The state and housing protest

This study attempts to show that it is myopic to analyse housing protest by merely considering activity only at the local level. The Causes of housing protest, we shall contend, are not usually local, and involve wider social and economic forces in society. An analysis which ignores these is inadequate. Chapter One looks at five ideal-typical models of the agency towards which housing protest has become increasingly directed, the state. Each perspective implies a different view of the state, it's position in society and it's potential for reacting to institutionalised or non-institutionalised protest. Chapter Two considers theories of the local state. As the on-the- spot provider of housing, the local state is the recipient of much housing protest, and we examine the efficacy of the five perspectives for analysing the local state's position. We select three perspectives which have potential for explaining different aspects of protest, namely - the internal workings of the local state, the protest groups themselves, and central/local government relations. Chapter Three examines state involvement in housing, and relates this to the explanations posited by the five perspectives as a test of their efficacy in explaining such involvement. We also examine state housing policy as a basis for protest, and find that such a basis exists in at least three areas of policy. In Chapter Four we consider the protest groups themselves, how and why they form, and barriers to that formation: we also categorise protest activity according to its source, the level of activity, and the types of activity. Chapter Five describes the Gorbals Anti-Dampness Campaign, as an example of housing protest, as well as drawing out some points from an examination of the squatting movement. In Chapter Five end Chapter Six we attempt to relate the theories of the state, and their implications for analysing protest activity to these campaigns, and draw some conclusions from this

A focus group based study of the perspectives of the Maltese population and healthcare professionals on medication wastage.

The World Health Organization states that globally more than half of all medication is inappropriately prescribed, dispensed or sold with a need to implement wastage reduction strategies. Developing processes which include behaviour change theories, such as the Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF), significantly impacts the positive implementation of evidence into healthcare practice. Objective To describe and understand the beliefs and behaviours regarding medication wastage of the Maltese public and healthcare professionals (HCPs) and to explore potential solutions. Setting: Malta. Method Five 90 min audio recorded focus groups (2 public and 3 HCPs) were conducted with a purposive sample who responded to a previous survey study and were willing to participate in focus groups in Malta. The guide was based upon the TDF with interview questions derived from findings of the questionnaire phase. Focus groups were audio recorded and transcribed verbatim. Analysis was carried using the framework approach. Main outcome measure Beliefs and behaviours regarding medication wastage and potential solutions to reduce medication wastage. Results A total of eleven pharmacists, six doctors and six members of the public consented to participate. Focus groups conducted with HCPs and the general public identified the following four key themes aligned with the TDF domains to address proposed solutions to minimise medication wastage: (1) practitioner effects; (2) patients effects; (3) political effects; (4) societal effects. Conclusion This study has employed a theoretical framework to obtain a better understanding of facilitators which require attention as part of strategic development

Development of consensus guidance to facilitate service redesign around pharmacist prescribing in UK hospital practice.

Background The last decade has seen a drive towards non-medical prescribing in the United Kingdom (UK). However, there is a dearth of any published literature on applying the principles of service redesign to support pharmacist prescribing in any sphere of practice. Objective To develop consensus guidance to facilitate service redesign around pharmacist prescribing. Setting UK hospital practice. Methods The Delphi technique was used to measure consensus of a panel of expert opinion holders in Scotland. Individuals with key strategic and operational roles in implementing initiatives of pharmacy practice and medicines management were recruited as experts. An electronic questionnaire consisting of 30 statements related to pharmacist prescribing service redesign was developed. These were presented as five-point Likert scales with illustrative quotes. Main outcome measures Consensus, defined as 70 % of panel members agreeing (ranked strongly agree/agree) with each statement. Results Responses were obtained from 35/40 (87.5 %) experts in round one and 29 (72.5 %) in round two. Consensus in round one was achieved for 27/30 of statements relating to aspects of generic service development (e.g. succession planning, multidisciplinary working, quality evaluation, practice development and outcome measures) and pharmacist prescribing role development (e.g. education and future orientation of service). Issues of disagreement were around targeting of pharmacist prescribing to clinical specialities and financial remuneration for prescribing in the hospital setting. Conclusion Consensus guidance has been developed to facilitate service redesign around hospital pharmacist prescribing

Field enhanced bulk conductivity of acceptor-doped BaTi1−xCaxO3−x ceramics

The electrical properties of Ca-doped BaTiO3 are very different when Ca substitutes onto Ba or Ti sites. The p-type semiconductivity of Ti-substituted ceramics increases reversibly by one to two orders of magnitude under a dc-bias voltage of 100 V cm−1, whereas Ba-substituted ceramics show little sensitivity to a dc bias. This increase in BaTi1−xCaxO3−x, studied over the temperature range 150–600 °C, is independent of electrode material and atmosphere and is attributed to ionization of underbonded O2− ions adjacent to acceptor-doped Ca2+ ions

Free Radical Reactivity of a Phosphaalkene Explored Through Studies of Radical Isotopologues

Muonium (Mu), an H atom analogue, is employed to probe the addition of free radicals to the P=C bond of a phosphaalkene. Specifically, two unprecedented muoniated free radicals, MesP•-CMu(Me)2 (1a, minor product) and MesPMu-C•Me2 (1b, major product), were detected by muon spin spectroscopy (µSR) when a solution of MesP=CMe2 (1: Mes = 2,4,6-trimethylphenyl) was exposed to a beam of positive muons (µ+). The µ+ serves as a source of Mu (i.e. Mu = µ+ + e–). To confirm the identity of the major product 1b, its spectral features were compared to its isotopologue, MesPH-C•(Me)CH2Mu (2a). Conveniently, 2a is the sole product of the reaction of MesPH(CMe=CH2) (2) with Mu. For all observed radicals, muon, proton and phosphorus hyperfine coupling constants were determined by µSR and compared to DFT-calculated values

A cross-sectional survey of the Maltese general public on medication wastage.

Background Medication wastage is a global issue, with key public health implications in terms of safety, the environment and the economy. A recently conducted systematic review of the published literature identified a lack of focus on the views of healthcare professionals and the general public. Objective To explore awareness, attitudes and behaviours relating to medication wastage amongst the general public in Malta. Setting Malta. Method Survey methodology employing a pre-piloted questionnaire was developed from theoretical frameworks of behaviour. Questionnaire items comprised open, closed and 5-point Likert scales. Medication adherence as a possible factor associated with wastage was measured using the 8-item Morisky Medication Adherence Scale. Random sample of 1920 was obtained from the Maltese electoral register 2013. Ethical approval was obtained. Main outcome measures Awareness, attitudes and behaviours relating to medication wastage amongst the general public in Malta. Results Response rate was 20.4%. The majority (70.6%) agreed that they were fully aware of the issue of wastage and 71.9% disagreed that they had no interest in wastage. The following were significantly related to increased awareness of wastage: older age (p=0.003), pensioners (p=0.011), on regular medication (p=0.021) and obtaining free medication (p=0.026). Lack of interest in wastage was significantly related to obtaining free medication by government (p=0.022), with those purchasing medication being significantly more interested (p=0.028). While 75.1% of respondents on regular medication self-reported not being fully adherent, there were no associations with awareness (p=0.100) and interest in wastage (p=0.385). Unemployed were more likely to report contribution towards wastage (p=0.010) and the presence of a healthcare professional as family member was significantly related to confidence in ability to reduce wastage (p=0.009). 46.2% claimed to have unused medication at home and improvement in patient’s medical condition was the main reason for this. Conclusion More effort is warranted to raise awareness of the public as an initial step in promoting behavioural change in relation to medication wastage

Golgi duplication in Trypanosoma brucei

Duplication of the single Golgi apparatus in the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma brucei has been followed by tagging a putative Golgi enzyme and a matrix protein with variants of GFP. Video microscopy shows that the new Golgi appears de novo, near to the old Golgi, about two hours into the cell cycle and grows over a two-hour period until it is the same size as the old Golgi. Duplication of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) export site follows exactly the same time course. Photobleaching experiments show that the new Golgi is not the exclusive product of the new ER export site. Rather, it is supplied, at least in part, by material directly from the old Golgi. Pharmacological experiments show that the site of the new Golgi and ER export is determined by the location of the new basal body

Reducing Electronic Information Overload

College students receive a wealth of information through electronic communications that they are unable to process efficiently. This information overload negatively impacts their affect, which is officially defined in the field of psychology as the experience of feeling or emotion. To address this problem, we postulated that we could create an application that organizes and presents incoming content in a manner that optimizes users’ ability to process information. First, we conducted surveys that quantitatively measured each participant’s psychological affect while handling electronic communications, which was used to tailor the features of the application to what the user’s desire. After designing and implementing the application, we again measured the user's affect using this product. Our goal was to find that the program promoted a positive change in affect. Our application, Brevitus, was able to match Gmail on affect reduction profiles, while succeeding in implementing certain user interface specifications