Assessing the wider implementation of the SHARP principles: increasing physical activity in primary physical education

To assess the wider application of the SHARP (Stretching whilst moving, High repetition of skills, Accessibility, Reducing sitting and standing, and Promotion of physical activity) Principles intervention on children's moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) in physical education (PE), when applied by teachers and coaches. A quasi-experimental intervention was employed in nine primary schools (experimental, n = 6: control, n = 3) including teachers (n = 10), coaches (n = 4), and children (aged 5 to 11 years, n = 84) in the West Midlands, UK. Practitioners applied the SHARP Principles to PE lessons, guided by an innovative behaviour change model. The System for Observing Fitness and Instruction Time (SOFIT) was used to measure children's MVPA in 111 lessons at pre- (n = 60) and post-intervention (n = 51). Seven interviews were conducted post-intervention to explore practitioners' perceptions. Two-way ANOVA (Analysis of Variance) revealed that teachers increased children's MVPA by 27.7%. No statistically significant change in children's MVPA was observed when taught by the coaches. The qualitative results for teachers were 'children's engagement', a 'pedagogical paradigm shift', and 'relatedness'; and for coaches 'organisational culture' and 'insufficient support and motivation'. The SHARP Principles intervention is the most effective teaching strategy at increasing MVPA in primary PE when taught by school based staff (rather than outsourced coaches), evidencing increases almost double that of any previously published study internationally and demonstrating the capacity to influence educational policy and practice internationally.Published versio

New Oceania: Modernisms and Modernity in the Pacific

In the final essay (or coda) of Matthew Hayward and Maebh Long’s collection of essays New Oceania: Modernism and Modernities in the Pacific, scholar Susan Standford Friedman aptly summarises the volume as an exposure of the “prevailing metropolitan and continentalist assumptions about modernity” in the Pacific (245). Such assumptions are concerned with the so-called infancy of Pacific writing in comparison with older print and publishing traditions from the global north. In this volume, modernist, literary and Pacific studies are used to prise open this seeming binary, and to sketch understandings of modernism and modernity from Oceanian writers across the region. Excitingly, the volume offers extension to this assumed dialectic via various critical and disciplinary gazes from its contributors

A Life reviewed: George Eastman through the viewfinder

How do we look back on a time that has gone by? On a life that is over? How do we appraise and commemorate those responsible for making photography what it is today? A Life Reviewed: George Eastman through the Viewfinder addresses the legacy of George Eastman, the founder of Kodak and one of photography\u27s most significant entrepreneurs. A visionary who sought to expand the scope of photography from the wealthy to the average person, he recognized photography\u27s power in the context of many scientific advances in industry and society. A Life Reviewed serves as visual biography as well as a romantic gaze into past time. By photographing places and subjects important in Eastman\u27s life through the viewfinders of old Kodak cameras, I have created a poetic aesthetic that is neither of the present or the past. Eastman\u27s story is one of creativity, ambition, and most of all determination. I have studied Eastman\u27s life and turned these details into images that capture contemporary decay as well as the artistic retelling of a life. This series depicts many subjects, from the house in which Eastman experienced a peaceful, though short, childhood to the home he built in an attempt to recapture his own past, including relics from his own adventures, specifically trophy animals from big game safaris in Africa that, like photographs, serve as visual souvenirs. This project explores the merging of the present and the historical past by telling a story about photography that is relevant to the medium itself

Development of next-generation biopesticides as a control method for the small hive beetle Aethina tumida murray (coleoptera: nitidulidae), a serious pest of the European honey bee Apis mellifera

The small hive beetle (Aethina tumida) is a serious pest of the European honey bee (Apis mellifera), responsible for causing significant economic damage to the apiculture industry in North America and Australia. In 2014 A. tumida was detected in Italy, highlighting the potential for an outbreak within the UK. Current control measures rely on the use of organophosphate and permethrin, both are highly toxic to honeybees and continued use can give rise to resistance. Given these issues alternative control strategies are urgently required. The aims of this thesis were to explore potential for the development of next generation biopesticides, including RNA interference (RNAi) and fusion protein technology, as an alternative control method for A. tumida The sequence specificity of RNAi makes it an ideal strategy to combat this parasite of honey bees. Here we report that microinjection of low (2-10 ng) doses of V-ATPase subunit A and Laccase 2 dsRNAs resulted in 100 % mortality of A. tumida larvae. Quantitative PCR analysis confirmed that injections induced significant decreases in mRNA levels of the target genes with an enhancement of gene suppression over time providing evidence for systemic RNAi effects. Whilst oral delivery of V-ATPase subunit A dsRNA via “soaking” in dsRNA solutions resulted in 50 % mortality and malformed survivors, gene suppression could not be verified by qPCR analysis. Our results showed that dsRNAs are prone to degradation by extracellular nucleases following ingestion by feeding, but not wandering stage, larvae. We suggest that the lack of consistent RNAi effects in feeding experiments was a consequence of dsRNA degradation within the gut of A. tumida. Target specificity was confirmed by a lack of effect on survival or gene expression in honey bees injected with A. tumida dsRNAs. A. tumida show a robust response to injected dsRNA but further research is required to develop methods to induce RNAi effects via ingestion. The spider-venom peptide ω-hexatoxin-Hv1a (Hv1a) is highly potent by injection to a range of insects, but not vertebrates making it an ideal candidate for the development of bioinsecticides. Oral delivery of the toxin is largely ineffective due to failure to access its site of action in the central nervous system (CNS). Fusion protein technology allows oral delivery of Hv1a to the CNS via fusion to a “carrier” protein, snowdrop lectin Galanthus nivalis agglutinin (GNA), directing transport of the toxin across the insect gut to the circulatory system. Constructs encoding Hv1a or modified Hv1a (K>Q modification to remove potential KEX2 cleavage site) linked to the N- or C-terminus of snowdrop lectin (GNA) were used to produce recombinant GNA/Hv1a, Hv1a/GNA fusion proteins and K>Q. All four fusion proteins were toxic by injection to A. tumida. The LD50’s for GNA/Hv1a and GNA/Hv1a(K>Q) were a similar 0.44 and 0.47 µg/µl, whilst Hv1a/GNA and Hv1a(K>Q)/GNA LD50’s were slightly lower, at a respective 0.33 and 0.25 µg/µl. In contrast no effects on honeybee survival were observed when 20 fold higher doses were injected. When fed to A. tumida larvae, GNA/Hv1a was 2x more effective than Hv1a/GNA, GNA/Hv1a(K>Q) and Hv1a(K>Q)/GNA (LC50s of 0.52, 1.14, 1.18 and 0.89 mg/ml, respectively). When fed to A. tumida adults no mortality was recorded for GNA/Hv1a(K>Q) or Hv1a(K>Q)/GNA treatments. However, both Hv1a/GNA and GNA/Hv1a were toxic to adults, with similar LC50s of 2.52 and 2.02 mg/ml, respectively. Reduced efficacy of Hv1a/GNA and K>Q variants against larvae was shown to be attributable to differences in the stability of the fusion proteins in the presence of extracellular gut proteases. In laboratory assays A. tumida larval survival was significantly reduced when brood, inoculated with eggs, was treated with GNA/Hv1a. The dominant digestive protease in A. tumida larvae was identified as trypsin. Consequently, a trypsin inhibitor (Soybean Kunitz trypsin inhibitor: SKTI) was incubated together with A. tumida gut extracts and GNA/Hv1a and Hv1/GNA, with both fusion protein remaining fully intact after 24 hr. This contrasted with previous analysis that showed no intact GNA/Hv1a or Hv1a/GNA after incubation with gut extracts in the absence of the trypsin inhibitor under comparable conditions. Consequently, SKTI was evaluated as an alternative carrier protein to GNA for the delivery of Hv1a to the circulatory system of A tumida. Preliminary studies indicated transport of SKTI into the haemolymph, suggesting SKTI could be used as an alternative carrier protein. An initial construct was designed based on GNA/Hv1a, however no biological activity was observed after injection into A. tumida larvae. It was speculated that the lack of insecticidal activity was attributed to the misfolding of the toxin during expression in the yeast cells. As such two additional fusion proteins were designed incorporating either a flexible (Gly-Gly-Gly-Gly-Ser motif) or rigid linker (Proline rich motif region) to improve protein folding and function. Only inclusion of a rigid linker showed limited biological activity after injection into A. tumida larvae, again suggesting misfolding of the toxin. Both RNAi and fusion protein technology hold enormous potential for the control of A. tumida in apiculture and to our knowledge this is the first study to demonstrate the use of a protein based biopesticide and RNAi as a possible control method for A. tumida

Activity-related parenting practices : development of the parenting related to activity measure (PRAM) and links with mothers' eating psychopathology and compulsive exercise beliefs

This is a two-study paper that developed a measure to assess parenting practices related to children's physical activity and explored maternal predictors of such parenting practices. Study 1: A self-report measure of parents' activity-related practices (the Parenting Related to Activity Measure) was developed, and a principal component analysis was carried out using data from 233 mothers of 4.5- to 9-year-old children. The results supported a six-factor model and yielded the following subscales: Responsibility/monitoring; Activity regulation; Control of active behaviours; Overweight concern; Rewarding parenting; and Pressure to exercise. Study 2: Mothers (N = 170) completed the Parenting Related to Activity Measure, alongside measures of eating psychopathology and compulsive exercise, to identify predictors of activity-related parenting practices. Mothers' eating psychopathology and exercise beliefs predicted activity parenting practices with their sons and daughters, but different predictors were seen for mothers of daughters versus sons. Mothers' eating and exercise attitudes are important predictors of their activity-related parenting practices, particularly with girls. Identifying early interactions around activity/exercise could be important in preventing the development of problematic beliefs about exercise, which are often a key symptom of eating disorders. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and Eating Disorders Association

General practice referral of ‘at risk’ populations to community leisure services: Applying the RE-AIM framework to evaluate the impact of a community-based physical activity programme for inactive adults with long-term conditions

Background: In the UK a high proportion of adults with long-term conditions do not engage in regular physical activity. General practice (GP) referral to community-based physical activity is one strategy that has gained traction in recent years. However, evidence for the real-world effectiveness and translation of such programmes is limited. This study aimed to evaluate the individual and organisational impacts of the ‘CLICK into Activity’ programme - GP referral of inactive adults living with (or at risk of) long-term conditions to community-based physical activity.Methods: A mixed methods evaluation using the RE-AIM framework was conducted with data obtained from a range of sources: follow-up questionnaires, qualitative interviews, and programme-related documentation, including programme cost data. Triangulation methods were used to analyse data, with findings synthesised across each dimension of the RE-AIM framework.Results: A total of 602 individuals were referred to CLICK into Activity physical activity sessions. Of those referred, 326 individuals participated in at least one session; the programme therefore reached 30.2% of the 1,080 recruitment target. A range of individual-, social-, and environmental-level factors contributed to initial physical activity participation. Positive changes over time in physical activity and other outcomes assessed were observed among participants. Programme adoption at GP surgeries was successful, but the GP referral process was not consistently implemented across sites. Physical activity sessions were successfully implemented, with programme deliverers and group-based delivery identified as having an influential effect on programme outcomes. Changes to physical activity session content were made in response to participant feedback. CLICK into Activity cost £175,000 over three years, with an average cost per person attending at least one programme session of £535.Conclusions: Despite not reaching its recruitment target, CLICK into Activity was successfully adopted. Positive outcomes were associated with participation, although low 6- and 12-month follow-up response rates limit understanding of longer-term programme effects. Contextual and individual factors, which may facilitate successful implementation with the target population, were identified. Findings highlight strategies to be explored in future development and implementation of GP referral to community-based physical activity programmes targeting inactive adults living with (or at risk of) long-term conditions

Morbidity after surgical management of cervical cancer in low and middle income countries: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Objective: To investigate morbidity for patients after the primary surgical management of cervical cancer in low and middle-income countries (LMIC). Methods: The Pubmed, Cochrane, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Embase, LILACS and CINAHL were searched for published studies from 1st Jan 2000 to 30th June 2017 reporting outcomes of surgical management of cervical cancer in LMIC. Randomeffects meta-analytical models were used to calculate pooled estimates of surgical complications including blood transfusions, ureteric, bladder, bowel, vascular and nerve injury, fistulae and thromboembolic events. Secondary outcomes included five-year progression free (PFS) and overall survival (OS). Findings: Data were available for 46 studies, including 10,847 patients from 11 middle income countries. Pooled estimates were: blood transfusion 29% (95%CI 0.19–0.41, P = 0.00, I 2 = 97.81), nerve injury 1% (95%CI 0.00–0.03, I 2 77.80, P = 0.00), bowel injury, 0.5% (95%CI 0.01–0.01, I 2 = 0.00, P = 0.77), bladder injury 1% (95%CI 0.01–0.02, P = 0.10, I 2 = 32.2), ureteric injury 1% (95%CI 0.01–0.01, I 2 0.00, P = 0.64), vascular injury 2% (95% CI 0.01– 0.03, I 2 60.22, P = 0.00), fistula 2% (95%CI 0.01–0.03, I 2 = 77.32, P = 0.00,), pulmonary embolism 0.4% (95%CI 0.00–0.01, I 2 26.69, P = 0.25), and infection 8% (95%CI 0.04–0.12, 2 95.72, P = 0.00). 5-year PFS was 83% for laparotomy, 84% for laparoscopy and OS was 85% for laparotomy cases and 80% for laparoscopy. Conclusion: This is the first systematic review and meta-analysis of surgical morbidity in cervical cancer in LMIC, which highlights the limitations of the current data and provides a benchmark for future health services research and policy implementation

Making BEASTies: dynamical formation of planetary systems around massive stars

Exoplanets display incredible diversity, from planetary system architectures around Sun-like stars that are very different to our Solar System, to planets orbiting post-main sequence stars or stellar remnants. Recently the B-star Exoplanet Abundance STudy (BEAST) reported the discovery of at least two super-Jovian planets orbiting massive stars in the Sco Cen OB association. Whilst such massive stars do have Keplerian discs, it is hard to envisage gas giant planets being able to form in such hostile environments. We use N-body simulations of star-forming regions to show that these systems can instead form from the capture of a free-floating planet, or the direct theft of a planet from one star to another, more massive star. We find that this occurs on average once in the first 10Myr of an association's evolution, and that the semimajor axes of the hitherto confirmed BEAST planets (290 and 556au) are more consistent with capture than theft. Our results lend further credence to the notion that planets on more distant (>100au) orbits may not be orbiting their parent star.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures, published in MNRAS Letter

The stability and continuity of maternally reported and observed child eating behaviours and feeding practices across early childhood

Given that many eating behaviours and food preferences develop early in childhood and track across childhood, adolescence and into adulthood, interest has grown in the developmental trajectory of these behaviours. The aims of this study were twofold. First, to explore whether maternal reports of child eating behaviour and feeding practices are validated by independent observations of these constructs. Second, to explore the continuity and stability of both maternally reported and independently observed child eating behaviours and maternal feeding practices during early childhood. Sixty-five mothers completed measures of their child’s eating behaviour and their own feeding practices and mother–child dyads were observed during a family mealtime at approximately 3 and 4 years of age. Maternal reports of their child’s eating behaviours were validated by independent observations, however maternally reported feeding practices were not validated by observations of these behaviours. Maternally reported and independently observed child eating behaviours and parental feeding practices remained stable and showed continuity between 3 and 4 years of age, with the exception of child difficulty to feed and maternal pressure to eat which both significantly decreased over time. Findings provide an insight into the validity of maternal reports of fussy eating behaviour and parental feeding practices and the developmental trajectory of these behaviours across early childhood

Facts4Life: Phase II evaluation of the school-based resource. Final evaluation report

In April 2015 members of UWE's Centre for Public Health and Wellbeing were commissioned to undertake an evaluation of a school-based intervention, known as ‘Facts4Life'. The broad aim of the evaluation was to better understand the impact of Facts4Life on Gloucestershire-based pupils and their teachers, and to determine the costs associated with Facts4Life implementation in a school setting. This final evaluation report presents the findings from the research