Public responses to precautionary information from the department of health (UK) about possible health risks from mobile phones

Understanding public perceptions of health information is of increasing importance in the light of the growing imperatives upon regulators to communicate information about risk and uncertainty. Communicating the possible health risks from mobile telecommunications is a domain that allows consideration of both public perceptions of uncertain public health information and public responses to precautionary advice. This research reports the results of a nationally representative survey in the UK (n = 1742) that explored public responses to a leaflet issued by the Department of Health (DoH) in 2000 providing information about the possible health risks of mobile phones. The aims of the study were twofold: a) to assess awareness of the leaflet and the extent to which participants could identify the precautionary advice that the leaflet contained as coming from the Government; and b) to examine publics’ responses to the current Government precautionary advice about mobile phone health risks; was this associated with increased concern or reassurance? The results indicate the importance of policy makers developing a clear understanding of the possible effects of communicating precautionary advice.Mobile Telecommunications and Health Research Programm

Weak Values, Quantum Trajectories, and the Stony-Brook Cavity QED experiment

Weak values as introduced by Aharonov, Albert and Vaidman (AAV) are ensemble average values for the results of weak measurements. They are interesting when the ensemble is preselected on a particular initial state and postselected on a particular final measurement result. I show that weak values arise naturally in quantum optics, as weak measurements occur whenever an open system is monitored (as by a photodetector). I use quantum trajectory theory to derive a generalization of AAV's formula to include (a) mixed initial conditions, (b) nonunitary evolution, (c) a generalized (non-projective) final measurement, and (d) a non-back-action-evading weak measurement. I apply this theory to the recent Stony-Brook cavity QED experiment demonstrating wave-particle duality [G.T. Foster, L.A. Orozco, H.M. Castro-Beltran, and H.J. Carmichael, Phys. Rev. Lett. {85}, 3149 (2000)]. I show that the ``fractional'' correlation function measured in that experiment can be recast as a weak value in a form as simple as that introduced by AAV.Comment: 6 pages, no figures. To be published in Phys. Rev.

Automated Algebraic Reasoning for Collections and Local Variables with Lenses

Lenses are a useful algebraic structure for giving a unifying semantics to program variables in a variety of store models. They support efficient automated proof in the Isabelle/UTP verification framework. In this paper, we expand our lens library with (1) dynamic lenses, that support mutable indexed collections, such as arrays, and (2) symmetric lenses, that allow partitioning of a state space into disjoint local and global regions to support variable scopes. From this basis, we provide an enriched program model in Isabelle/UTP for collection variables and variable blocks. For the latter, we adopt an approach first used by Back and von Wright, and derive weakest precondition and Hoare calculi. We demonstrate several examples, including verification of insertion sor

Causes and consequences of psychological distress among orphans in eastern Zimbabwe.

Substantial resources are invested in psychological support for children orphaned or otherwise made vulnerable in the context of HIV/AIDS (OVC). However, there is still only limited scientific evidence for greater psychological distress amongst orphans and even less evidence for the effectiveness of current support strategies. Furthermore, programmes that address established mechanisms through which orphanhood can lead to greater psychological distress should be more effective. We use quantitative and qualitative data from Eastern Zimbabwe to measure the effects of orphanhood on psychological distress and to test mechanisms for greater distress amongst orphans suggested in a recently published theoretical framework

Development of strategies for effective communication of food risks and benefits across Europe: Design and conceptual framework of the FoodRisC project

The FoodRisC project is funded under the Seventh Framework Programme (CORDIS FP7) of the European Commission; Grant agreement no.: 245124. Copyright @ 2011 Barnett et al.BACKGROUND: European consumers are faced with a myriad of food related risk and benefit information and it is regularly left up to the consumer to interpret these, often conflicting, pieces of information as a coherent message. This conflict is especially apparent in times of food crises and can have major public health implications. Scientific results and risk assessments cannot always be easily communicated into simple guidelines and advice that non-scientists like the public or the media can easily understand especially when there is conflicting, uncertain or complex information about a particular food or aspects thereof. The need for improved strategies and tools for communication about food risks and benefits is therefore paramount. The FoodRisC project ("Food Risk Communication - Perceptions and communication of food risks/benefits across Europe: development of effective communication strategies") aims to address this issue. The FoodRisC project will examine consumer perceptions and investigate how people acquire and use information in food domains in order to develop targeted strategies for food communication across Europe.METHODS/DESIGN: This project consists of 6 research work packages which, using qualitative and quantitative methodologies, are focused on development of a framework for investigating food risk/benefit issues across Europe, exploration of the role of new and traditional media in food communication and testing of the framework in order to develop evidence based communication strategies and tools. The main outcome of the FoodRisC project will be a toolkit to enable coherent communication of food risk/benefit messages in Europe. The toolkit will integrate theoretical models and new measurement paradigms as well as building on social marketing approaches around consumer segmentation. Use of the toolkit and guides will assist policy makers, food authorities and other end users in developing common approaches to communicating coherent messages to consumers in Europe.DISCUSSION: The FoodRisC project offers a unique approach to the investigation of food risk/benefit communication. The effective spread of food risk/benefit information will assist initiatives aimed at reducing the burden of food-related illness and disease, reducing the economic impact of food crises and ensuring that confidence in safe and nutritious food is fostered and maintained in Europe.This article is available through the Brunel Open Access Publishing Fund

Individuals with unilateral transtibial amputation exhibit reduced accuracy and precision during a targeted stepping task

Accurate foot placement is important for dynamic balance during activities of daily living. Disruption of sensory information and prosthetic componentry characteristics may result in increased locomotor task difficulty for individuals with lower limb amputation. This study investigated the accuracy and precision of prosthetic and intact foot placement during a targeted stepping task in individuals with unilateral transtibial amputation (IUTAs; N=8, 47±13 yrs), compared to the preferred foot of control participant’s (N=8, 33±15 yrs). Participants walked along a 10-metre walkway, placing their foot into a rectangular floor-based target with dimensions normalised to a percentage of participant’s foot length and width; ‘standard’ = 150%x150%, ‘wide’ = 150%x200%, ‘long’ = 200%x150%. Foot placement accuracy (relative distance between foot and target centre), precision (between-trial variability), and foot-reach kinematics were determined for each limb and target, using three-dimensional motion capture. A significant foot-by-target interaction revealed less mediolateral foot placement accuracy for IUTAs in the wide target, which was significantly less accurate for the intact (28±12mm) compared to prosthetic foot (16±14mm). Intact peak foot velocity (4.6±0.8m.s-1) was greater than the prosthetic foot (4.5±0.8m.s-1) for all targets. Controls were more accurate and precise than IUTAs, regardless of target size. Less accurate and precise intact foot placement in IUTAs, coupled with a faster moving intact limb, is likely due to several factors including reduced proprioceptive feedback and active control during prosthetic limb single stance. This could affect activities of daily living where foot placement is critical, such as negotiating cluttered travel paths or obstacles whilst maintaining balance

Spring-mass behavioural adaptations to acute changes in prosthetic blade stiffness during submaximal running in unilateral transtibial prosthesis users

YesBackground: Individuals with lower-limb amputation can use running specific prostheses (RSP) that store and then return elastic energy during stance. However, it is unclear whether varying the stiffness category of the same RSP affects spring-mass behaviour during self-selected, submaximal speed running in individuals with unilateral transtibial amputation. Research question: The current study investigates how varying RSP stiffness affects limb stiffness, running performance, and associated joint kinetics in individuals with a unilateral transtibial amputation. Methods: Kinematic and ground reaction force data were collected from eight males with unilateral transtibial amputation who ran at self-selected submaximal speeds along a 15 m runway in three RSP stiffness conditions; recommended habitual stiffness (HAB) and, following 10-minutes of familiarisation, stiffness categories above (+1) and below (-1) the HAB. Stance-phase centre of mass velocity, contact time, limb stiffness’ and joint/RSP work were computed for each limb across RSP stiffness conditions. Results: With increased RSP stiffness, prosthetic limb stiffness increased, whilst intact limb stiffness decreased slightly (

Spring-mass behavioural adaptations to acute changes in prosthetic blade stiffness during submaximal running in unilateral transtibial prosthesis users

Background: Individuals with lower-limb amputation can use running specific prostheses (RSP) that store and then return elastic energy during stance. However, it is unclear whether varying the stiffness category of the same RSP affects spring-mass behaviour during self-selected, submaximal speed running in individuals with unilateral transtibial amputation. Research question: The current study investigates how varying RSP stiffness affects limb stiffness, running performance, and associated joint kinetics in individuals with a unilateral transtibial amputation. Methods: Kinematic and ground reaction force data were collected from eight males with unilateral transtibial amputation who ran at self-selected submaximal speeds along a 15 m runway in three RSP stiffness conditions; recommended habitual stiffness (HAB) and, following 10-minutes of familiarisation, stiffness categories above (+1) and below (-1) the HAB. Stance-phase centre of mass velocity, contact time, limb stiffness’ and joint/RSP work were computed for each limb across RSP stiffness conditions. Results: With increased RSP stiffness, prosthetic limb stiffness increased, whilst intact limb stiffness decreased slightly (p<0.03). Centre of mass forward velocity during stance-phase (p<0.02) and contact time (p<0.04) were higher in the intact limb and lower in the prosthetic limb but were unaffected by RSP stiffness. Intact limb hip joint positive work increased for both the +1 and -1 conditions but remained unchanged across conditions in the prosthetic limb (p<0.02). Significance: In response to changes in RSP stiffness, there were acute increased mechanical demands on the intact limb, reflecting a reliance on the intact limb during running. However, overall running speed was unaffected, suggesting participants acutely adapted to an RSP of a non-prescribed stiffness