Patients, Professionals and the Internet: Renegotiating the Healthcare Encounter

The aim of this research was to examine how patient use of internet information impinges on the utilisation of healthcare services. The research had the following objectives: + to quantify the extent, and patterns, of patients use of the internet as a health information resource and identify the factors leading to variations in behaviour. + to identify the search strategies employed by patients in accessing internet health information internet and the evaluative approaches used in assessing information quality. + to analyse the content and dynamics of virtual health communities and how participation in such communities is integrated into engagement with health services. + to document the evolving nature of patient-professional interaction arising from patient access to health information and the subsequent format of the healthcare encounter. + to assess the effect of changing patient access to information and changes in the healthcare encounter on patterns of patient decision making and health behaviours

A little less conversation, a little more texting please - a blended learning model of using mobiles in the classroom

This paper reports on three case studies of use of the TxtTools Mobile phone texting system by lecturers in different subject disciplines: Business Studies, Computing and Sports Science. The lecturers were seeking to have a richer blend of technologies to support their students, and the mobile technology is combined within traditional student lectures and seminars as well as some interesting developmental uses outside the classroom. The findings show that there has been a very positive response from students, and that the system can be effective in a number of ways, including engaging more students within lectures. This blended learning approach has given a voice to a large number of students intimidated by a classroom or group environment, enabling them to ask questions, put forth an opinion and interact with fellow group members in a dynamically technological manner

Reading Through the Life Span:Individual Differences in Psycholinguistic Effects

The effects of psycholinguistic variables are critical to the evaluation of theories about the cognitive reading system. However, reading research has tended to focus on the impact of key variables on average performance. We report the first investigation examining variation in psycholinguistic effects across the life span, from childhood into old age. We analyzed the performance of a sample of 535 readers, aged 8-83 years in lexical decision and pronunciation tasks. Our findings show that the effects on reading of two key variables, frequency and AoA, decrease in size with increasing age over the life span. We observed the systematic modulation by age and reading ability of these and other psycholinguistic effects alongside a global U-shaped effect of age. Diffusion model analyses suggest that developmental speed-up in decision responses can be attributed to the increasing quality of evidence accumulation in reaction to words, while the ageing-related slowing can be attributed to decreasing efficiency of stimulus encoding or response execution processes. An analysis of spoken response durations furnishes a consistent picture in which the slowing of pronunciation responses with age can be attributed to slowing articulatory processes. We think our findings can be explained by theoretical accounts that incorporate learning as the basis for the development of structure in the reading system. However, an adequate theory shall have to include assumptions about both developmental learning and later ageing. Our results warrant a life span theory of reading

An Integrative Review Exploring Psycho-Social Impacts and Therapeutic Interventions for Parent Caregivers of Young People Living with Duchenne’s Muscular Dystrophy

The purpose of this integrative review was to explore psycho-social impacts and therapeutic interventions for parent caregivers of young people living with Duchenne’s Muscular Dystrophy (DMD). Electronic databases were searched for research publications between 2010 and 2020. This included Medline, CINAHL, PsycINFO, ERIC, ERC, and AMED. Four central themes emerged: Living with DMD; Knowing and telling; Transitioning; and Building resilience. The impact on parents caring for a child with DMD affected all aspects of their lives, changed over time, and had identifiable peak stress points. Unmet parental information and support needs left parents struggling in their role. Transition required changes to parenting behaviors and required adaptation and resilience. It is proposed that future investment should focus on anticipating family need, targeting intervention cognizant of predictable stress points and building resilience through social community. Parents may then be better positioned to support their child in looking forward

Neutrinos from Dark Matter annihilations at the Galactic Centre

We discuss the prospects for detection of high energy neutrinos from dark matter annihilation at the Galactic centre. Despite the large uncertainties associated with our poor knowledge of the distribution of dark matter in the innermost regions of the Galaxy, we determine an upper limit on the neutrino flux by requiring that the associated gamma-ray emission does not exceed the observed flux. We conclude that if dark matter is made of neutralinos, a neutrino flux from dark matter annihilations at the GC will not be observable by Antares. Conversely, the positive detection of such a flux would either require an alternative explanation, in terms of astrophysical processes, or the adoption of other \DM candidates, disfavouring the case for neutralinos.Comment: 8 pages, 7 figures, submitted to PR

Exceptional endocrine profiles characterise the meerkat: sex, status, and reproductive patterns.

In vertebrates, reproductive endocrine concentrations are strongly differentiated by sex, with androgen biases typifying males and estrogen biases typifying females. These sex differences can be reduced in female-dominant species; however, even the most masculinised of females have less testosterone (T) than do conspecific males. To test if aggressively dominant, female meerkats (Suricata suricatta) may be hormonally masculinised, we measured serum androstenedione (A4), T and estradiol (E2) in both sexes and social classes, during both 'baseline' and reproductive events. Relative to resident males, dominant females had greater A4, equivalent T and greater E2 concentrations. Males, whose endocrine values did not vary by social status, experienced increased T during reproductive forays, linking T to sexual behaviour, but not social status. Moreover, substantial E2 concentrations in male meerkats may facilitate their role as helpers. In females, dominance status and pregnancy magnified the unusual concentrations of measured sex steroids. Lastly, faecal androgen metabolites replicated the findings derived from serum, highlighting the female bias in total androgens. Female meerkats are thus strongly hormonally masculinised, possibly via A4's bioavailability for conversion to T. These raised androgen concentrations may explain female aggressiveness in this species and give dominant breeders a heritable mechanism for their daughters' competitive edge

New practices for new publics: theories of social practice and the voluntary and community sector

The book relates to a seminar series ‘New Practices for NewPublics', which ran between November 2015 and October 2017 (see http://blogs.brighton.ac.uk/newpracticesfornewpublics/). Both the book and the seminars were funded by grant ES/N009398/1 from the Economic and Social Research Council

Locked out: liberating disabled people's lives and rights in Wales beyond COVID-19

This report originated from discussions at the Welsh Government’s Disability Equality Forum, Chaired by Deputy Minister and Chief Whip, Jane Hutt, MS. In the summer of 2020, having heard of the different ways that disabled people were being negatively affected by the pandemic, the Forum resolved to set up an evidence-based enquiry into disabled people’s experiences, in part to counter the significant under-reporting by central Government and the mainstream media. The decision to establish such an enquiry is significant. To our knowledge, it is the first of its kind to be published by a Government in the UK. This report is also unique in that it has been controlled and co-produced by a Steering Group of disabled people representing Disabled People’s Organisations (DPOs) and disability charities, supported by Welsh Government in terms of administrative support, supplementary research expertise and data analysis. The nominal ‘Chair’ (or co-ordinator) of the enquiry, was chosen by disabled members of the Disability Equality Forum and self-identifies as a disabled person. Dr Debbie Foster is Professor of Employment Relations and Diversity at Cardiff University’s Business School. She interpreted her role as one of co-ordinator of documentary evidence collated by Welsh Government and evidence voiced by members of the Steering Group, all of whom had lived experience of disability. Over 300 items of written evidence were considered, sifted, summarised then discussed, prioritised and supplemented, by the Steering Group, in what was an iterative process