in remote rural communities. The study was conducted in two-phases: a pilot study in North Yorkshire; and a further roll-out of the lessons in four additional areas (Cornwall; Cumbria; Durham/Darlington; and East Riding of Yorkshire). We wished to investigate the technical challenges and pedagogical aspects of the delivery, and also compare digitally-delivered and face-to-face instrumental lessons to explore the differences in behaviour. Data collected included pre- and post-project interviews with teachers, recordings of the teachers' first and last lessons, and post-project questionnaires from pupils and their parents. Results suggested that there were technical challenges relating to sound, video and connection quality, and the physical environment of the lessons, some of which were alleviated by the Roland VR-3EX. Some concerns expressed by teachers in the initial interviews failed to materialise; others were overcome to some extent. Pupils concentrated well, were motivated to practice, and made good progress. Further analysis of the video data has allowed the comparison of face-to-face and digitally-delivered lessons. All teachers found the digital teaching more challenging than their usual face-to-face teaching; however, all reported that they would undertake similar teaching again. This paper focuses upon the exploring the behaviour of participants observed in the lessons. Digital delivery has the potential to provide greater access to instrumental lessons for children in rural communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article surfaces issues about the often-used but widely under-reported practice of working with advisory fora. We critically reflect on our experiences working with an advisory network when co-designing a research study about a 'sensitive' subject. We discuss the following: 1) How the network evolved as a matter of ethical and pragmatic choices; 2) Potential issues when discussing sensitive issues 'outside' of the participatory or participant context; and 3) Practical and epistemic issues involved in (not) 'taking' advice. We suggest that although sensitive research is more conventionally aligned with more 'radical' forms of participatory practice, advisory networks can present a useful and sometimes more appropriate form of inclusion and engagement for some advisors and for some types of research study. The article should, therefore, be of interest to a wide range of academic and practice-based health and social care staff and, in particular, those who plan to use advisory fora in their work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pluralism and creativity are inherent and important parts of the qualitative endeavour. The multiplicity of approaches and methods can, however, be confusing. We undertook a focused mapping review and synthesis to obtain a snap-shot profile of the state of qualitative research in health and social science literature. We retrieved 102 qualitative articles published between January and March 2015 from six leading health and social science journals. Articles were scrutinised for alignment between researchers’ reported orientation (methodological or philosophical positioning) and the techniques used (methods). In the sampled articles level of alignment was generally high, with considerable mastery of qualitative approaches evident. However, the complexity of the qualitative landscape highlighted in our review, led us to develop a diagrammatic representation: The Qualitative Research Level of Alignment Wheel™. This educational resource/teaching aid is designed to assist qualitative researchers (particularly those more novice) and research students to locate the orientation and techniques of their studies. As an important contribution to the international field of qualitative inquiry, it will assist in understanding and accounting for points at which techniques are melded and orientations blended. In turn this will lead to the individual and collective qualitative endeavour as being a coherent one. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper explores the process of policy formulation and implementation in relation to children commonly described as having ‘special educational needs’ and disability (SEND), in Cyprus and in England. Drawing on qualitative research evidence from key primary documentary sources including legislation, statutory and non-statutory guidance and reports, it provides a comparative analysis of the content and the spirit of policy in both countries over the cycle of a century. The findings indicate that Cypriot policymakers have engaged in a process of ‘policy snatching’ from England, following four phases: charitable segregation and categorisation; enlightened legitimisation and categorisation; integration, ‘special educational needs’ and categorisation; inclusion, SEND and categorisation. Using the analogy of Aesop’s well-known fable ‘The Hare and the Tortoise’, the paper concludes that England, symbolically characterised as the hare, appears, overtly at least, to have moved ahead; while Cyprus, characterised as the tortoise, has been following slowly behind. However, progress has been slow in both countries, and the hare may well have fallen asleep. It is argued that whilst some common ground exists between the two countries, there is an inherent danger in transplanting selected elements of policy texts from one socio-cultural historical context to another. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article examines the concept of posthumous legacy for artists. Particular focus is given to the French photographer Hippolyte Bayard and his documentation of himself in 1840 as already dead. Additional topics discussed include the markings used by the artist Albrecht Dürer, inscriptions made by the artist Jan Van Eyck and the notion of artist-function.

Participatory approaches have becomede rigueurin social research involving children. A growing trend is researchbychildren where researchers engage (or employ) children as co-researchers or primary researchers. In this paper, we critique the ethical, methodological and practical issues associated with this participatory approach. The discussion is framed around six challenges: (1) Children lack research competence; (2) A comprehensive training programme is required; (3) Insider/outsider perspectives are difficult to balance; (4) Remuneration is complex; (5) Power differentials need to be overcome; and (6) Children need to be protected. For each challenge we propose a counter-challenge. Additionally, we offer pragmatic solutions to the issues raised, so that the paper holds practical utility to social researchers who utilise this type of participatory approach. Overall we argue that despite the approach’s inherent challenges, children as researchers are a powerful conduit for other children’s voices. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Acquisition of language concepts by pre-service teachers (PSTs) is likely influenced by university coursework and field experiences, but little research has examined how. Knowledge of phonics and phonological awareness and confidence to teach reading were surveyed among primary PSTs at one New South Wales university, most in second year following completion of language concepts course (N = 150), others (N = 74) in third year following the first major field experience, when literacy-related experiences on field experience were also surveyed. Overall, PSTs' scores for knowledge of phonological constructs were similar to or higher than in previous research, and PSTs performed better on ability-based than on knowledge-based items. Phonological construct scores were positively related to confidence to teach sound–letter relationships. Phonological construct scores were unrelated to experience teaching the first two grades, or having in their supervising teacher a positive model for teaching code-related skills, but were positively related to exposure to a commercial phonics package, and negatively related to exposure to Reading Recovery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

On 9 August 2011, hundreds of citizens gathered in the streets of Salford, predominately in the precinct area. Violence escalated as commercial and domestic properties were set on fire and rioters engaged in widespread looting. Simultaneously, riots were taking place across the country in cities such as London, Birmingham, Bristol, Manchester and Liverpool and were covered extensively by national and local media. This paper focuses on local media coverage of the Salford riots in an attempt to shed light on the main interpretations which the local media offered to their readers. A (quantitative and qualitative) content analysis was conducted on news reported in four major local news websites during the period 9 August–6 September 2011 (N = 100) in order to identify the most common themes and frames presented by the media in reporting the Salford riots. Results show the overwhelming presence of a crime frame to the events: news outlets concentrated on policing and juridical aspects of the events with little room for political and larger social debates. The paper discusses differences between outlets and time frame, as well as the potential implications of imposing this type of framing on collective action. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is mounting empirical evidence regarding the potential negative impact of child protection work on practitioners' emotional and psychological well-being. Stress and burnout are endemic amongst this group of workers and there is increasing recognition of the influences of this on their decision-making regarding child protection issues. Supervision has been lauded as an important element in supporting practitioners. It creates opportunities for identifying stress and potential burnout and for implementing supportive mechanisms. However, many supervision models focus almost entirely on identification, referral and procedural issues to the exclusion of addressing practitioner's emotional needs. This paper presents an argument that technical–rational models of supervision fall short of meeting the emotional needs of those who engage in child protection work. A refocusing is suggested that encourages practitioners to adopt a reflective stance towards child protection practice, specifically one that focuses on the affective aspects of child protection work. To achieve this, an innovative, reflective approach is proposed—termed the “Peshkin Approach to Reflection”, it is grounded in recent developments of reflective practice from within nursing that acknowledge the primacy of emotions. The paper outlines the key stages involved and illustrates its ability to enhance practitioners' emotional well-being. Importantly, it also highlights its potential to impact positively on practice. It is advocated that the Peshkin Approach to Reflection be incorporated into child protection supervision to counter the traditional, long-standing technical-rational focus of most supervisory models. It will require empirical testing and evaluation to assess its full impact in a child protection context. However, based on use of the approach in other settings, it is likely to hold considerable benefit for practitioners who use it and, indirectly, the children they seek to protect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gurindji Kriol is the home language of children and adults under about 40 years of age in the traditionally Gurindji-speaking communities of northern Australia. Nearly all words in Gurindji Kriol are derived from Gurindji or from Kriol, both of which have been described as lacking a stop voicing contrast, at least in basilectal varieties in the case of Kriol. In this study, we describe variation in voice onset time in Gurindji Kriol, in both picture naming and in conversational speech by young Gurindji Kriol speaking women. For picture naming, Australian English comparison data are also reported. The results indicate that in Gurindji Kriol, VOT varies systematically in expected ways by place of articulation, and position in word and utterance, but not according to the phonological voicing category of cognate English words. Initial stops tend to have short-lag VOT of up to 30 ms; values can be longer in English code-switched forms. Medial stops tend to have negative VOT. The present data do not suggest a voicing contrast based on VOT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Investigation of shallow-marine environments for submerged prehistoric archaeology can be hampered in many localities by extensive bedrock exposure and thus limited preservation potential. Using the concept of 'seamless archaeology' where land-based archaeology is integrated across the intertidal zone through to the offshore, a multi-disciplinary approach is essential. This approach taken in the Bay of Firth, Orkney uses geophysics, historical archive and ethno-archaeology, coastal geomorphology, palaeo-environmental analyses and sea-level science, and allows a clearer understanding of the landscape in which prehistoric settlers lived. While acknowledging the limitations of the preserved environment, we are successful in identifying areas of archaeological potential on the sea-bed for both upstanding structural elements as well as sediment preservation that contains evidence for human occupation. This has wider implications beyond Orkney's World Heritage sites to provide a blueprint for similar studies elsewhere in the coastal zone. © 2012 The Authors [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gurindji Kriol is the home language of children and adults under about 40 years of age in traditionally Gurindji speaking communities of northern Australia. For phonetics and phonology, a significant aspect of the mixed language status of Gurindji Kriol is that, in running speech, approximately two-thirds of word tokens are Kriol-derived, and one-third are Gurindji-derived. In this study, we describe vowel pronunciation in the Kriol-derived words relative to their English cognates, by comparing picture-prompted citation speech from five young Gurindji Kriol speaking women and four young Australian English speaking women from Katherine, the nearest town. The results indicate systematic differences in vowel pronunciation and vowel variability between Gurindji Kriol and Katherine English, in monophthongs and diphthongs. We also consider the vowel variation in these tokens in the context of the likely vowel phoneme inventory in Gurindji Kriol, or the extent of permitted within-category variation in the languages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper assesses the provision of cultural heritage information relating to offshore submerged archaeology for Environmental Impact Assessments as part of the management of the seabed around Scotland. Over the past millennia areas of the seabed around Scotland have at times been dry land. This means that they were available for human settlement and are likely to preserve the remains of ancient habitation and other activity. Elsewhere in the UK and in Europe work on submerged archaeology has confirmed the existence of an extensive and often well-preserved resource stretching back to the last Ice Age and beyond. This paper is concerned solely with sites that once comprised terrestrial archaeological sites; it does not cover wreck archaeology. The submerged terrestrial archaeological resource is fragile, and little understood. In Scotland it has been ignored until the inception of a research project in 2006, The Rising Tide, which is investigating past sea-level change and submerged archaeology around Orkney. Up to now, general management has been carried out through a system of benign neglect despite increasing threat to the resource from the development of the seabed. The Marine (Scotland) Act enshrines the need to protect and manage submerged sites and landscapes, through the implementation of marine planning, licensing, and Marine Protected Areas. One of the principal relevant measures for environmental protection through which this is carried out is the inclusion of archaeological information as a critical resource for Environmental Impact Assessments on the seabed. This is enshrined in EC Directives (and applies equally to sites on land). However, good management is hampered by a lack of baseline data on the resource and by a lack of awareness among those responsible. Responses to a questionnaire on the awareness of submerged archaeology and the need to consider it as part of the seabed planning process highlighted a number of serious weaknesses in the current system, not least a lack of awareness, of Scottish-based guidelines, and relevant skills. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses how clinical trials (CTs) cannot supersede the importance of health system strengthening efforts or specifically designed health policy and systems research. CTs establish trial management teams that often include investigators, clinicians, laboratory technologists, and local health authorities. Teams meet regularly to monitor progress using established international guidelines and adherence to local regulations.

Television captioning has great potential to provide deaf children with access to the audio track of programmes. However, use of captions may be limited by the lower English literacy skills of the deaf population compared to the general population. Here, we investigate how the rate of caption delivery affects the comprehension of educational programmes by better- and poorer-reading deaf school children. Participants watched three short documentaries, with captions presented at 90, 120, or 180 words per minute (wpm). Across both reading levels, comprehension was uniformly higher at 90 and 120 wpm than at 180 wpm. Independent of caption rate, better readers scored higher overall than poorer readers. These results suggest that the rate of captions in children's television programmes can safely use 120 wpm as a slowest speed. Future research should seek to pinpoint the optimal rate, which appears to lie between 120 and 180 wpm. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the article "Obstetricians and Violence Against Women" by S. Charles. In the article the authors offer their opinions on several points which are raised in Charles' article, on ethical obstetrics care and on obstetric practices that may inadvertently contribute to the problem of violence against women.

The article discusses a survey of students' views regarding sociology as a discipline in medical education. It was found that only one-half of the respondents indicated that they understood the significance of sociology. Also, majority was said to have agreed that the discipline can help them be better doctors. Moreover, students felt that they would be more motivated to study the subject if it was featured more prominently in examinations.

Discusses ethical issues and physician responsibility in neonatal male circumcision. Controversy surrounding the practice of neonatal male circumcision; Risks and benefits of the procedure; Criticism to neonatal male circumcision.

This article considers the trajectory and effectiveness of policy, procedures and practice in the UK since the early 1990s in responding to young people who display problematic and harmful sexual behaviours. It draws on data from three publications in which research, policy and practice in the last 20 years have been reviewed. Key themes raised by Masson and Hackett are revisited including: denial and minimisation; terminology and categorisation; similarities with other young offenders; the child protection and youth justice systems; and assessment and interventions. The authors find that there is improvement in recognition of, and practice in response to, this group of young people, but good practice standards are inconsistently applied. With devolution of political powers, Scotland and Northern Ireland are now embarking on a more strategic response than England. The absence of a public debate and prioritising of primary prevention of child sexual abuse is noted. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]