Search

This article explores the nature of leadership in Brazilian complementary schools in the UK. Such schools are typically parent-driven, voluntary and financially vulnerable. Using data from a questionnaire survey (n=14; more than three-quarters of Brazilian complementary schools) and three in-depth case studies, leadership is examined in relation to five established approaches: directive, instructional, transformational, distributed and collaborative. The study found that the size of the school and the personality of the leader appeared to influence the type of leadership adopted. In terms of effectiveness, a combination of instructional leadership with an approach that motivated staff and volunteers (whether directive, collaborative or transformational, depending on the school's circumstances) seemed most appropriate to the context of complementary schools. The research illustrates the complexity of school leadership and the overlap between different models. Leadership flexibility was important in responding to the needs of staff, students and parents. The findings are transferable to mainstream schools with contexts similar to those of complementary schools, particularly small primary schools and free schools.

Leadership in complementary schools is an under-researched area. This article aims to address this gap in the literature by reporting on a study which focused on Brazilian complementary schools in the United Kingdom. Distributed leadership was initially adopted as a theoretical framework to analyse the relationship between leadership style and professional development provision. The data were collected via an online questionnaire and individual semi-structured interviews with leaders, as well as focus group interviews with teachers and teaching assistants. We report here on one of the schools and argue that the contextual constraints in which it operates led to high levels of collaboration between leaders, teachers and teaching assistants. Consequently, a Community of Practice (CoP) has developed. We discuss the benefits this CoP brings to the school and suggest that conscious efforts be made to cultivate this social unit of learning to ensure the professional development of teachers in complementary schools.

Given the recent recurring cases of financial crime worldwide, national and international regulators have enacted new regulatory instruments intended to prevent or inhibit unlawful acts by banks and their representatives. These stricter regulations regarding the operations of financial institutions have reinforced the importance of best practices and the role of compliance within banks. Nonetheless, regulations regarding compliance structures and functions are not yet mandatory and give great flexibility to banks to define how they will set their compliance programmes. This research aims to understand how compliance functions have been implemented in the two largest banks in the UK and Brazil as a governance mechanism to fight financial crimes such as bribery and corruption. Document analyses of websites and financial reports of these banks examine disclosures provided by these corporations and shed light on the main drivers influencing their transparency regarding compliance functions, roles and responsibilities and their connections to the bank's operations and profitability goals. This research demonstrates that the implementation and enhancement of compliance functions in UK and Brazilian banks are driven by attempts to respond to regulatory requirements, social demands and as a reputational risk instrument, reflecting different levels of development in each institution. The maturity of these disclosures demonstrates that Brazilian banks present a more reactive attitude, justifying their investments in compliance according to minimum law requirements, while banks in the UK tend to have a more proactive perspective on their compliance initiatives, reinforcing their importance for the bank's competitive advantage and long-term continuity beyond regulatory compliance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: In April 2020, the UK Government implemented NHS Test and Trace to provide SARS-CoV-2 quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) testing for the public, with nose-and-throat swabbing for samples performed by trained staff. Self-swabbing (SS) would allow rapid scale-up of testing capacity and access. Six studies were undertaken to determine whether SS was as effective for detecting SARS-CoV-2 as swabbing performed by trained staff. Methods: Six prospective studies were conducted between April–October 2020, using six swab/media combinations. Differences between assisted swabbing (AS) and SS were evaluated for concordance, positivity, sensitivity, cycle threshold (Ct) values and void rates. Statistical analysis was performed using 95% confidence intervals (CIs), paired t-tests and model-based methods. Results: Overall, 3,253 individuals were recruited (median age 37 years, 49% female), with 2,933 having valid paired qRT-PCR results. Pooled concordance rate was 98% (95% CI: 96%, 99%). Positivity rate differences for SS (8.1%) and AS (8.4%) and differences in pooled sensitivities between SS (86%; 95% CI: 78%, 92%) and AS (91%; 95% CI: 78%, 96%) were nonsignificant. Both types of swabbing led to pooled void rates below 2% and strongly correlated Ct values. Age, sex and previous swabbing experience did not have a significant impact on concordance or sensitivity. Conclusion: The UK adopted a policy to promote self-testing for SARS-CoV-2 based on data demonstrating equivalence of SS versus AS. Positive outcomes with SS are likely generalisable to testing for other respiratory pathogens, and we consider self-sampling and self-testing essential for future pandemic preparedness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista Eleuthera is the property of Universidad de Caldas and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of ABEI Journal: The Brazilian Journal of Irish Studies is the property of Associacao Brasileira de Estudos Irlandeses and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Mycotoxins are potent fungal toxins that frequently contaminate agricultural crops and foods. Mycotoxin exposure is frequently reported in humans, and children are known to be particularly at risk of exceeding safe levels of exposure. Urinary biomonitoring is used to assess overall dietary exposure to multiple mycotoxins. This study aims to quantify multi-mycotoxin exposure in UK children and to identify major food groups contributing to exposure. Four repeat urine samples were collected from 29 children (13 boys and 16 girls, aged 2.4–6.8 years), and food diaries were recorded to assess their exposure to eleven mycotoxins. Urine samples (n = 114) were hydrolysed with β-glucuronidase, enriched through immunoaffinity columns and analysed by LC-MS/MS for deoxynivalenol (DON), nivalenol (NIV), T-2/HT-2 toxins, zearalenone (ZEN), ochratoxin A (OTA) and aflatoxins. Food diaries were analysed using WinDiet software, and the daily intake of high-risk foods for mycotoxin contamination summarised. The most prevalent mycotoxins found in urine samples were DON (95.6% of all samples), OTA (88.6%), HT-2 toxin (53.5%), ZEN (48.2%) and NIV (26.3%). Intake of total cereal-based foods was strongly positively associated with urinary levels of DON and T-2/HT-2 and oat intake with urinary T-2/HT-2. Average daily mycotoxin excretion ranged from 12.10 µg/d (DON) to 0.03 µg/d (OTA), and co-exposure to three or more mycotoxins was found in 66% of samples. Comparing mycotoxin intake estimates to tolerable daily intakes (TDI) demonstrates frequent TDI exceedances (DON 34.2% of all samples, T-2/HT-2 14.9%, NIV 4.4% and ZEN 5.2%). OTA was frequently detected at low levels. When mean daily OTA intake was compared to the reference value for non-neoplastic lesions, the resulting Margin of Exposure (MoE) of 65 was narrow, indicating a health concern. In conclusion, this study demonstrates frequent exposure of UK children to multiple mycotoxins at levels high enough to pose a health concern if exposure is continuous. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper introduces a Nearly Unstable INteger‐valued AutoRegressive Conditional Heteroscedastic (NU‐INARCH) process for dealing with count time series data. It is proved that a proper normalization of the NU‐INARCH process weakly converges to a Cox–Ingersoll–Ross diffusion in the Skorohod topology. The asymptotic distribution of the conditional least squares estimator of the correlation parameter is established as a functional of certain stochastic integrals. Numerical experiments based on Monte Carlo simulations are provided to verify the behavior of the asymptotic distribution under finite samples. These simulations reveal that the nearly unstable approach provides satisfactory and better results than those based on the stationarity assumption even when the true process is not that close to nonstationarity. A unit root test is proposed and its Type‐I error and power are examined via Monte Carlo simulations. As an illustration, the proposed methodology is applied to the daily number of deaths due to COVID‐19 in the United Kingdom. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Social behaviour and network therapy involves an active participation of the practitioner in recruiting a supportive network to change the client's alcohol use. Despite achieving beneficial effects on alcohol consumption, its possible mechanisms of change are a relatively under-studied topic compared to those of other alcohol treatment interventions. This study aimed to explore therapist skills through which social behaviour and network therapy may achieve effects on alcohol consumption in comparison with motivational enhancement therapy. Methods: This study was secondary analysis of data from the UK Alcohol Treatment Trial, a multicentre, pragmatic, randomized controlled trial. The sample comprised 376 participants randomized to motivational enhancement therapy or social behaviour and network therapy. We used the UK Alcohol Treatment Trial Process Rating Scale to assess therapist skills. Outcomes drinks per drinking day and percentage of days abstinent were assessed 12 months after treatment initiation. Analyses were conducted in a simple mediation framework. Results: Therapist skills score (combining frequency and quality) for involving others in behaviour change mediated social behaviour and network therapy effects on percentage of days abstinent (b = 0.06, 95% CI: 0.02; 0.10, p = 0.01). The frequency with which therapists acted as an active agent for change also mediated the effects of social behaviour and network therapy on percentage of days abstinent (b = 0.03, 95% CI: 0.003; 0.05, p = 0.03). The frequency with which the therapist stressed social support as a key factor in achieving change unexpectedly mediated an increase in drinks per drinking day (b = 0.10, 95% CI: 0.01; 0.18, p = 0.02). The two latter mediation effects were not sustained when quality was considered. All other indirect effects tested were non-significant. Discussion/Conclusions: How social behaviour and network therapy exerts effects on alcohol outcomes is not yet well understood and in this study was not attributable to observed ratings of therapist treatment-specific skills. Therapist skill in planning the involvement of others during treatment, however, warrants further study. We suggest that the present findings should be regarded as hypothesis generating as it identifies specific targets for further investigation in alcohol treatment process studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) occurs more commonly in military veterans than the general population. Whilst current therapies are effective, up to half of veterans commencing treatment do not complete it. Reconsolidation of Traumatic Memories (RTM) protocol is a novel, easy to train, talking therapy with promising findings. We examine the feasibility of undertaking an efficacy trial of RTM in veterans. Methods: A parallel group, single-centre randomised controlled feasibility trial with a post-completion qualitative interview study. Sixty military veterans were randomised 2:1 to RTM (n = 35) or Trauma Focussed Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) (n = 25). We aimed to determine the rate of recruitment and retention, understand reasons for attrition, determine data quality and size of efficacy signal. We explored veterans' perceptions of experiences of joining the trial, the research procedures and therapy, and design improvements for future veteran studies. Military veterans with a diagnosis of PTSD or complex PTSD, and clinically significant symptoms, were recruited between January 2020 and June 2021. Primary outcome was feasibility using pre-determined progression criteria alongside PTSD symptoms, with depression, recovery, and rehabilitation as secondary outcomes. Data were collected at baseline, 6, 12, and 20 weeks. Interviews (n = 15) were conducted after 20 weeks. Both therapies were delivered by trained charity sector provider therapists. Results: Participants' mean age was 53 years, the mean baseline PTSD symptoms score assessed by the Post-traumatic Stress Checklist (PCL-5) was 57 (range 0–80). Fifty had complex PTSD and 39 had experienced ≥ 4 traumas. Data were analysed at 20 weeks for feasibility outcomes (n = 60) and mental health outcomes (n = 45). Seven of eight progression criteria were met. The RTM group experienced a mean 18-point reduction on the PCL-5. TFCBT group participants experienced a mean reduction of eight points. Forty-eight percent of the RTM group no longer met diagnostic criteria for PTSD compared to 16% in the TFCBT group. All veterans reported largely positive experiences of the therapy and research procedures and ways to improve them. Conclusion: RTM therapy remains a promising psychological intervention for the treatment of PTSD, including complex PTSD, in military veterans. With specific strengthening, the research protocol is fit for purpose in delivering an efficacy trial. Trial registration: ISRCTN registration no 10314773 on 01.10.2019. Full trial protocol: available on request or downloadable at ISRCTN reg. no. 10314773. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We purpose to determine the nationality of the European middle-distance athletes under 18 years (U18) and under 20 years (U20) during the last decade, to verify the participation trend for each country, and to assess whether the place of competition can be associated with the athletes ranking position. The sample comprised 902 European male runners, ranked among the best finishers from 2009 to 2020. The athletes were divided into two categories (nU18 = 266; and nU20 = 636) of two distances (n1 500 m = 397; n3 000 m = 505). The Mantel test was used for participation trend and the Chi-square test (χ²) was used to verify differences between the ranking position and the place of competition. For both distances, the highest number of athletes were from Spain (n = 127), followed by Turkey (n = 62) and Great Britain (n = 50). No significant trends were shown for most of the countries, in both distances. A positive trend was shown for Slovenia (i.e., 3 000 m) over the years. A nonsignificant association was verified between the countries and the ranking position, as non-significant differences were proved for the place of competition. This information may be useful to guide athlete development programs in each country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The former British Labour Government acknowledged that religious practices play an important role in the development of children's identities [DCFS. (2009). "Your child, your schools, our future: building a 21st century schools system." London: HMSO; DfES (2007). "Curriculum review: Diversity and citizenship." London: HMSO]. However, little is known about the ways in which these identities develop in faith settings. This article aims to address language planning in faith lessons of ethnic churches and to reflect on how their language planning dynamics create (or not) opportunities for the children to develop their cultural, linguistic and religious identities. With this purpose, the article reports on part of two investigations of religious settings in the development of children's literacy and identity. The specific language ideologies of these migrant churches are explored mainly through an examination of the qualitative semi-structured interviews with their faith leaders, and comparisons are made to Pentecostal and Catholic leaders of Brazilian migrant groups; newcomers to the UK and with numbers on the rise. It is argued that, although a group's theological orientation is linked to the language ideologies of faith leaders, linguistic and cultural identities play an important role in the (unplanned) language planning of ethnic churches. (Contains 2 figures and 5 notes.)

For people with disabilities, one of the best ways to achieve independence is through work. Experience gained by undertaking a work placement whilst a student provides valuable knowledge and understanding of the demands of work, and enhances employability on graduation for both students with disabilities and for their non-disabled peers. The aims of this study were to explore the experiences of disabled students who had undertaken work placements as part of their degree courses, and to determine if their experiences adequately prepare them for the world of work once they graduate. A survey, using the Delphi method, was carried out to reveal the five most important positive and negative experiences of students with disabilities following completion of a work placement. Fifty-one students entered the study and 42 completed all requirements. The most important positive experience reported was "gaining experience/knowledge" and the primary negative experience was "demanding expectations". The responses showed highly significant agreement (Kendall's Co-efficient of Concordance; p less than 0.001) for both positive and negative experiences. Findings revealed that students with disabilities have similar work placement experiences to students in general. However, these experiences may have a greater impact on the abilities of students with disabilities to cope and to achieve. (Contains 2 tables.)

An increase in the global mean sea level is predicted during the twenty-first century, as a consequence of global average rising temperature projections. In addition, changes in the strength of atmospheric cyclonic storms may alter the development of storm surges, exacerbating the risks to coastal communities. Based on the fact that the interest and range of papers on this topic are growing, this study aims to present the status of the global scientific production on studies that have correlated climate change and the impact of storm surges on the coastal zone leading to erosion and flooding (inundation) via a bibliometric analysis. We analyzed 429 papers published in journals between January 1991 and February 2021 from the Scopus database. Through the VOSviewer and Bibliometrix R package, we describe the most relevant countries, affiliations, journals, authors, and keywords. Our results demonstrate that there has been an exponential growth in the research topic and that authors from the USA and the United Kingdom are the most prolific. Among the 1454 authors found, ten researchers published at least five papers on the topic and obtained at least 453 citations in the period. The most represented journals were the Journal of Coastal Research, Climatic Change, and Natural Hazards. We also found and discuss the lack of standardization in the choice of keywords, of which climate change, storm surge, and sea-level rise are the most frequent. Finally, we have written a guide to facilitate the authors' bibliographic review. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: As a direct consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic, cancer screening programs, management of chronic disease and cancer treatments were either cancelled or delayed. 164 patients with hepatocellular cancer (HCC) were evaluated to understand the impact of the first lockdown on treatment delays, and 1-year survival. We observed that 70% of patients were not treated within 31 days, with the median time to treatment being 49 days. This was particularly true of those with early-stage disease undergoing surgical or interventional radiology treatment. However, we noted that delay to treatment had no impact on mortality at 1-year. Given the diversity of the patients included in the study, we investigated possible factors influencing treatment delay, such as age, ethnicity, and geographical location. None of these factors were found to be associated with treatment delays. Future studies with longer follow-up are needed to assess whether delay to treatment had a negative impact on patients' survival. Our study allows a better understanding of treatment delays and short-term impact on survival during severe health services disruptions. Findings from this study highlight the need for better prioritisation of HCC treatment services particularly for the management of early-stage disease during any future pandemic lockdown. Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has caused severe disruption of healthcare services worldwide and interrupted patients' access to essential services. During the first lockdown, many healthcare services were shut to all but emergencies. In this study, we aimed to determine the immediate and long-term indirect impact of COVID-19 health services utilisation on hepatocellular cancer (HCC) outcomes. Methods: A prospective cohort study was conducted from 1 March 2020 until 30 June 2020, correlating to the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. Patients were enrolled from tertiary hospitals in the UK and Germany with dedicated HCC management services. All patients with current or past HCC who were discussed at a multidisciplinary meeting (MDM) were identified. Any delay to treatment (DTT) and the effect on survival at one year were reported. Results: The median time to receipt of therapy following MDM discussion was 49 days. Patients with Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) stages-A/B disease were more likely to experience DTT. Significant delays across all treatments for HCC were observed, but delay was most marked for those undergoing curative therapies. Even though severe delays were observed in curative HCC treatments, this did not translate into reduced survival in patients. Conclusion: Interruption of routine healthcare services because of the COVID-19 pandemic caused severe delays in HCC treatment. However, DTT did not translate to reduced survival. Longer follow is important given the delay in therapy in those receiving curative therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study proposed to research on Business Plan (BP). Then, the general goal traced was investigate the scientific production on BP in EBSCO Discovery Service (EDS) Platform among years by 2008 and 2019. As specific objectives were established: identify publications for journal, author, year, idiom, country and economy branch quantitative; observer the journal quantitative connected with the company implementation and development; check more cited authors; determine the concepts main raised on each article. On seen this, the chosen methodology was integrative bibliographic review, reaching 25 publications total. Then, the diagnostic generated the results following: the detached academic magazines were Plos One and Sustainability; computed the quantitative of 25 authors acting the majority on partner on same article; the year of 2017 standed out among too much; the English idiom had largest percent (88%); the United Kingdom overcoated among the countries; economy branch with higher rate of action was informatics/technology; 80% of the publications directed to company implementation/development; there was a stagnation on productivity of more cited authors; it had produced schedule research, with the topics: relation Volunteers Organizations and BP, Coaching on Business Plan, Business Plan in Brazil, BP in economy's primary sector and BP in economy's third sector. Thus, it concludes that the Business Plan reveals itself like a thematic of productivity's rate higher for world level, exercising a contribution huge in organizations' implementation/development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Homelessness and precarious living conditions are on the rise across much of the Western world. This paper exploits quasi-exogenous variation in the affordability of rents due to a cut in rent subsidies for low-income households in the United Kingdom in April 2011. Using comprehensive district-level administrative data, we show that the affordability shock caused a significant increase in financial distress, evictions, property crimes, insecure temporary housing arrangements, statutory homelessness, and actual rough sleeping. The most notable rise in statutory homelessness is driven by families with children, lone parents, individuals with existing health conditions, and as a result of having been evicted. We estimate that the fiscal savings were low and shifted toward the local administration: Savings by the central government were partially offset by an increase in council spending to meet statutory obligations for homelessness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines the United Kingdom Supreme Court decision in Whittington Hospital NHS Trust v XX [2020] UKSC 14. The case centred on whether damages could be awarded for the cost of a commercial surrogacy arrangement in California, following clinical negligence by the hospital that left the plaintiff unable to carry her own children. After examination of this case, the article outlines and compares the United Kingdom and Australian surrogacy laws. It then discusses how a similar case would be decided in Australia and argues that the result would be the same in some Australian States. It also discusses the concept of reproductive autonomy and the importance of this concept when considering cases involving the loss of fertility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study is to analyze the scientific production on university restaurants in the context of post-PNAES student assistance (2010-2021). A qualitative and exploratory approach is used, guided by a literature review. Searched in the main reference bases and returned 144 studies with the keyword "University Restaurant" - English and Portuguese. The final sample had 33 studies and they were read in full. He noted that most studies focused on nutritional assessment (13) and optimization of production-waste reduction (6). The discussion is complemented by studies of the variables that impact the UK and it was possible to demonstrate which variables need further studies. Studies are grouped into a single variable, without due systemic focus at the macro level. Finally, it instituted 8 focus categories: use of public resources; family farming; service capacity; production optimization - waste reduction; environmental sustainability; user satisfaction; and nutritional assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista de Sociologia e Política is the property of Revista de Sociologia e Politica and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Mural Internacional is the property of Editora da Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (EdUERJ) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Understanding electrical energy demand at the consumer level plays an important role in planning the distribution of electrical networks and offering of off-peak tariffs, but observing individual consumption patterns is still expensive. On the other hand, aggregated load curves are normally available at the substation level. The proposed methodology separates substation aggregated loads into estimated mean consumption curves, called typical curves, including information given by explanatory variables. In addition, a model-based clustering approach for substations is proposed based on the similarity of their consumers' typical curves and covariance structures. The methodology is applied to a real substation load monitoring dataset from the UK and tested in eight simulated scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Numeracy skills hinder a consumer's ability to meet nutrition and calorie consumption guidelines. This study extends the literature on nutritional labelling by investigating how a calorie counter, which displays the total amount of calories consumers add to a shopping basket, aids them in making food choices. This study aims to ascertain whether the calorie counter affects food choices and also how individual and situational factors moderate this effect. Design/methodology/approach: To test the developed hypotheses, the authors designed an online shopping experiment and administered it to a national panel of British consumers. This included a sub-sample from the general population who did not report any food-related health conditions (n = 480) and a separate sub-sample from the same population who had reported a food-related health condition or lived with someone who had one (n = 250). Findings: The results of this study show that the calorie counter leads to a large and statistically significant reduction in calories purchased when compared to the no nutritional information condition and a small (but statistically insignificant) reduction in the number of calories chosen by consumers when compared to the nutritional information only condition. The main effect is moderated by individual factors such as whether or not the person has a health condition and shopping situations which involve time pressure. Research limitations/implications: Although the main effect of the calorie counter was not statistically significant when compared to the nutrition information only condition, the effect was in the correct direction and was statistically significant for consumers who had a food-related health condition. The conceptualisation and findings of this study are not only largely consistent with Moorman's (1990) nutrition information utilisation process but also suggest that situational factors should be considered when understanding nutrition information processing. Practical implications: The findings from this study provide the first evidence to suggest that aggregating calorie information through a calorie counter can be a useful way to overcome consumer numeracy biases, particularly for those with existing health conditions and who are most motivated to use nutritional information. Based on the descriptive statistics, the main effect was comparable to the UK's sugar tax in its impact and the authors estimate this would lead to a reduction in calories consumed of about 5,000 per year, even for consumers who did not report a health condition. Further testing is required with different formats, but these results are encouraging and are worthy of further research. Originality/value: To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first study to investigate how consumers react to aggregated nutritional information for a basket of products, mimicking a real shopping situation. Such information has the potential to become more relevant and useful to consumers in the context of their overall diets. As technology advances rapidly, there is a need to explore alternative ways of presenting nutritional information, so it connects more easily with consumers. These results point very much to a more targeted and personally relevant approach to information provision, in contrast to existing mass communications approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies indicate that eating locations can influence food choices. However, the relationship with ultra-processed foods has been little explored. The objective was to assess the association between eating locations and ultra-processed foods consumption in the UK in 2014–2016. Data from 2,449 individuals aged 4 years or older from the NDNS were analysed cross-sectionally. Food consumption information was collected through 4-day food diaries. Recorded foods were classified into NOVA system. The eating locations were grouped into nine categories (home, institutional places, sit-down restaurants, on the go, coffee shops, leisure and sports clubs, fast food, friends and relatives' house, and other places). Linear regression models were carried out. The coefficients represent the increment in the contribution of ultra-processed foods to total energy intake for each percentage point increase in the contribution of each eating location to total energy intake. Among children, consumption at home was inversely associated with ultra-processed foods consumption (β: −0.10; 95% CI −0.17, −0.03), while in leisure and sports places (0.47; 0.20, 0.73) directly associated. For adolescents, eating at home (−0.12; −0.19, −0.05) was inversely associated with the consumption of ultra-processed foods, as well as sit-down restaurants (−0.21; −0.38, −0.03). Fast food (0.29; 0.12, 0.47) were directly associated with the consumption of ultra-processed foods for adolescents. Finally, for adults, sit-down restaurants (−0.13; −0.22, −0.03) showed to be inversely associated with the consumption of ultra-processed foods while in fast food restaurants (0.77; 0.38, 1.17) it was directly associated. Our results showed that the eating locations have different impacts on diet quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

People across the world have responded to the pandemic by mobilizing and organizing to support their communities, setting up mutual aid groups to provide practical, financial, and social support. Mutual aid means short‐term 'crisis response' for some, while for other groups, it is a chance to radically restructure society, and what it means to be a member of that society. Drawing on social representations theory and previous work on citizenship in social and political psychology, we examined the ways in which mutual aid was understood and performed by members of UK Covid‐19 mutual aid groups. We conducted 29 interviews with members of these groups in May/June 2020. A reflexive thematic analysis showed that mutual aid groups were characterized as complex, efficient, and non‐hierarchical units, operating on the principles of solidarity, kindness, and trust. Two tensions were evident in the data, specifically between (1) collaboration with existing organizations and structures (e.g., local government and the police), and resistance to it and (2) maximizing group inclusivity and sustaining political critique. Findings are discussed in relation to existing theoretical and empirical work on citizenship and mutual aid groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Women with COVID-19 experienced numerous concerns and doubts about the safety of breastfeeding their babies, and lack of support may have impacted breastfeeding practices. This study aims to compare breastfeeding beliefs, practices, and contact with healthcare professionals regarding the level of postnatal feeding support provided during the COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, and the United Kingdom. Methods: A multi-country cross-sectional study was conducted with postnatal women in five countries. Women up to six months postpartum were invited to complete an online survey concerning the transmission of preventative measures, beliefs toward breastfeeding, infant feeding practices in the last 24 hours and experiences of postnatal infant feeding support between July to November 2021. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were performed to identify the association. Results: Of the 3,253 eligible responses received, 39.5% of children were aged between one and two months, but in Taiwan (36%) and South Korea (42.8%) they were between three and four months. The mean of the belief score was significantly different among countries (p < 0.0001). Women in Brazil and the UK had a higher rate of breastfeeding at the breast (90.7% and 85.4%, respectively) compared to the three Asian countries (p < 0.0001) while feeding with expressed breastmilk in Thailand (59.9%), Taiwan (52.6%), and South Korea (50.4%) was higher than the others (p < 0.0001). Brazil and UK mothers (mean = 16.0 and 14.5 respectively) had a higher mean score for belief toward breastfeeding during the COVID-19 than the others. These results are inversely associated with breastfeeding but positively related to formula feeding practice. Postnatal feeding support during the COVID-19 pandemic was mainly provided by healthcare professionals (67.1%) and peers / family through face-to-face personal contact (51.6%) in all countries. Conclusion: Some differences were found in breastfeeding beliefs during the COVID-19 pandemic in Asian countries. A positive breastfeeding belief was associated with the practice of breastfeeding at the breast. Women from all countries received postpartum infant feeding support from health professionals and peers / family through personal contacts. Governments need to emphasize and disseminate the importance of breastfeeding safety, especially in Asian countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The recognition and representation of BAME community as 'high risk' of Covid-19 in the UK presents both a health and an identity threat to this ethnic group. This study employed thematic analysis to explore response to these threats as related by a sample of 13 middle class members of the South Asian community. This work advances both health and identity psychological theory by recognising the affinity between expressions of health efficacy and identity. Our findings identify South Asian intragroup stigmatisation and commonalities that have implications for the promotion of health behaviour and health communications for minority groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Pixo: Revista de Arquitetura Cidade e Contemporaneidade is the property of Pixo Revista de Arquitetura Cidade e Contemporaneidade and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Mutual aid groups developed and mobilized in communities across the UK and globally at the outset of the pandemic in order to support vulnerable community members with practical assistance and emotional support, with some understanding their work in political terms. This study adopted a "social cure" lens to investigate the effects of group identification and group perceptions on anxiety and coping self‐efficacy among members of UK Covid‐19 mutual aid groups. Survey data were collected from self‐identified members of these groups (N = 844) during the initial period of "lockdown" restrictions in April – May 2020. Correlational analyses showed that identification with the mutual aid group was linked to more positive group perceptions and better self‐reported psychological outcomes. Perceived group politicization showed the reverse pattern. Mixed support for the "social cure" model was evident; the effect of group identification on coping self‐efficacy (but not anxiety) was serially mediated by perceived support and collective efficacy. Perceived group politicization was a significant moderator, seeming to amplify the indirect effect of group identification on coping self‐efficacy via perceived support. Results are discussed in light of previous empirical work on the social cure and Covid‐19 mutual aid groups. Please refer to the Supplementary Material section to find this article's Community and Social Impact Statement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To evaluate key factors for presenteeism and activity impairment in multinational patients with Behçet's syndrome (BS) and recurrent aphthous stomatitis (RAS). Methods In this cross-sectional study, 364 BS patients from Jordan, Brazil, the United Kingdom and Turkey and 143 RAS patients from the United Kingdom and Turkey were included. The Work Productivity Activity Impairment (WPAI) scale was used for presenteeism and activity impairment. Mediation analyses were performed to evaluate both direct and indirect causal effects. Results Presenteeism score was higher in active patients with genital ulcers and eye involvement as well as patients with comorbidities and current smokers than the others in BS (P  < 0.05). In RAS, presenteeism score was elevated by oral ulcer activity in the direct path (P  = 0.0073) and long disease duration as a mediator in the indirect path (P  = 0.0191). Patients with active joint involvement had poor scores in absenteeism, presenteeism, overall impairment and activity impairment compared with those of inactive patients (P  < 0.05). Using mediation analysis, the activity impairment score was directly mediated by joint activity (P  = 0.0001) and indirectly mediated through oral ulcer-related pain in BS (P  = 0.0309). Conclusion In BS, presenteeism was associated with disease activity, presence of comorbidities and being a current smoker, whereas in RAS, presenteeism was associated with oral ulcer activity and increased length of the disease. Moreover, activity impairment was adversely affected by joint activity and oral ulcer related pain in BS. Patients need to be empowered by using appropriate treatment strategies in their working environment and daily life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Exacta is the property of Exacta - Engenharia de Producao and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Latin American Business Review is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Background: The coronavirus-disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic imposed an unprecedented burden on the provision of cardiac surgical services. The reallocation of workforce and resources necessitated the postponement of elective operations in this cohort of high-risk patients. We investigated the impact of this outbreak on the aortic valve surgery activity at a single two-site centre in the United Kingdom.Methods: Data were extracted from the local surgical database, including the demographics, clinical characteristics, and outcomes of patients operated on from March 2020 to May 2020 with only one of the two sites resuming operative activity and compared with the respective 2019 period. A similar comparison was conducted with the period between June 2020 and August 2020, when operative activity was restored at both institutional sites. The experience of centres world-wide was invoked to assess the efficiency of our services.Results: There was an initial 38.2% reduction in the total number of operations with a 70% reduction in elective cases, compared with a 159% increase in urgent and emergency operations. The attendant surgical risk was significantly higher [median Euroscore II was 2.7 [1.9-5.2] in 2020 versus 2.1 [0.9-3.7] in 2019 (p = 0.005)] but neither 30-day survival nor freedom from major post-operative complications (re-sternotomy for bleeding/tamponade, transient ischemic attack/stroke, renal replacement therapy) was compromised (p > 0.05 for all comparisons). Recommencement of activity at both institutional sites conferred a surgical volume within 17% of the pre-COVID-19 era.Conclusions: Our institution managed to offer a considerable volume of aortic valve surgical activity over the first COVID-19 outbreak to a cohort of higher-risk patients, without compromising post-operative outcomes. A backlog of elective cases is expected to develop, the accommodation of which after surgical activity normalisation will be crucial to monitor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The determinants of access to immunizers are still poorly understood, leading to questions about which criteria were considered in this distribution. Given the above, the present study aimed to analyze the determinants of access to the SARS-CoV-2 vaccine by different countries. Methods: The study covered 189 countries using data from different public databases, and collected until February 19, 2021. We used eight explanatory variables: gross domestic product (GDP), extreme poverty, human development index (HDI), life expectancy, median age, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases, COVID-19 tests, and COVID-19 deaths. The endogenous variables were total vaccine doses, vaccine doses per thousand, and days of vaccination. The structural equation modeling (SEM) technique was applied to establish the causal relationship between the country's COVID-19 impact, socioeconomic variables, and vaccine access. To support SEM, we used confirmatory factor analysis, t-test, and Pearson's correlation. Results: We collected the sample on February 19, and to date, 80 countries (42.1%) had already received a batch of immunizers against COVID-19. The countries with first access to the vaccine (e.g., number of days elapsed since they took the first dose) were the United Kingdom (68), China (68), Russia (66), and Israel (62). The countries receiving the highest doses were the United States, China, India, and Israel. The countries with extreme poverty had lower access to vaccines and the richer countries gained priority access. Countries most affected by COVID (deaths and cases) also received immunizers earlier and in greater volumes. Unfortunately, similar to other vaccines, indicators, such as income, poverty, and human development, influence vaccines' access. Thus affecting the population of vulnerable and less protected countries. Therefore, global initiatives for the equitable distribution of COVID need to be discussed and encouraged. Conclusions: Determinants of vaccine distribution consider the impact of the disease in the country and are also affected by favorable socioeconomic indicators. The COVID-19 vaccines need to be accessible to all affected countries, regardless of their social hands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context Although primary adrenal insufficiency (PAI) in children and young people is often due to congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) or autoimmunity, other genetic causes occur. The relative prevalence of these conditions is poorly understood. Objective We investigated genetic causes of PAI in children and young people over a 25 year period. Design, Setting and Participants Unpublished and published data were reviewed for 155 young people in the United Kingdom who underwent genetic analysis for PAI of unknown etiology in three major research centers between 1993 and 2018. We pre-excluded those with CAH, autoimmune, or metabolic causes. We obtained additional data from NR0B1 (DAX-1) clinical testing centers. Intervention and Outcome Measurements Genetic analysis involved a candidate gene approach (1993 onward) or next generation sequencing (NGS; targeted panels, exomes) (2013-2018). Results A genetic diagnosis was reached in 103/155 (66.5%) individuals. In 5 children the adrenal insufficiency resolved and no genetic cause was found. Pathogenic variants occurred in 11 genes: MC2R (adrenocorticotropin receptor; 30/155, 19.4%), NR0B1 (DAX-1; 7.7%), CYP11A1 (7.7%), AAAS (7.1%), NNT (6.5%), MRAP (4.5%), TXNRD2 (4.5%), STAR (3.9%), SAMD9 (3.2%), CDKN1C (1.3%), and NR5A1 /steroidogenic factor-1 (SF-1; 0.6%). Additionally, 51 boys had NR0B1 variants identified through clinical testing. Although age at presentation, treatment, ancestral background, and birthweight can provide diagnostic clues, genetic testing was often needed to define the cause. Conclusions PAI in children and young people often has a genetic basis. Establishing the specific etiology can influence management of this lifelong condition. NGS approaches improve the diagnostic yield when many potential candidate genes are involved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of approaches around ideology functioning, discourse, and subjectivity converged into the cinematographic studies in the 1970s, in France and Great Britain. Such development and convergence happened with the political engagement of intellectuals, starting from the influence of Louis Althusser and Jacques Lacan. This retrospective brings back one of the most important perspectives in the Cinematographic Studies, the Screen Theory, which emerges from the aforementioned decade through the ideas of two Screen Magazine editors, Colin MacCabe and Stephen Heath. In this theory it is made explicit the influence of the French philosopher Michel Pêcheux and the consequences of his "subject position" in Screen Theory's theoretical debates. The re-evaluation of Lacan's Other and Althusser's Universal Subject, and its development into Pêcheux's "subject position" concept, are paramount contributions to the Brazilian materialistic perspective of discursivities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: We describe an Australian experience of infusional bevacizumab for vestibular schwannoma (VS) in neurofibromatosis type 2 patients, with specific focus on 3-dimensional tumour volume and audiometry. Method: Data was pooled from patients with symptomatic or progressive VS from 2009 to April 2018. Tumours were assessed as total volume per patient. Bevacizumab infusions were administered every 2-4 weeks. 3-D volumetric response (cm³) was determined through serial magnetic resonance imaging, at baseline and at 3-6-month intervals, until cessation of infusions following progression or prior to surgery. Volumetric response was defined as a reduction of volume 3 20%, from baseline. Patients underwent interval pure tone audiometry. A decrease in the average pure tone analyses by 10dB indicated response. Results: Twenty-one VS tumours were identified in eleven patients. Median age was 26 (range 13 - 67yr). Average baseline tumour volume was 14.17cm3 (range 1.45cm³ - 38.51cm³). Tumour volume reduction >20% was shown in 7/11 patients (64%), indicating partial response, 2/11 (18%) patients showed stable disease, and 2/11 (18%) progressed. Average percentage tumour volume change was +4.45% from baseline (range -57% to 241%). 16 individual ears were tested, 3/16 (19%) of ears showed an average decibel reduction of 10dB or more, indicating response (average change 2.5dB, range -36dB to 81dB). 10/16 (63%) showed stable hearing, and 3/16 (19%) showed hearing deterioration. Conclusion: Bevacizumab is a useful agent for reducing tumour volume and improving hearing losses due to vestibular schwannoma in neurofibromatosis type 2 patients. These results reflect results described from the United Kingdom and United States. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Automated acute kidney injury (AKI) electronic alerts (e-alerts) are rule-based warnings triggered by changes in creatinine and are intended to facilitate earlier detection in AKI. We assessed the impact of the introduction in the Tayside region of UK in April 2015 of automated AKI e-alerts with an accompanying education programme. Methods Interrupted time-series analysis using segmented regression was performed involving all adults with AKI aged ≥18 years who had a serum creatinine measured between 1 April 2013 and 31 March 2017. Analysis evaluated associations of AKI e-alert introduction on rate and severity (Stages 2–3) of AKI as well as mortality and occupied hospital bed days per patient per month in the population with AKI. Results There were 32 320 episodes of AKI during the observation period. Implementation of e-alerts had no effect on the rate of any AKI [incidence rate ratio (IRR) 0.996, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.991 to 1.001, P = 0.086] or on the rate of severe AKI (IRR 0.995, 95% CI 0.990 to 1.000, P = 0.061). Subgroup analysis found no impact on the rate or severity of AKI in hospital or in the community. Thirty-day mortality following AKI did not improve (IRR 0.998, 95% CI 0.987 to 1.009, P = 0.688). There was a slight reduction in occupied bed days (β-coefficient −0.059, 95% CI −0.094 to −0.025, P = 0.002). Conclusions Introduction of automated AKI e-alerts was not associated with a change in the rate, severity or mortality associated with AKI, but there was a small reduction in occupied hospital bed days. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of RAP: Revista Brasileira de Administração Pública is the property of RAP: Revista Brasileira de Administracao Publica and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Philips, Rutherford, and Whitten (2016, Stata Journal 16: 662–677) introduced dynsimpie, a command to examine dynamic compositional dependent variables. In this article, we present an update to dynsimpie and three new adofiles: cfbplot, effectsplot, and dynsimpiecoef. These updates greatly enhance the range of models that can be estimated and the ways in which model results can now be presented. The command dynsimpie has been updated so that users can obtain both prediction plots and change-from-baseline plots using postestimation commands. With the new command dynsimpiecoef, various types of coefficient plots can also be obtained. We illustrate these improvements using monthly data on support for political parties in the United Kingdom. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Improving recognition of patients at increased risk of acute kidney injury (AKI) in the community may facilitate earlier detection and implementation of proactive prevention measures that mitigate the impact of AKI. The aim of this study was to develop and externally validate a practical risk score to predict the risk of AKI in either hospital or community settings using routinely collected data. Methods Routinely collected linked datasets from Tayside, Scotland, were used to develop the risk score and datasets from Kent in the UK and Alberta in Canada were used to externally validate it. AKI was defined using the Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes serum creatinine–based criteria. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed with occurrence of AKI within 1 year as the dependent variable. Model performance was determined by assessing discrimination (C-statistic) and calibration. Results The risk score was developed in 273 450 patients from the Tayside region of Scotland and externally validated into two populations: 218 091 individuals from Kent, UK and 1 173 607 individuals from Alberta, Canada. Four variables were independent predictors for AKI by logistic regression: older age, lower baseline estimated glomerular filtration rate, diabetes and heart failure. A risk score including these four variables had good predictive performance, with a C-statistic of 0.80 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.80–0.81] in the development cohort and 0.71 (95% CI 0.70–0.72) in the Kent, UK external validation cohort and 0.76 (95% CI 0.75–0.76) in the Canadian validation cohort. Conclusion We have devised and externally validated a simple risk score from routinely collected data that can aid both primary and secondary care physicians in identifying patients at high risk of AKI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a summary of the guideline on diagnosis and treatment of giant cell arteritis (GCA) by the British Society for Rheumatology. Topics discussed include how suspected GCA should be treated, evaluations that should be performed when starting treatment, and education that patients with GCA should be offered.

The aim of this study is to adapt and feasibility test the narrative component of Narrative Enhancement and Cognitive Therapy (NECT) for late-onset psychosis. This study followed the development and feasibility phases of the Medical Research Council framework. The original NECT intervention was adapted based on consultations with service users, experts, and clinicians. The evaluation of the feasibility test of the adapted intervention was guided by Orsmond and Cohn (Occup Particip Health 35(3):169–177, 2015)'s model for feasibility studies. The final adaptations consist of language, readability, and delivery. The adapted intervention was tested for feasibility and acceptability with one group of five patients recruited from a National Health Service (NHS) Trust in UK Results were mixed in participant outcomes and a likelihood of acceptability of the intervention. This indicates the need for a larger scale feasibility test to explore the identified benefits and challenges of implementing NECT in NHS or community settings for late-onset psychosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A mother's nutritional choices while pregnant may have a great influence on her baby's development in the womb and during infancy. There is evidence that what a mother eats during pregnancy interacts with her genes to affect her child's susceptibility to poor health outcomes including childhood obesity, pre-diabetes, allergy and asthma. Furthermore, after what an infant eats can change his or her intestinal bacteria, which can further influence the development of these poor outcomes. In the present paper, we review the importance of birth cohorts, the formation and early findings from a multi-ethnic birth cohort alliance in Canada and summarise our future research directions for this birth cohort alliance. We summarise a method for harmonising collection and analysis of self-reported dietary data across multiple cohorts and provide examples of how this birth cohort alliance has contributed to our understanding of gestational diabetes risk; ethnic and diet-influences differences in the healthy infant microbiome; and the interplay between diet, ethnicity and birth weight. Ongoing work in this birth cohort alliance will focus on the use of metabolomic profiling to measure dietary intake, discovery of unique diet-gene and diet-epigenome interactions, and qualitative interviews with families of children at risk of metabolic syndrome. Our findings to-date and future areas of research will advance the evidence base that informs dietary guidelines in pregnancy, infancy and childhood, and will be relevant to diverse and high-risk populations of Canada and other high-income countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article aimed at the construction of representative indicators of social responsibility information, from the perspective of stakeholders in Brazil and the UK, for the disclosure of Philanthropic Higher Education Organizations (PHEOs) in its Internet websites. Using the grounded theory techniques, we raised evidence that enabled us to identify social responsibility information valued by PHEOs stakeholders in Brazil and the UK. We developed the research in four phases: systematization, evaluation, valuation and econometric validation of the indicators. As a result, we have built a relationship that includes 186 indicators of stakeholder interests. Of these, we identified 84 indicators, subdivided into ten categories of social responsibility, which include the indicators considered most relevant by the experts and stakeholders for the PHEOs disclosure. The article contributes to the formulation of the PHEOs disclosure policies and to the recommendations and regulations of the institutional bodies at the moment in which it demonstrates the information of interest of the stakeholders, as well as those that should be highlighted in the first place because they are considered more relevant. Therefore, from the results of this research, the PHEOs disclosure has the possibility to reflect the interests of external stakeholders, adding value to the transparency and accountability of organizations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Thames Estuary (UK) is an industrialized, macrotidal ecosystem characterized by a long history of metal pollution. Nevertheless, a holistic understanding of the metal fate is still missing. This study aims at identifying the main environmental mechanisms affecting metal behaviour in the Thames Estuary using copper and zinc as representative examples. A suite of multivariate statistical analyses performed on data from long-term monitoring of metal distribution in the estuary indicated that total metal concentrations are primarily correlated with suspended solids, being thus indirectly influenced by the interaction between freshwater discharge and the tide. These data were used to set up a three-dimensional hydrodynamic and water quality model to simulate the transport of sediments and metals within the estuary. Model results ratify that high metal concentrations might occur in the central part of the estuary as consequence of fine sediment resuspension. Such an effect of the hydrodynamics is highlighted by the differences between months characterized by low or high river discharge as well as neap or spring tide. We discuss the physical mechanisms of such transport processes and their direct implication for the management of sediment and metal contamination in estuarine areas especially in terms of long-term analysis. Developing a model able to assess future trends helps in planning the correct strategies for recovery and maintenance. Further research is needed to improve the accuracy of models of this kind as well as to investigate the potential effects of climate change for this and other similar systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims/Background: To investigate the prevalence of low back pain in people with incomplete spinal cord injury and compare these characteristics among three countries. Methods: A cross-sectional, primarily internet based survey, was conducted in the USA, UK and Greece. The Short Form McGill Pain Questionnaire was the main measure used. In addition, data were collected on the presence, onset, duration and frequency of low back pain. Findings: A total of 219 questionnaires were included in the analysis. Anytime low back pain was 74% (95% confidence interval [CI] 67, 79) and current low back pain was 66% (95% CI 59, 72). People with paraplegia were 2.75 times more likely to report low back pain anytime post incomplete spinal cord injury than people with tetraplegia (95% CI 1.38, 5.47). Thirty-three percent of participants reported low back pain onset immediately post incomplete spinal cord injury and 44% reported daily low back pain with people from UK reporting the highest percentage (59%). The more low back pain days felt in a month the worse its quality and intensity. Low back pain is described as ‘discomforting’ with moderate intensity and people from the UK reported the worst low back pain. Finally, people from Greece reported better results for the sensory component of their low back pain. Conclusions: Despite some differences in profile and injury characteristics of the groups from the three nations, low back pain presence in incomplete spinal cord injury is reported highly for all people in the countries investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper draws on in-depth research on the impacts of urban regeneration programmes on small business communities in Haringey, London. It uses the Haringey case to document and describe the rolling out of more entrepreneurial forms of delivery-based urban policy and planning. It explores the relationships between austerity and local government finance; recent reforms to the planning system and the implementation of delivery-based, housing-focused urban regeneration programmes; and the types of urban built environment that are now emerging in cities. The discussion uses the example of small business communities to assess the impacts that contemporary planning interventions have on the form and character of urban economic development. It concludes by highlighting some of the broader implications for the planning of diverse cities and outlines future directions for research and analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Brazilian studies show 15-50% mortality rates at the first year after hip fracture with more than 30% suffering functional deterioration. The Nottingham Hip Fracture Score (NHFS) was developed in the United Kingdom in 2007. Due to its ease of implementation, there is a suggestion that NHFS is clinically best suited for predicting mortality and it also predicts functional outcomes. We evaluated the NHFS in predicting the risk of death and functional health status (FHS) decline in hip fragility fracture patients at 18 months of follow-up. Methods: Observational study including elderly patients diagnosed with osteoporotic hip fracture in Brazil. On admission, all patients were rated by the NHFS and the preoperative FHS was classified in independent and partially or totally dependent, according to the ACS NSQIP. The continuous variables were described by mean ± SD or median [IQR], conforming to the distribution pattern. Patients were categorized into two groups using the cutoff value corresponding to the median of the NHFS. Mortality and FHS decline rates were assessed at 18 months of follow-up. Comparison between groups was performed using the chi-square or Fisher's exact test. Survival analysis with Cox regression model was performed to assess risk of death at 18 months related to the group with the highest NHFS on admission. Results: A total of 54 consecutive patients were included, 83% women, mean age 76.1 ± 8.7 years. The median of NFHS was 5 [3-6]. Patients were categorized as NFHS >5 (higher score) or ≤5 (lower score). A total of 43 (80%) patients were followed up until the end of the study or death outcome. Two (3.7%) patients died during the hospitalization. The accumulated mortality in 18 months was 18.6% (8/43); 5/11 (45.5%) in higher score group and 3/32 (9.4%) in lower score, P = 0.017. The risk of death at 18 months was 6-fold in patients with a higher score (HR 6.1 - 95% CI 1.5-25.7, P =0.015). Additionally, among survivors, 6/6 (100%) of higher score individuals had FHS deterioration vs 10/29 (34.5%) of lower score group, P = 0.005. Conclusion: NHFS > 5 was a predictor of mortality and FHS decline in patients with osteoporotic hip fracture after 18 months of follow-up. The use of practical scoring systems that classify individuals on severity and functional disability scales can be useful not only during hospitalization, but also for better planning and post-discharge follow-up. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]