An evaluation of the Sure Start Widnes Trailblazer pampering group

This project report discusses an evaluation of the pampering group of the Widnes Sure Start Widnes Trailblazer programme. The pampering group is a weekly service of health and beauty tratments to parents and parents-to-be, as well as informal advice from other parents and professionals about childbirth and child rearing in order to support parents during pregnancy and a baby's first year.The report was comissioned by Sure start Widnes Trailblazer and funded by Halton Borough Council

Tao3 mediates a phenotypic switch between amoeba-adapted and mammalian-adapted forms of Cryptococcus neoformans

Comparative Medicine - OneHealth and Comparative Medicine Poster SessionMany microbes are capable of changing phenotypes more frequently than due to basal mutation rates alone, and this ability is coupled to pathogenesis. The human pathogenic yeast Cryptococcus neoformans is found in the environment in soil, pigeon guano and tree species, locations in which the organism is exposed to microbial predators. Previous research showed that co-incubation of C. neoformans with amoeba causes a switch from a yeast to a pseudohyphal form, enabling fungal survival in amoeba yet conversely reducing virulence in mammalian models of cryptococcosis. We identify the basis for pseudohyphal development in phenotypic-switched and amoeba-derived strains, to show that genes encoding proteins of the RAM (Regulation of Ace2p activity and cellular Morphogenesis) pathway bear mutations. Reversion to wild type yeast morphology can occur through multiple different mechanisms to suggest that underlying rates of spontaneous mutation control this process and thereby influence the pathogenic potential of an organism

Patent management and social software

The worldwide increase of patent applications and the important role patents play in economic development make the management of intellectual property (IP) an important area for many companies. At the same time, the complexity in decision-making and IP process management necessitates a high degree of collaboration between various enterprise divisions such as strategy and policy making and market research. In this paper we present an ongoing case study at a large international automotive manufacturer that is exploring the potential of social software to support patent management. We conducted 31 semi-structured interviews to identify relevant patent processes at the company as well as typical operational problems within these processes. This leads us to derive four propositions on how social software can support patent processes. We conclude by providing an overview of the next steps in our research project. Our results present a first step in understanding the role of emerging social software services in enabling collaborative patent management.<br /

Staff-Family Communication Methods in Long-Term Care Homes: An Integrative Review

Context: Communication methods have been trialled to promote staff-family relations and facilitate person-centred care for residents living in long-term care homes. A review and synthesis of the common methods will inform the development of stafffamily communication methods, policy and best practice guidelines. Objectives: 1) synthesise and summarise common communication methods, and types(s) of delivery, used for staff-family communication in long-term care homes; and 2) identify any challenges that impacted the implementation of the communication method(s). Methods: An integrative review was employed to incorporate papers with diverse research designs. It involved a comprehensive database and grey literature search, and study selection based on inclusion criteria. Data from included studies were extracted, coded and categorised by common communication method, delivery type(s) and challenges; studies were assessed for quality. Findings: A total of 3,183 potential papers were retrieved from seven international databases. Twenty-four original papers from six countries meeting inclusion criteria were reviewed and assessed for quality (M = 30; SD = 3.8). Common communication methods (structured education, meetings and takeaway resources) and challenges to implementation (confusion, misunderstanding and disagreement; lack of time; and technological difficulties) were identified and summarised. Limitations: The exclusion of papers published more than 20 years ago, geographical concentration of studies in high-income countries, and absence of stakeholder consultation may limit the generalisability and depth of the findings. Implications: Staff professional development and education, technology training and support, and accessibility of information in pamphlets and resources for family are crucial for facilitating staff-family communication in long-term care homes

Energy modeling & design of prototype hydroponic grow system

Energy and food security relies on innovations that spur sustainable ideologies. This project considers a novel approach to grow microgreens within a controlled environment in a manner that conserves water, minimizes environmental impacts from agriculture runoff, and enables successful agriculture in virtually any environment. The eQUEST® software package, an energy simulator, has been used to create a model of the “grow box” considered in this study. The dimensions were specified, and heating, cooling, and other loads were incorporated into the model which was used to estimate energy consumption. Real-time data were collected from sensors installed in the container and were analyzed in Excel and used to validate model performance. The modeling approach allowed for multiple locations to be selected in eQUEST® in order to simulate energy consumption within different climates, and simulations are used to size renewable energy systems and storage in future iterations of the grow box. Potential future applications include military deployments, disaster relief, and urban developments. Grow boxes that completely utilize renewable sources and battery storage will bring these applications to fruition

Digital Literacies as Socially Situated Pedagogical Processes: Genealogically Understanding Media, Information, and Digital Literacies

Despite the increasing importance of digital literacies for citizens to be able to participate in society, there is little scholarly agreement over what digital literacies entail. This conceptual ambiguity hinders the translation of digital literacies into educational programs and policies that foster citizens' digital literacies and inclusion. While various authors have attempted to define digital literacy separately and in relation to other concepts, such as information literacy and media literacy, little attention has been paid to the historical backdrop of these concepts. By tracing the historical development of three literacies (media-, information-, and digital literacy), we reflect on how societal demands shaped conceptual frameworks of these literacies and how these conceptualizations are situated within the broader pedagogical systems that aim to enable participation in digital societies. Using a genealogical approach, we explore and describe the changes in definition, understanding, and enactment of the three literacies, which illustrate how these concepts have developed towards the conceptual frameworks we employ today. Based on this analysis, we argue that digital literacies must be flexible to anticipate challenges that result from the rise of new technologies and need to be appropriated within different socio-cultural contexts. We pledge for an understanding of digital literacies as socially situated pedagogical processes aimed at the way citizens appropriate digital practices within their daily lives. This implies shifting away from formulating one-size-fits-all understandings based upon generic uses of digital technologies. Instead, we must appropriate the understandings of digital literacies based upon their socio-technical, cultural, political, economic, and material dimensions

Communicating Healthcare Economic and Pre-approval Information With Healthcare Decision-Makers: Opportunities Following the 21st Century Cures Act and FDA Guidance

With rising US healthcare costs, population health decision-makers have expressed interest in receiving pre-approval information to help with the budgeting and forecasting needed to accommodate pharmaceutical and medical device launches. Additionally, there has been a strong emphasis placed on the economics and quality of new products. Manufacturers have historically been reluctant to share pre-approval or healthcare economic information (HCEI) due to unclear regulatory guidance for these types of communications. The 21st Century Cures Act, as well as the June 2018 FDA guidance on payor communications have more clearly defined guardrails to communicate this information. This paper provides insights on how to optimize this new guidance and facilitate robust and compliant conversations with decision-makers

Advances in Human B Cell Phenotypic Profiling

To advance our understanding and treatment of disease, research immunologists have been called-upon to place more centralized emphasis on impactful human studies. Such endeavors will inevitably require large-scale study execution and data management regulation (“Big Biology”), necessitating standardized and reliable metrics of immune status and function. A well-known example setting this large-scale effort in-motion is identifying correlations between eventual disease outcome and T lymphocyte phenotype in large HIV-patient cohorts using multiparameter flow cytometry. However, infection, immunodeficiency, and autoimmunity are also characterized by correlative and functional contributions of B lymphocytes, which to-date have received much less attention in the human Big Biology enterprise. Here, we review progress in human B cell phenotyping, analysis, and bioinformatics tools that constitute valuable resources for the B cell research community to effectively join in this effort

Predictive and prognostic properties of TB-LAM among HIV-positive patients initiating ART in Johannesburg, South Africa

While the diagnostic properties of the TB LAM urine assay (LAM) have been well-described, little is known about its predictive and prognostic properties at ART initiation in a routine clinic setting. We describe the predictive and prognostic properties of LAM in HIV-positive patients initiating ART at an urban hospital in Johannesburg, South Africa. Retrospective study of HIV-positive adults (&gt;18 years) who initiated  standard first-line ART between February 2012 and April 2013 and had a LAM test at initiation. In  HIV-positive patients with no known TB at ART initiation, we assessed the sensitivity, specificity and positive/negative likelihood ratios of LAM to predict incident TB within 6 months of ART initiation. In addition, in patients with a TB diagnosis and on TB treatment &lt;3 months at ART initiation, we measured the CD4 response at 6 months on ART. Of the 274 patients without TB at ART initiation, 65% were female with median CD4 count of 213 cells/mm3. Among the 14 (5.1%) patients who developed active TB, none were urine LAM +ve at baseline. LAM had poor sensitivity (0.0 % 95 % CI 0.00-23.2) to predict incident TB within 6 months of initiation. We analyzed 22 patients with a confirmed TB diagnosis at initiation separately. Of these, LAM +ve patients (27%) showed lower CD4 gains compared to LAM negative patients (median increase 103 vs 199 cells/mm3; p=0.08). LAM has limited value for accurately predicting incident TB in patients with higher CD4 counts after ART initiation. LAM may help identify TB/HIV co-infected patients at ART initiation who respond more slowly to treatment and require targeted interventions to improve treatment outcomes. Larger studies with longer patient follow-up are needed.Key words: Antiretroviral therapy, HIV, lipoarabinomannan, Mycobacterium, TB LAM, South Afric