The challenges associated with using measures of ‘happiness’ for public policy purposes cannot be ignored by government

The growing acceptance of subjective wellbeing (or ‘happiness’) measures for public policy purposes has proved controversial. Ian Bache and Louise Reardon review the issues and argue that the extent to which this agenda has taken hold is overstated and concerns are mostly based on a particular (narrow) interpretation of the purpose of the wellbeing agenda

Quantifying bacterial transfer from patients to staff during burns dressing and bed changes : implications for infection control

Routine nursing activities such as dressing/bed changes increase bacterial dispersal from burns patients, potentially contaminating healthcare workers (HCW) carrying out these tasks. HCW thus become vectors for transmission of nosocomial infection between patients. The suspected relationship between %total body surface area (%TBSA) of burn and levels of bacterial release has never been fully established. Bacterial contamination of HCW was assessed by contact plate samples (n = 20) from initially sterile gowns worn by the HCW during burns patient dressing/bed changes. Analysis of 24 gowns was undertaken and examined for relationships between %TBSA, time taken for activity, and contamination received by the HCW. Relationships between size of burn and levels of HCW contamination, and time taken for the dressing/bed change and levels of HCW contamination were best described by exponential models. Burn size correlated more strongly (R2 = 0.82, p < 0.001) than time taken (R2 = 0.52, p < 0.001), with levels of contamination received by the HCW. Contamination doubled with every 6–9% TBSA increase in burn size. Burn size was used to create a model to predict bacterial contamination received by a HCW carrying out bed/dressing changes. This may help with the creation of burn-specific guidelines on protective clothing worn by HCW caring for burns patients

Airborne bacterial dispersal during and after dressing and bed changes on burns patients

It is acknowledged that activities such as dressing changes and bed sheet changes are high-risk events; creating surges in levels of airborne bacteria. Burns patients are particularly high dispersers of pathogens; due to their large, often contaminated, wound areas. Prevention of nosocomial cross-contamination is therefore one of the major challenges faced by the burns team. In order to assess the contribution of airborne spread of bacteria, air samples were taken repeatedly throughout and following these events, to quantify levels of airborne bacteria. Air samples were taken at 3-min intervals before, during and after a dressing and bed change on a burns patient using a sieve impaction method. Following incubation, bacterial colonies were enumerated to calculate bacterial colony forming units per m3 (cfu/m3) at each time point. Statistical analysis was performed, whereby the period before the high-risk event took place acted as a control period. The periods during and after the dressing and bed sheet changes were examined for significant differences in airborne bacterial levels relative to the control period. The study was carried out four times, on three patients with burns between 35% total burn surface area (TBSA) and 51% TBSA. There were significant increases in airborne bacteria levels, regardless of whether the dressing change or bed sheet change took place first. Of particular note, is the finding that significantly high levels (up to 2614 cfu/m3) of airborne bacteria were shown to persist for up to approximately 1 h after these activities ended. This is the most accurate picture to date of the rapidly changing levels of airborne bacteria within the room of a burns patient undergoing a dressing change and bed change. The novel demonstration of a significant increase in the airborne bacterial load during these events has implications for infection control on burns units. Furthermore, as these increased levels remained for approximately 1 h afterwards, persons entering the room both during and after such events may act as vectors of transmission of infection. It is suggested that appropriate personal protective equipment should be worn by anyone entering the room, and that rooms should be quarantined for a period of time following these events

Towards a Sociology of the EU: The Relationship between Socio-economic Status and Ethnicity and Young People’s European Knowledge, Attitudes and Identities

This article explores the relationship between social backgrounds—socio-economic status and ethnicity—and European knowledge, identities and attitudes to European Union (EU) membership in two member states—the Eastern European newcomer Bulgaria and the Western European notoriously Eurosceptic United Kingdom. Itadopts an empirical sociological approach in line with recent calls for more sociological input into EU studies. By drawing on 174 individual interviews with 9-/10-year-old primary school pupils, the article is focused on young people: a group that ‘holds the key’ to the future of the EU, yet is entirely neglected by academics and policy makers. The findings suggest that despite the substantial national differences, the significance of socio-economic status and ethnicity is strong cross-nationally. European identity is largely elite and racialized and those at the margins of society in my sample are not at all involved in the European project. A key theoretical contribution this article makes is to move beyond mono-causal explanations by providing an account of the intersection of national context, socio-economic status and ethnicity in relation to young people’s European identities

MVB-12, a Fourth Subunit of Metazoan ESCRT-I, Functions in Receptor Downregulation

After ligand binding and endocytosis, cell surface receptors can continue to signal from endosomal compartments until sequestered from the cytoplasm. An important mechanism for receptor downregulation in vivo is via the inward budding of receptors into intralumenal vesicles to form specialized endosomes called multivesicular bodies (MVBs) that subsequently fuse with lysosomes, degrading their cargo. This process requires four heterooligomeric protein complexes collectively termed the ESCRT machinery. In yeast, ESCRT-I is a heterotetrameric complex comprised of three conserved subunits and a fourth subunit for which identifiable metazoan homologs were lacking. Using C. elegans, we identify MVB-12, a fourth metazoan ESCRT-I subunit. Depletion of MVB-12 slows the kinetics of receptor downregulation in vivo, but to a lesser extent than inhibition of other ESCRT-I subunits. Consistent with these findings, targeting of MVB-12 to membranes requires the other ESCRT-I subunits, but MVB-12 is not required to target the remaining ESCRT-I components. Both endogenous and recombinant ESCRT-I are stable complexes with a 1:1:1:1 subunit stoichiometry. MVB-12 has two human homologs that co-localize and co-immunoprecipitate with the ESCRT-I component TSG101. Thus, MVB-12 is a conserved core component of metazoan ESCRT-I that regulates its activity during MVB biogenesis

Symbolic Meta-Policy: (Not) Tackling Climate Change in the Transport Sector

This paper seeks to understand how the UK government's headline climate change targets are translated into action at the local level in the transport sector drawing on the findings of research in two English regions. In doing so, these headline targets are identified as a symbolic meta-policy that results in little action on the ground and which challenges established conceptions of policy implementation. Both the 'meta' and 'symbolic' aspects of the policy offer part of the explanation for the lack of substantive action on the ground. As a meta-policy, the headline targets across government require the elaboration of other policies at other levels such as targets for government departments and local authorities, but these are largely absent, leaving the meta-policy without teeth. Over time, these headline targets have developed into a symbolic policy, serving political goals but having little practical effectiveness

Venue Shift Following Devolution: When Reserved Meets Devolved in Scotland

This article examines the means used to address blurred or shifting boundaries between reserved UK and devolved Scottish policy. It outlines the main issues of multi-level governance and intergovernmental relations in Scotland and the initial problems faced in identifying responsibility for policy action. While it suggests that legislative ambiguities are now mainly resolved with the use of &lsquo;Sewel motions', it highlights cases of Scottish action in reserved areas, including the example of smoking policy in which the Scottish Executive appears to &lsquo;commandeer' a previously reserved issue. However, most examples of new Scottish influence suggest the need for UK support or minimal UK interest