2,803 research outputs found

    When are impending retirees inspired to save: The role of agreeableness and future clarity

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    In the decade or so before they retire, many individuals do not save enough money to maintain their lifestyle after retirement. According to the self-continuity hypothesis, as individuals approach a transition in their life, such as retirement, they are not as willing to sacrifice pleasure now to benefit their future, impeding their tendency to save money judiciously and to manage their finances prudently. This longitudinal study, however, tested the hypothesis that impending retirees who are agreeable or perceive their future as vivid and certain, called future clarity, are more likely to manage their finances prudently, despite this looming transition. In particular, people who are agreeable tend to perceive their identity as more stable because the extent to which they value harmonious relationships does not abruptly escalate as retirement approaches. People who report future clarity tend to perceive the future as closer in time and, therefore, are more willing to sacrifice their pleasure to benefit this future. To assess these hypotheses, 597 impending retirees completed the same questionnaire twice, in consecutive years, to gauge their tendency to manage their finances prudently, called financial control, as well as their agreeableness and future clarity. As hypothesized, financial control tended to subside over time, but agreeableness and future clarity diminished this decline. As these findings imply, if impending retirees are exposed to opportunities they could pursue after they retire—clarifying their future goals and pursuits—they are likely to manage their finances more judiciously now

    Model fitting for small skin permeability data sets: hyperparameter optimisation in Gaussian Process Regression

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    This is the pre-peer reviewed version of the following article: Parivash Ashrafi, Yi Sun, Neil Davey, Roderick G. Adams, Simon C. Wilkinson, and Gary Patrick Moss, ‘Model fitting for small skin permeability data sets: hyperparameter optimisation in Gaussian Process Regression’, Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology, Vol. 70 (3): 361-373, March 2018, which has been published in final form at https://doi.org/10.1111/jphp.12863. Under embargo until 17 January 2019. This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance with Wiley Terms and Conditions for Self-Archiving.Objectives The aim of this study was to investigate how to improve predictions from Gaussian Process models by optimising the model hyperparameters. Methods Optimisation methods, including Grid Search, Conjugate Gradient, Random Search, Evolutionary Algorithm and Hyper-prior, were evaluated and applied to previously published data. Data sets were also altered in a structured manner to reduce their size, which retained the range, or ‘chemical space’ of the key descriptors to assess the effect of the data range on model quality. Key findings The Hyper-prior Smoothbox kernel results in the best models for the majority of data sets, and they exhibited significantly better performance than benchmark quantitative structure–permeability relationship (QSPR) models. When the data sets were systematically reduced in size, the different optimisation methods generally retained their statistical quality, whereas benchmark QSPR models performed poorly. Conclusions The design of the data set, and possibly also the approach to validation of the model, is critical in the development of improved models. The size of the data set, if carefully controlled, was not generally a significant factor for these models and that models of excellent statistical quality could be produced from substantially smaller data sets.Peer reviewedFinal Accepted Versio

    Exploring financially sustainable initiatives to address out-of-area placements in psychiatric ICUs:a computer simulation study

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    BackgroundTransferring individuals for treatment outside their geographic area occurs when healthcare demand exceeds local supply. This can result in significant financial cost while impacting patient outcomes and experience.AimsThe aim of this study was to assess initiatives to reduce psychiatric intensive care unit (PICU) out-of-area bed placements within a major healthcare system in South West England.MethodsDiscrete event computer simulation was used to model patient flow across the healthcare system’s three PICUs. A scenario analysis was performed to estimate the impact of management plans to decrease admissions and length of stay. The amount of capacity required to minimise total cost was also considered.ResultsWithout increasing in-area capacity, mean out-of-area bed requirement can be reduced by 25.6% and 19.1% respectively through plausible initiatives to decrease admissions and length of stay. Reductions of 34.7% are possible if both initiatives are employed. Adjusting the in-area bed capacity can also lead to aggregate cost savings.ConclusionsThis study supports the likely effectiveness of particular initiatives in reducing out-of-area placements for high-acuity bedded psychiatric care. This study also demonstrates the value of computer simulation in an area that has seen little such attention to date

    Exploring Pharmacists’ Roles during the 2019–2020 Australian Black Summer Bushfires

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    Background: Australians are no strangers to sudden natural disasters, such as bushfires. The effects of a natural disaster can devastate local communities and health care services. Currently, limited research has explored the role of the pharmacist during a natural disaster. This study explores the role of the Australian pharmacist during the 2019/2020 Black Summer Bushfires. Methods: Semi-structured phone interviews were conducted with ten community pharmacists who worked through the Black Summer Bushfires whose daily tasks and work environment were directly affected by the bushfires. Thematic analysis using NVivo®, a qualitative data analysis software was conducted. Results: Analysis of the transcripts generated six main themes: collaboration; trauma and mental health; power and communication; acute presentations; triaging and emergency prescribing. Pharmacists worked in close collaboration with doctors and members of the local community. They provided triaging services, timely health advice about chronic health problems, and managed acute issues, including wound and burn management and mental health support in traumatic conditions, sometimes without power and communication amenities. The challenges presented to pharmacists during the bushfires warranted creative and flexible approaches at times. Conclusion: This study highlights the need for mental health support and training for pharmacists, provisional prescribing privileges, and a clearer set of contingency regulations and legislation related to emergencies and natural disasters. Further research is warranted to gain greater insight into the roles undertaken by Australian pharmacists during natural disasters and their autonomy in decision making processes during such times

    Using blubber explants to investigate adipose function in grey seals:glycolytic, lipolytic and gene expression responses to glucose and hydrocortisone

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    Adipose tissue is fundamental to energy balance, which underpins fitness and survival. Knowledge of adipose regulation in animals that undergo rapid fat deposition and mobilisation aids understanding of their energetic responses to rapid environmental change. Tissue explants can be used to investigate adipose regulation in wildlife species with large fat reserves, when opportunities for organismal experimental work are limited. We investigated glucose removal, lactate, glycerol and NEFA accumulation in media, and metabolic gene expression in blubber explants from wild grey seals. Glycolysis was higher in explants incubated in 25 mM glucose (HG) for 24 h compared to controls (C: 5.5 mM glucose). Adipose-derived lactate likely contributes to high endogenous glucose production in seals. Lipolysis was not stimulated by HG or high hydrocortisone (HC: 500 nM hydrocortisone) and was lower in heavier animals. HC caused NEFA accumulation in media to decrease by ~30% relative to C in females, indicative of increased lipogenesis. Lipolysis was higher in males than females in C and HG conditions. Lower relative abundance of 11-β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase 1 mRNA in HG explants suggests glucose involvement in blubber cortisol sensitivity. Our findings can help predict energy balance responses to stress and nutritional state in seals, and highlight the use of explants to study fat tissue function in wildlife
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