Framework for better living with HIV in England

Duration: April 2007 - May 2009 Sigma Research was funded by Terrence Higgins Trust to co-ordinate the development of a framework to address the health, social care, support and information needs of people with diagnosed HIV in England. It has now been published as the Framework for better living with HIV in England. The over-arching goal of the framework is that all people with diagnosed HIV in England "are enabled to have the maximum level of health, well-being, quality of life and social integration". In its explanation of how this should occur the document presents a road map for social care, support and information provision to people with diagnosed HIV in England. By establishing and communicating aims and objectives, the framework should build consensus and provide a means to establish how interventions could be prioritised and coordinated. The key drivers for the framework were clearly articulated ethical principles, agreed by all those who sign up to it, and an inclusive social development / health promotion approach. Sigma Research worked on the framework with a range of other organisations who sent representatives to a Framework Development Group (see below for membership). The framework is evidence-based and seeks to: Promote and protect the rights and well-being of all people with HIV in England. Maximise the capacity of individuals and groups of people with HIV to care for, advocate and represent themselves effectively. Improve and protect access to appropriate information, social support, social care and clinical services. Minimise social, economic, governmental and judicial change detrimental to the health and well being of people with HIV. Alongside the development of the framework, Sigma Research undertook a national needs assessment among people with diagnosed HIV across the UK called What do you need?. These two projects informed and supported each other. Framework Development Group included: African HV Policy Network Black Health Agency George House Trust NAM NAT (National AIDS Trust) Positively Women Terrence Higgins Trus

Egg mass and incubation period allometry in birds and reptiles: effects of phylogeny

The factors determining hatchling mass (HM) are investigated in a wide range of birds and reptiles using regression analysis, analysis of covariance and comparative analysis by independent contrasts. In birds, initial egg mass (IEM) at laying is the most important factor affecting HM and phylogenetic relatedness has no significant effects on HM. Developmental maturity of the avian neonates did not affect the proportion of IEM converted into HM. For all reptile species, IEM also significantly affected HM but phylogenetic relatedness did not. By contrast, allometric relationships between IEM and HM in the different orders of reptiles were affected by shell type. The robustness of allometric relationships across taxa in birds and reptiles suggests that there is a physiological link between IEM and HM, which contrasts with that observed for the relationship between egg mass and incubation period. This result has significant implications for the inter-relationships between IEM and embryonic growth, which are discussed for birds and reptiles

Microstructural and Mechanical Properties Examination of High-Power Diode Laser-Treated R260 Grade Rail Steels Under Different Processing Temperatures

In the present study, high-power diode laser surface treatment was implemented to R260 grade steel with three different processing temperatures (1100 degrees C, 1200 degrees C, and 1300 degrees C) at the laser power of 1750W and scanning speed of 6mm/s, in order to identify the effect of various processing temperatures on the mechanical performance. According to the test results, the laser-treated sample at 1300 degrees C showed much better mechanical performance among the other laser-treated samples. It was found that the laser-treated sample at 1300 degrees C had about 3 times more surface hardness, a 43 pct increase in yield strength, and a 53 pct increase in toughness value compared to the untreated sample. Microstructural investigations showed that this surface treatment did not only generate a martensitic structure with a certain depth but also provided the formation of a fine pearlitic structure contributing to an increase in the mechanical properties. As a conclusion, it was found that the processing temperature is one of the critical factors affecting the mechanical properties in the laser hardening process. Moreover, the results demonstrated that this treatment method might be an alternative method to enhance the mechanical properties of existing rail steels online without the need for rail disassembly, reducing operational costs