Students' Views of Retail Employment - key findings from Generation Ys

Purpose: the aim of this article is to highlight some preliminary findings regarding students’ perceptions of retail employment. It concentrates on those students who belong to Generation Y, those born between 1977 and 1994. Methodology: the research instrument consisted of a questionnaire survey administered to business studies students at two Scottish universities – Glasgow Caledonian University and Stirling University. This article reports on responses to 340 of these questionnaires – those students who already have some experience of retail employment, mainly as their part-time employment experiences while studying for their degree. Findings: retail employment experience is common with the majority of students. Their expectations for future retail employment after graduation is to enjoy their work, while they are also concerned with fairness, equality and tolerance from their future employment. Practical implications: the results are of benefit to retail employers’ as preliminary indications of how they can attract potential graduate entrants into the sector. They provide some areas that retail companies should be addressing in their recruitment literature. These factors include future career opportunities including opportunities for self development, training and development, as well as pay and job security. Other factors that are also important to highlight are responsibility and challenging work opportunities and the maintenance of a good work-life balance. Originality/value: this is an under-researched topic in the area of retail employment and Generation Y

13_2_30: experiences, perceptions and expectations of retail employment for Generation Y

Purpose This paper examines Generation Y, potential graduate entrants to UK retailing, in respect of their job experiences, career perceptions and initial employment expectations. Design, methodology, approach Utilising qualitative research methods, an exploratory study was undertaken with 33 students (all of whom fell into the category of Generation Y) from two UK universities. Findings The study found that many of the propositions contained within the Generation Y literature were reflected among participants in relation to their future career and lifestyle aspirations. This points to the need for retailers to carefully manage graduate expectations and experiences to ensure commitment to the sector. Research Limitations/implications Being an exploratory study, the results are not genralisable to the wider population. The findings frame a future longitudinal study on the retail careers of Generation Y graduates as they move from the anticipation to the encounter stage of their career development. This will seek to further explore the implications of Generation Y values, including those relating to diversity and equality which were not raised as an issue in this preliminary study. Originality/Value The findings of this research contribute to our knowledge of the career aspirations of Generation Y. It indicates to retailers some of the future recruitment and HR practices they might adopt to meet the needs of this generation of employees

Exploring high mortality rates among people with multiple and complex needs: a qualitative study using peer research methods

Objective To explore the perceived reasons underlying high mortality rates among people with multiple and complex needs.Design Qualitative study using peer research.Setting North East of England.Participants Three focus group discussions were held involving (1) people with lived experience of multiple and complex needs (n=5); (2) front-line staff from health, social care and voluntary organisations that support multiple and complex needs groups (n=7); and (3) managers and commissioners of these organisations (n=9).Results Findings from this study provide valuable perspectives of people with multiple complex needs and those that provide them with support on what may be perceived factors underlying premature mortality. Mental ill health and substance misuse (often co-occurring dual diagnosis) were perceived as influencing premature mortality among multiple and complex needs groups. Perceptions of opportunities to identify people at risk included critical life events (eg, bereavement, relationship breakdown) and transitions (eg, release from prison, completion of drug treatment). Early prevention, particularly supporting young people experiencing adverse childhood experiences, was also highlighted as a priority.Conclusion High mortality in multiple and complex needs groups may be reduced by addressing dual diagnosis, providing more support at critical life events and investing in early prevention efforts. Future interventions could take into consideration the intricate nature of multiple and complex needs and improve service access and navigation

Kidnapping and Mental Health in Iraqi Refugees: The Role of Resilience

Although kidnapping is common in war-torn countries, there is little research examining its psychological effects. Iraqi refugees (N = 298) were assessed upon arrival to the U.S. and 1 year later. At arrival, refugees were asked about prior trauma exposure, including kidnapping. One year later refugees were assessed for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and major depression disorder (MDD) using the SCID-I. Individual resilience and narratives of the kidnapping were also assessed. Twenty-six refugees (9 %) reported being kidnapped. Compared to those not kidnapped, those who were had a higher prevalence of PTSD, but not MDD, diagnoses. Analyses examining kidnapping victims revealed that higher resilience was associated with lower rates of PTSD. Narratives of the kidnapping were also discussed. This study suggests kidnapping is associated with PTSD, but not MDD. Additionally, kidnapping victims without PTSD reported higher individual resilience. Future studies should further elucidate risk and resilience mechanisms

Specific Trauma Subtypes Improve the Predictive Validity of the Harvard Trauma Questionnaire in Iraqi Refugees

Trauma exposure contributes to poor mental health among refugees, and exposure often is measured using a cumulative index of items from the Harvard Trauma Questionnaire (HTQ). Few studies, however, have asked whether trauma subtypes derived from the HTQ could be superior to this cumulative index in predicting mental health outcomes. A community sample of recently arrived Iraqi refugees (N = 298) completed the HTQ and measures of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression symptoms. Principal components analysis of HTQ items revealed a 5-component subtype model of trauma that accounted for more item variance than a 1-component solution. These trauma subtypes also accounted for more variance in PTSD and depression symptoms (12 and 10 %, respectively) than did the cumulative trauma index (7 and 3 %, respectively). Trauma subtypes provided more information than cumulative trauma in the prediction of negative mental health outcomes. Therefore, use of these subtypes may enhance the utility of the HTQ when assessing at-risk populations

Classical R-Matrices and the Feigin-Odesskii Algebra via Hamiltonian and Poisson Reductions

We present a formula for a classical $r$-matrix of an integrable system obtained by Hamiltonian reduction of some free field theories using pure gauge symmetries. The framework of the reduction is restricted only by the assumption that the respective gauge transformations are Lie group ones. Our formula is in terms of Dirac brackets, and some new observations on these brackets are made. We apply our method to derive a classical $r$-matrix for the elliptic Calogero-Moser system with spin starting from the Higgs bundle over an elliptic curve with marked points. In the paper we also derive a classical Feigin-Odesskii algebra by a Poisson reduction of some modification of the Higgs bundle over an elliptic curve. This allows us to include integrable lattice models in a Hitchin type construction.Comment: 27 pages LaTe

Matrix metalloproteinase 9 modulates collagen matrices and wound repair

Animal science

Investigating the effectiveness and acceptability of oral health and related health behaviour interventions in adults with severe and multiple disadvantage: Protocol for a mixed-methods systematic review

Increasing numbers of people in England experience homelessness, substance use, and repeated offending (known as ‘severe and multiple disadvantage’; SMD). Populations experiencing SMD often have extremely poor oral health, which is closely inter-linked with high levels of substance use, smoking, and poor diet. This study aims to undertake an evidence synthesis to identify the effectiveness, resource requirements, and factors influencing the implementation and acceptability of oral health and related health behaviour interventions in adults experiencing SMD. Two systematic reviews will be conducted using mixed-methods. Review 1 will investigate the effectiveness and resource implications of oral health and related health behaviours (substance use, smoking, diet) interventions; Review 2 will investigate factors influencing the implementation of such interventions. The population includes adults (≥18 years) experiencing SMD. Standard review methods in terms of searches, screening, data extraction, and quality appraisal will be conducted. Narrative syntheses will be conducted. If feasible, a meta-analysis will be conducted for Review 1 and a thematic synthesis for Review 2. Evidence from the two reviews will then be synthesised together. Input from people with experience of SMD will be sought throughout to inform the reviews. An initial logic model will be iteratively refined during the review

Novel anti-inflammatory peptides based on chemokine – glycosaminoglycan interactions reduce leukocyte migration and disease severity in a model of rheumatoid arthritis

Inflammation is characterized by the infiltration of leukocytes from the circulation and into the inflamed area. Leukocytes are guided throughout this process by chemokines. These are basic proteins that interact with leukocytes to initiate their activation and extravasation via chemokine receptors. This is enabled through chemokine immobilization by glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) at the luminal endothelial surface of blood vessels. A specific stretch of basic amino acids on the chemokine, often at the C terminus, interacts with the negatively charged GAGs, which is considered an essential interaction for the chemokine function. Short-chain peptides based on this GAG-binding region of the chemokines CCL5, CXCL8, and CXCL12γ were synthesized using standard Fmoc chemistry. These peptides were found to bind to GAGs with high affinity, which translated into a reduction of leukocyte migration across a cultured human endothelial monolayer in response to chemokines. The leukocyte migration was inhibited upon removal of heparan sulfate from the endothelial surface and was found to reduce the ability of the chemokine and peptide to bind to endothelial cells in binding assays and to human rheumatoid arthritis tissue. The data suggest that the peptide competes with the wild-type chemokine for binding to GAGs such as HS and thereby reduces chemokine presentation and subsequent leukocyte migration. Furthermore, the lead peptide based on CXCL8 could reduce the disease severity and serum levels of the proinflammatory cytokine TNF-α in a murine Ag-induced arthritis model. Taken together, evidence is provided for interfering with the chemokine-GAG interaction as a relevant therapeutic approach