www.daylighting.org.uk: case study website supporting research into daylighting urban rivers

Deculverting, or 'daylighting', involves opening up buried watercourses and restoring them to more natural conditions. It is often claimed to provide multiple benefits to society, the environment and the economy. However, the outcomes and objectives of deculverting projects are rarely published, which makes it difficult to evaluate their true effectiveness, determine the best methods to use, or provide quantitative evidence to encourage future projects. At the Catchment Science Centre, we have developed www.daylighting.org.uk in response to this research need. This map-based website of international daylighting case studies records the project drivers, costs and the environmental, social and economic objectives and outcomes. Practitioners are encouraged to enter their own case study details and add to our findings

Corner and sloped culvert baffles improve the upstream passage of adult European eels (Anguilla anguilla)

Installation of baffles intended to improve fish passage through culverts can reduce discharge capacity and trap debris, increasing flood risk. A sloping upstream face may reduce this risk, but new designs must be tested for fish passage efficiency. The European eel (Anguilla anguilla) is a critically endangered species, yet the suitability of even common baffle types to aid upstream movement has not been tested. This study compared the water depth, velocity, turbulent kinetic energy (TKE), and upstream passage performance of adult yellow-phase eels, between three 6 m long culvert models: smooth and unmodified (control); containing corner baffles (treatment 1); and with prototype sloped baffles installed (treatment 2). Passage of individual fish was assessed during 25 one-hour trials per model. Performance was quantified as entrance efficiency, number of entries per fish, passage efficiency, and overall efficiency. Total and passage delay, and successful passage time were also evaluated. Despite some individuals being able to swim against unexpectedly high water velocities (>1.5 m s?1 for 4 m), passage performance in the control was poor, with an overall efficiency of 28%. Compared to the control, both treatments increased the mean centreline water depth by approximately 0.11 m, created heterogeneous flow conditions with low velocity resting areas, and reduced maximum velocities. As a result, entrance rate and all efficiency parameters were higher for the treatments than for the control (overall efficiency = 84%), despite longer passage delay. The TKE was slightly higher in treatment 2 than 1, but there was no difference in water depth or overall efficiency. The findings show that both corner and sloped baffles can mitigate for impeded upstream adult eel movement. The extent to which the sloping upstream face will improve debris transport should be explored further

C.D.T. at Helenswood School, Hastings

We frequently hear and read statements about the need for more engineers, the value of 'design education' and the demand for equality for women in the context of practical skills, but seldom are these factors recognised at the grass roots of our society, namely in the schools. There is no shortage of moral support for the school courses that are responding to the challenge of this current thinking: government agencies, Her Majesty's Inspectors and County specialist advisers all react with delight to news of innovation in the practical subjects of our schools, but, alas, finance is not forthcoming in support of their approbation Despite this seemingly contradictory state of affairs, Helenswood School, Hastings (a recently reorganised girls' comprehensive school with 1200 on roll) decided to grasp the nettle and establish a Craft, Design and Technology department with an important role in the curriculum. The Headmistress views the subject as a prestigious addition to the traditional subjects of the school, believes in providing girls with equality of opportunity, and is enthusiastic about the problem solving approach of CDT

‘The biggest car crash in NHS history’: the media portrayal of GP pay before and after the introduction of the Health and Social Care Bill 2011

Background: The introduction of the Health and Social Care Bill (2011) changed the role of GPs to include commissioning of health services. Aim: This study aimed to identify any differences in the media portrayal of GPs before and after the introduction of the Bill. Methods: We retrospectively searched four British newspapers over the period 2009–2013 using the media database Nexis. In order to directly compare the findings of the study with the work of Tanner et al., articles relating to GP pay were analysed using thematic analysis. Themes were identified and each article was scored to determine whether it portrayed GPs positively or negatively. Results: GPs were portrayed slightly less negatively after the introduction of the Bill. The theme of ‘high salaries’ persisted despite reference to ‘pay freezes’. References to decreased trust in the patient–doctor relationship appeared after the introduction of the Bill. Conclusion: Negative portrayal of GP pay has continued and a lack of trust in GPs has started to be portrayed. This trend may exacerbate the low morale amongst the profession and difficulties in recruiting and retaining GPs

APTEEKKIALA MUUTOKSESSA : Lainsäädännön uudistukset ja niiden vaikutukset alaan

Tutkimuksessa kuvataan lainsäädännöstä johtuvia toimintaympäristöön vaikuttavia tekijöitä apteekkialalla. Tutkimuksen tavoitteena oli löytää apteekkialaan liittyvien lainsäädäntömuutosten perusteet ja niiden tarpeellisuus, sekä millä tavoin muutokset ovat vaikuttaneet alan taloudelliseen kehitykseen. Tutkimuksen tehtävänä on havainnollistaa muutostarpeet apteekin toimintaympäristössä sekä kiinnittää huomiota liiketalouspohjaisen ajattelun ja toiminnan kehittämiseen. Tutkimuksessa käytettiin hallituksen esityksiä eduskunnalle laiksi lääkelain ja sairausvakuutuslain muuttamiseksi aikavälillä 2002 - 2008. Tutkimuksen kvalitatiivinen osuus muodostui pääasiassa hallituksen esityksistä. Tutkimuksen empiirinen osio toteutettiin kvantitatiivisena tapaustutkimuksena, johon osallistui viisi apteekkia. Apteekeilta saadut tiedot käsiteltiin matemaattisesti ja tulokset muutettiin indeksiluvuiksi salassapitovelvollisuuden turvaamiseksi. Lähteinä on käytetty alan perusteoksia, artikkeleita, lääkealan perinteisiä ja elektronisia julkaisuja sekä verkkosivustoja. Tutkimusta varten haastateltiin anonyymisti farmaseutteja sekä muutamia apteekkareita. Tutkimuksessa tulee vahvasti ilmi hallituksen esitysten yksipuolinen ajattelumalli, keskittyen pitkälti valtion rahavarojen säästöön. Hallitus sivuuttaa esityksissään lainsäädännön muutoksista aiheutuneet taloudelliset vaikutukset apteekeille, eikä ota niihin sen syvempää kantaa. Empiiriselle tutkimukselle asetetut olettamukset toteutuivat. Lainsäädännön uudistuksista johtuen apteekin liiketaloudellinen tulos on laskenut.The thesis describes the operating environment factors that affect the pharmacy industry due to legislation changes. The aim was to find the criteria and needs for the legislative changes and examine how the changes have contributed to the economic development the of the pharmacy field. The aim of the study was to illustrate the need for change in the pharmacy sector as well as pay attention to the development of business economics-based thinking and the running of operations. In the study Government’s proposals to Parliament about the Law on Medicinal Products and the Law on Health Insurance during the term 2002-2008 was used as a qualitative study material. The study also included a quantitative case study . Information obtained from pharmacies was analysed mathematically, and the results were changed to index figures to ensure confidentiality. As literary sources the field’s basic publications, articles, both traditional and electronic, together with relevant web sites were used. In addition, some pharmacists as well as some pharmaceuticals were interviewed anonymously. The study strongly shows the one-sided thinking of proposals of the Board of Directors focusing largely on the conservation of financial resources of the state. The government ignored in their propositions on legislative changes the financial impact on pharmacies and did not take any stand on the matter. In the thesis the set empirical research hypotheses were confirmed. Legislation reforms, due to the pharmacy business's financial performance, have decreased