Embedding Outreach into the Undergraduate Science Curriculum – Everyone's a Winner

This article summarizes the authors' experience of developing and delivering undergraduate modules in Science Communication. The modules address two needs: resourcing science outreach activities for children in Years 5-7, and developing transferable skills (oral and written communication, team working, time management) to enhance student employability and engagement.Keywords:  Employability, outreach, transferable skill

UK hazards from a large Icelandic effusive eruption. Effusive Eruption Modelling Project final report

In response to the recent introduction of large, long-lasting gas-rich volcanic eruptions to the UK National Risk Register (risk H55) a modelling project has been conducted to improve our understanding of potential hazards to the UK from such an eruption on Iceland. A precautionary “reasonable worst case” eruption scenario based on the 1783-1784 CE Laki eruption has been determined using the results of an expert elicitation of scientists. This scenario has been simulated 80 times using two different atmospheric chemistry and transport models (NAME and EMEP4UK) over 10 years of meteorology (2003-2012). The results provide information on the range of concentrations of sulphur dioxide (SO2), sulphate aerosol (SO4) and some halogen species that might be experienced in the UK during such an eruption and the likelihood of key thresholds being exceeded and the duration of their exceedance. Data for the surface and for a range of key flight altitudes have been produced. These are evaluated against the threshold bandings of the UK’s Air Quality Index (AQI). The impact on UK ecosystems has also been considered. The data are intended to be used by UK Government Departments for further research into the impacts on the aviation, health, environmental and agricultural sectors. The results show that the prevailing meteorological conditions are the key influence on which parts of the North Atlantic and European region are affected at any time. The results demonstrate that the UK is unlikely to be affected by week after week of significantly elevated concentrations; rather there will a number of short (hours to days) pollution episodes where concentrations at the surface would be elevated bove Moderate and High air quality index levels. This pattern reflects the generally changeable nature of the weather in the UK. At the surface, consecutive exceedance durations are longer for SO4 than SO2, and can be particularly lengthy (1-2 weeks) in the Low air quality index levels, which may be of relevance to health impact assessments. The indications of potential peak concentrations and their corresponding AQI exceedance probabilities within this report serve to inform national, high-level generic risk planning. For more specific response planning, a much larger modelling study with multiple eruption scenarios and a greater number of meteorological realisations would be needed

Using routine data to monitor inequalities in an acute trust: a retrospective study

<p><b>Abstract</b></p> <p><b>Background</b></p> <p>Reducing inequalities is one of the priorities of the National Health Service. However, there is no standard system for monitoring inequalities in the care provided by acute trusts. We explore the feasibility of monitoring inequalities within an acute trust using routine data.</p> <p><b>Methods</b></p> <p>A retrospective study of hospital episode statistics from one acute trust in London over three years (2007 to 2010). Waiting times, length of stay and readmission rates were described for seven common surgical procedures. Inequalities by age, sex, ethnicity and social deprivation were examined using multiple logistic regression, adjusting for the other socio-demographic variables and comorbidities. Sample size calculations were computed to estimate how many years of data would be ideal for this analysis.</p> <p><b>Results</b></p> <p>This study found that even in a large acute trust, there was not enough power to detect differences between subgroups. There was little evidence of inequalities for the outcome and process measures examined, statistically significant differences by age, sex, ethnicity or deprivation were only found in 11 out of 80 analyses. Bariatric surgery patients who were black African or Caribbean were more likely than white patients to experience a prolonged wait (longer than 64 days, aOR = 2.47, 95% CI: 1.36-4.49). Following a coronary angioplasty, patients from more deprived areas were more likely to have had a prolonged length of stay (aOR = 1.66, 95% CI: 1.25-2.20).</p> <p><b>Conclusions</b></p> <p>This study found difficulties in using routine data to identify inequalities on a trust level. Little evidence of inequalities in waiting time, length of stay or readmission rates by sex, ethnicity or social deprivation were identified although some differences were identified which warrant further investigation. Even with three years of data from a large trust there was little power to detect inequalities by procedure. Data will therefore need to be pooled from multiple trusts to detect inequalities.</p

Ethnic differences in oral health and use of dental services:cross-sectional study using the 2009 Adult Dental Health Survey

Background Oral health impacts on general health and quality of life, and oral diseases are the most common non-communicable diseases worldwide. Non-White ethnic groups account for an increasing proportion of the UK population. This study explores whether there are ethnic differences in oral health and whether these are explained by differences in sociodemographic or lifestyle factors, or use of dental services. Methods We used the Adult Dental Health Survey 2009 to conduct a cross-sectional study of the adult general population in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Ethnic groups were compared in terms of oral health, lifestyle and use of dental services. Logistic regression analyses were used to determine whether ethnic differences in fillings, extractions and missing teeth persisted after adjustment for potential sociodemographic confounders and whether they were explained by lifestyle or dental service mediators. Results The study comprised 10,435 (94.6 %) White, 272 (2.5 %) Indian, 165 (1.5 %) Pakistani/Bangladeshi and 187 (1.7 %) Black participants. After adjusting for confounders, South Asian participants were significantly less likely, than White, to have fillings (Indian adjusted OR 0.25, 95 % CI 0.17-0.37; Pakistani/Bangladeshi adjusted OR 0.43, 95 % CI 0.26-0.69), dental extractions (Indian adjusted OR 0.33, 95 % CI 0.23-0.47; Pakistani/Bangladeshi adjusted OR 0.41, 95 % CI 0.26-0.63), and &lt;20 teeth (Indian adjusted OR 0.31, 95 % CI 0.16-0.59; Pakistani/Bangladeshi adjusted OR 0.22, 95 % CI 0.08-0.57). They attended the dentist less frequently and were more likely to add sugar to hot drinks, but were significantly less likely to consume sweets and cakes. Adjustment for these attenuated the differences but they remained significant. Black participants had reduced risk of all outcomes but after adjustment for lifestyle the difference in fillings was attenuated, and extractions and tooth loss became non-significant. Conclusions Contrary to most health inequalities, oral health was better among non-White groups, in spite of lower use of dental services. The differences could be partially explained by reported differences in dietary sugar

Elastic and plastic mechanical properties of lithium measured by nanoindentation

Metallic lithium is the desired anode material for high energy density solid state batteries and shows a factor of four range in elastic modulus and two orders of magnitude difference in creep properties dependent on sample preparation and testing method. In this paper we use in-situ nanoindentation to measure the anisotropic mechanical properties from the BCC crystal structure and the effect of strain-rate and temperature, which have an impact on battery cycle performance. This work clarifies the reasons for the range of property values reported in the literature with a global equation for yield strength with strain-rate. From this information conclusions can be drawn around variables to optimise in order to minimise the required pressure for a chosen stripping critical current in solid state batteries

Electrochemo-Mechanical Properties of Red Phosphorus Anodes in Lithium, Sodium, and Potassium Ion Batteries

Red phosphorus (RP) is a promising anode material for alkali-ion batteries due to a high theoretical capacity at low potentials when alloying with lithium, sodium, and potassium. Most alloy anode materials display large volume changes during cycling, which can lead to particle fracturing, low Coulombic efficiency, loss of electrical contact, and ultimately poor cycle life. In this paper we outline, through comprehensive electrochemo-mechanical characterization and modeling of the cycling stresses, why RP can be cycled at high current densities without fracture. Application of in situ nanoindentation and powder compression allows for measurement of the elastic, plastic, and fracture properties of RP. In situ transmission electron microscopy observation with extreme conditions (anisotropic ion diffusion and high current density) was used to validate the model, observing no catastrophic failure of RP particles. Electrochemo-mechanical characterization with geometry and stress modeling allows for predictions to be made for application of RP in alkali-ion batteries