Is the Pre-WMAP CMB Data Self-consistent?

Although individual observational groups vigorously test their data sets for systematic errors, the pre-WMAP CMB observational data set has not yet been collectively tested. Under the assumption that the concordance model is the correct model, we have explored residuals of the observational data with respect to this model to see if any patterns emerge that can be identified with systematic errors. We found no significant trends associated with frequency, frequency channels, calibration source, pointing uncertainty, instrument type, platform and altitude. We did find some evidence at the ~ 1 to ~ 2 sigma level for trends associated with angular scale (l range) and absolute galactic latitude. The slope of the trend in galactic latitude is consistent with low level galactic contamination. The residuals with respect to l may indicate that the concordance model used here needs slight modification. See Griffiths & Lineweaver (2003) for more detail.Comment: 8 pages, 4 figures, to be published in the proceedings of "The Cosmic Microwave Background and its Polarization", New Astronomy Reviews, (eds. S. Hanany and K.A. Olive

An approach to measuring dispersed families with a particular focus on children 'left behind' by migrant parents: findings from rural South Africa

There is growing policy and academic interest in the conditions, experiences, and well-being of migrant families stretched across origin and destination households. In South Africa, the dispersal of children and migrant parents across multiple households is a commonplace childhood experience. However, in common with the broader international context, quantitative analyses of the social and residential connections between children and migrant parents in South Africa have been limited by the lack of available data that document family arrangements from the perspective of more than one household. This paper describes a new data collection effort in the origin and destination households of migrants from rural KwaZulu-Natal and explains the methodology for using this data to examine multiple household contexts for children and parents. In order to illustrate the contribution that this form of data collection effort could make to family migration studies, the paper also presents results on the living arrangements of children ‘left behind’ by migrant parents; a potentially vulnerable group whose arrangements are challenging to examine with existing data sources. The empirical results show the majority (75%) of left behind children have previously migrated and a significant proportion of migrants' children (25%) were not living in their parent's origin or destination household. The findings highlight the need for careful measurement of the circumstances of left behind children and demonstrate the contribution of linked data for providing insights into the residential arrangements of migrants' children

Understanding family migration in rural South Africa: exploring children's inclusion in the destination households of migrant parents

Despite the removal of restrictions on movement and increasing female participation in migration, only a minority of migrant parents in South Africa include their children in their destination household. Quantitative analyses of the circumstances in which children accompany a migrant parent have been limited by the lack of available data that document family arrangements from the perspective of more than one household. This paper uses data about members of rural households in a demographic surveillance population in KwaZulu-Natal and a linked sample survey of adult migrants to examine factors associated with children's inclusion in the destination household of migrant parents, analyse the timing and sequence of children's moves to parental destination households, and describe the composition of parental origin and destination households. The findings confirm that in contemporary South Africa, only a small percentage (14%) of migrants' children who are members of the parental origin household are also members of the parental destination household. Membership of the parental destination household is associated with parental characteristics and the child's age, but not measures of socio-economic status, and children most commonly migrate several years after their migrant parent. Children included in the destination household of migrant fathers frequently live in small households, which also include their mother, whereas children included in the destination household of migrant mothers live in larger households. This study contributes to understanding the contexts of children's inclusion in parental destination households in South Africa and demonstrates the potential of data collected in migrants' origin and destination households

BMP-7: role and regulation in osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a disease characterised by changes in the structure and function of articular joints, leading to pain and loss of mobility. Bone Morphogenetic protein 7 (BMP-7), a member of the transforming growth factor β superfamily, has been shown to promote anabolic events within articular cartilage, and confer protection from OA associated destruction in a number of animal models. It has been shown that a disease-associated loss of BMP-7 in OA may contribute to the joint destruction. The mechanism associated with the loss of BMP-7 has yet to be fully elucidated. Recently, small non-coding RNAs (microRNAs) that participate in post-transcriptional gene regulation, have been identified as a potential dysregulated mechanisms in OA. It was therefore hypothesised that disease-associated alterations in these microRNAs could lead to subsequent changes in the expression of BMP-7 and its signalling family. The aims of this thesis were to investigate the expression of BMP-7 and other associated BMP signalling molecules and identify any microRNAs that may regulate these transcripts. Furthermore, the study aimed to elucidate the molecular mechanisms by which BMP-7 is able to confer protection in cartilage. The studies presented in this thesis show that both articular chondrocytes and the synovial membrane can express very low levels of BMP-7 transcript in a subset of patients. In juxtaposition, protein can be clearly detected in both articular chondrocytes and synovial membrane. Interrogation of the BMP-7 signalling family transcripts revealed that all members are detectable in OA cartilage. This expression was independent of the eroded nature of the cartilage. Evaluation of the circulating microRNAs that were predicted to target the BMP-7 pathway revealed that several miRNAs (including miR24-3p) were altered in the plasma of OA patients. Interestingly, miR24-3p was able to target BMP receptors ALK2 and BMPR1B. Moreover, there was a significant negative correlation between the expression of miR24-3p and the ALK2 receptor in OA patients. Thus suggesting there is a role for this miRNA in the negative regulation of BMP-7 signalling in OA cartilage. To complement the work evaluating the endogenous signalling pathway, studies were also undertaken to investigate the impact of exogenous BMP-7 stimulation on chondrocytes. BMP-7 was able to promote its own transcriptional expression in a patient specific manner and induce expression of IL-1β in all of the donors investigated. In addition to the induction of IL-1β, BMP-7 was also able to up-regulated the IL-1β antagonist, IL-1Ra. Taken together this data suggests a role for BMP-7 in the regulation of the inflammatory mediator IL-1β. Finally, BMP-7 was able to up-regulate several pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines in both primary OA chondrocytes and in vitro differentiated macrophages. In summation, the work presented in this thesis suggests that BMP-7 may be contributing to the promotion of inflammation and subsequent repair as part of the cartilage homeostatic mechanisms. Further to this, miR24 has been highlighted as a regulator of cartilage homeostasis via the direct targeting of ALK2. Changes in the expression of this miRNA over the course of OA disease progression may be involved in driving disease pathogenesis. Therefore understanding the targets for this disease-associated miRNA may help in the development of disease modifying therapies

A degree of studying? : Approaches to learning and academic performance among student ‘consumers’

The marketization of higher education and focus on graduate employability and earnings data has raised questions about how students perceive their roles and responsibilities while studying for their degree. Of particular concern is the extent to which students identify themselves as consumers of their higher education, for example, whether they view their degree as a purchasable commodity to improve future earnings. This is because research has found that students with a stronger consumer identity perform less well academically. This study examined whether the negative impact of a consumer identity on academic performance could be explained by the impact of a consumer identity on the extent to which students adopt deep, surface, or strategic approaches to learning. The hypotheses were that the relation between consumer identity and academic performance would be mediated by approaches to learning, whereby a consumer identity would be associated with adopting a more surface approach and a less deep and less strategic approach. Undergraduates completed an online questionnaire that assessed the extent to which they identified as a consumer, their approaches to learning, and academic performance. The analysis partly supported the hypotheses: a stronger consumer identity was related to a more surface approach to learning. However, a surface approach to learning did not mediate the relation between consumer identity and academic performance. Conversely, a deep approach to learning mediated the relation between consumer identity and academic performance, whereby a stronger consumer identity was associated with poorer academic performance through its negative impact on a deep approach to learning. There was no relation between consumer identity and strategic approach to learning. Implications for students identifying themselves as consumers of their higher education are discussed

Rehabilitation nurses’ knowledge, experiences, and perceptions of the provision of psychological care for patients post stroke in Ireland: A cross-sectional study.

Introduction: Early assessment and management of depression and anxiety for patients after stroke is critical. However, suboptimal provision of psychological care is widely reported. Nurses are the largest professional group to care for patients post stroke and have an important role in addressing their emotional wellbeing. Aim: The aim of this paper is to examine nurse’s knowledge, experiences, and perceptions of the provision of psychological care to patients post stroke in Ireland. Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive survey design involving both quantitative and qualitative items was administered to a convenience sample of seventy-four (n=74) nurses working in six Irish community hospital rehabilitation units. Results: Findings demonstrate suboptimal psychological care provision for patients post stroke with no formal pre-defined care pathways. Despite nurse’s knowledge of psychological problems and symptomology, participants revealed receiving limited training in psychological monitoring and no systemic allocation of psychological care duties. This research suggests that pre-defined/formal care pathways; access to psychology expertise; further training and support for members of the Multi-Disciplinary-Team has the potential to improve the provision of psychological care for patients post stroke. Conclusions: This study has implications for the reform and development of rehabilitation services in relation to practice, education, and research. It identifies opportunities to support nurses to improve the delivery of psychological care for patients post stroke