Consumer product invention: some developmental, economic & consumer aspects

This study of the British Bicycle and Domestic Radio Receiver industries produced a model of invention/product design having the following features: Invention depended mainly on the combined effect of three factors, each with changing significance over a three-stage life cycle. Technology Factor: Induced a cumulative sequence of inventions to improve product performance, of various origins (ideas, problems, techno-transfers or science). This factor most important in the first Incubation stage, of equal importance in second Early Growth stage and of incremental importance in final Mature stage. Economic Factor: Induced invention to suit market, mainly for cheaper, lower performance products but also for superlative models. This factor inoperative at Incubation stage, very important at Early Growth stage and important at Mature stage. Consumer Factor: Induced invention to make products more appealing to consumer; for simpler/automatic operation, greater reliability, accessories and new uses. This factor inoperative at Incubation stage, important at Early Growth stage and supremely important at Mature stage. Product life-cycle pattern a sequence of new models subsequently improved until an basic satisfactory design achieved, later incrementally improved. Empirical invention often systematic and as important as scientific invention; science often used to define design problem. Peak invention in Early Growth stage to explore all technical possibilities, design trade-offs and for market share. Invention and Demand: No direct and proportional relationship. Initial demand due to novelty appeal of function, subsequent rapid increased demand due to better technical product performance, lower product prices and increased income-related purchasing power. After market saturation demand declined despite better, sometimes radical, designs; as consumers sought other new products

The Healthcare Conflict Scale: development, validation and reliability testing of a tool for use across clinical settings

Despite the widespread incidence of conflict and its detrimental impact across a range of health-care settings, there is no validated tool with which to measure it. This paper describes the international innovation of a tool to measure staff-family conflict in pediatrics, intensive care, emergency, palliative care, and nursing homes. Sixty-two health-care workers contributed to focus group discussions to refine a draft tool developed from the literature. Subsequently, 101 health-care workers applied the tool to fictionalized vignettes. The psychometric properties (construct validity, internal consistency, repeatability, and reliability) were explored using principal component analysis, Cronbach’s alpha, and intra-class correlation (ICC) tests. The initial 17-item tool was reduced to seven items within three factors that explained 70.2% of the total variance in overarching construct. The internal consistency of the final overall scale was good (Cronbach’s alpha: 0.750); test–retest reliability of each item was excellent with ICCs ≥0.9. This new tool can be used to identify and score conflict, making it a key reference point in healthcare conflict work across clinical specialties. It's development and testing across specialities and across countries means it can be used in a variety of contexts. The tool provides health-care professionals with a new way to identify and measure conflict, and consequently has the potential to transform health-care relationships across disciplines and settings

Redox-active ferrocene-modified Cowpea mosaic virus nanoparticles

A naturally occurring nanoparticle, the plant virus Cowpea mosaic virus, can be decorated with ferrocene derivatives, of various linker lengths with amine and carboxylategroups, on the external surface using a range of conjugation strategies. The multiple, organometallic, redox-active ferrocene moieties on the outer surface of the virus are electrochemically independent with reduction potentials that span a potential window of 0.16 V that are dependent on the site of modification and the nature of the ferrocene derivative. The number of ferrocenes coupled to each virus ranges from about 100 to 240 depending upon the conjugation site and the linker length and these redox active units can provide multielectron reservoirs

Securing the legacy of TESS through the care and maintenance of TESS planet ephemerides

Much of the science from the exoplanets detected by the TESS mission relies on precisely predicted transit times that are needed for many follow-up characterization studies. We investigate ephemeris deterioration for simulated TESS planets and find that the ephemerides of 81% of those will have expired (i.e. 1$\sigma$ mid-transit time uncertainties greater than 30 minutes) one year after their TESS observations. We verify these results using a sample of TESS planet candidates as well. In particular, of the simulated planets that would be recommended as JWST targets by Kempton et al. (2018), $\sim$80% will have mid-transit time uncertainties $>$ 30 minutes by the earliest time JWST would observe them. This rapid deterioration is driven primarily by the relatively short time baseline of TESS observations. We describe strategies for maintaining TESS ephemerides fresh through follow-up transit observations. We find that the longer the baseline between the TESS and the follow-up observations, the longer the ephemerides stay fresh, and that 51% of simulated primary mission TESS planets will require space-based observations. The recently-approved extension to the TESS mission will rescue the ephemerides of most (though not all) primary mission planets, but the benefits of these new observations can only be reaped two years after the primary mission observations. Moreover, the ephemerides of most primary mission TESS planets (as well as those newly discovered during the extended mission) will again have expired by the time future facilities such as the ELTs, Ariel and the possible LUVOIR/OST missions come online, unless maintenance follow-up observations are obtained.Comment: 16 pages, 10 figures, accepted to AJ; main changes are cross-checking results against the sample of real TOIs, and addressing the impact of the TESS extended missio

Historical Trajectories of Disaster Risk in Dominica

The calamitous consequences of 2017 Hurricane Maria for the Caribbean island of Dominica highlighted the acute and increasing susceptibility of the region to disasters. Despite increasing international attention to disaster risk reduction, recovery from hazard events can be especially lengthy and difficult for small island developing states. In this article, we build on existing understandings of disaster risk as a physical and social condition, showing that historical processes are fundamental to understanding how conditions of risk emerge and persist over time. We take an integrated approach to analyzing the drivers of risk accumulation, using the example of Dominica, where processes set in motion during the colonial period have shaped the location of people and assets, the degree to which they might be harmed, the societal repercussions of that harm and the prospects for recovery. We focus on the underlying economic vulnerabilities and physical exposure to hazards created by agricultural, economic, and social practices, and successive disaster responses that have constrained recovery. Uncovering these historical drivers and persistent issues, elucidates lessons for pursuing a more resilient development trajectory, including through the promotion of economic restructuring and diversification, and land reform

The importance of early arthroscopy in athletes with painful cartilage lesions of the ankle: a prospective study of 61 consecutive cases

BACKGROUND Ankle sprains are common in sports and can sometimes result in a persistent pain condition. PURPOSE Primarily to evaluate clinical symptoms, signs, diagnostics and outcomes of surgery for symptomatic chondral injuries of the talo crural joint in athletes. Secondly, in applicable cases, to evaluate the accuracy of MRI in detecting these injuries. Type of study: Prospective consecutive series. METHODS Over around 4 years we studied 61 consecutive athletes with symptomatic chondral lesions to the talocrural joint causing persistent exertion ankle pain. RESULTS 43% were professional full time athletes and 67% were semi-professional, elite or amateur athletes, main sports being soccer (49%) and rugby (14%). The main subjective complaint was exertion ankle pain (93%). Effusion (75%) and joint line tenderness on palpation (92%) were the most common clinical findings. The duration from injury to arthroscopy for 58/61 cases was 7 months (5.7–7.9). 3/61 cases were referred within 3 weeks from injury. There were in total 75 cartilage lesions. Of these, 52 were located on the Talus dome, 17 on the medial malleolus and 6 on the Tibia plafond. Of the Talus dome injuries 18 were anteromedial, 14 anterolateral, 9 posteromedial, 3 posterolateral and 8 affecting mid talus. 50% were grade 4 lesions, 13.3% grade 3, 16.7% grade 2 and 20% grade 1. MRI had been performed pre operatively in 26/61 (39%) and 59% of these had been interpreted as normal. Detection rate of cartilage lesions was only 19%, but subchondral oedema was present in 55%. At clinical follow up average 24 months after surgery (10–48 months), 73% were playing at pre-injury level. The average return to that level of sports after surgery was 16 weeks (3–32 weeks). However 43% still suffered minor symptoms. CONCLUSION Arthroscopy should be considered early when an athlete presents with exertion ankle pain, effusion and joint line tenderness on palpation after a previous sprain. Conventional MRI is not reliable for detecting isolated cartilage lesions, but the presence of subchondral oedema should raise such suspicion

Anticipatory prescribing in community end-of-life care in the UK and Ireland during the COVID-19 pandemic: online survey

Funder: National Institute for Health Research; FundRef: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100000272Background: Anticipatory prescribing (AP) of injectable medications in advance of clinical need is established practice in community end-of-life care. Changes to prescribing guidelines and practice have been reported during the COVID-19 pandemic. Aims and objectives: To investigate UK and Ireland clinicians’ experiences concerning changes in AP during the COVID-19 pandemic and their recommendations for change. Methods: Online survey of participants at previous AP national workshops, members of the Association for Palliative Medicine of Great Britain and Ireland and other professional organisations, with snowball sampling. Results: Two hundred and sixty-one replies were received between 9 and 19 April 2020 from clinicians in community, hospice and hospital settings across all areas of the UK and Ireland. Changes to AP local guidance and practice were reported: route of administration (47%), drugs prescribed (38%), total quantities prescribed (35%), doses and ranges (29%). Concerns over shortages of nurses and doctors to administer subcutaneous injections led 37% to consider drug administration by family or social caregivers, often by buccal, sublingual and transdermal routes. Clinical contact and patient assessment were more often remote via telephone or video (63%). Recommendations for regulatory changes to permit drug repurposing and easier community access were made. Conclusions: The challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic for UK community palliative care has stimulated rapid innovation in AP. The extent to which these are implemented and their clinical efficacy need further examination