Written Evidence for the Scottish Parliament's Education and Culture Committee : Children and Young People (Scotland) Bill

CELCIS is the Centre for Excellence for Looked after Children in Scotland based at the University of Strathclyde. We welcome the opportunity to respond to this Call for written evidence and this response focuses primarily on those sections which most relate to looked after children

Living with diabetes in the workplace

Despite the high prevalence of diabetes in the population, little research has been conducted into the experiences in the workplace of people living with the condition. The evidence that does exist suggests that diabetes can have a negative impact on individuals, in terms of managing their condition optimally and on productivity. By interviewing a small cohort of employees, managers and other stakeholders, this study set out to explore the challenges experienced in the workplace by adults living with diabetes, and employers’ knowledge of the condition. Ways that the experience of living with diabetes in the workplace can be improved are explored and suggestions for advancing the diabetes literacy of everyone in the workforce are made.peer-reviewe

Kelvin-Helmholtz multi-spacecraft studies at the Earth's magnetopause boundaries

Copyright © 2010 American Institute of Physics. This article may be downloaded for personal use only. Any other use requires prior permission of the author and the American Institute of Physics.The following article appeared in AIP Conference Proceedings Volume 1216, pp. 483-486, and may be found at http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.3395908Twelfth International Solar Wind Conference, Saint‐Malo, France, 21–26 June 2009The Kelvin‐Helmholtz (KH) instability can operate in various situations in the solar wind, but at the boundaries of planetary obstacles, for example the Earth’s magnetopause, it is most amenable to investigation. Reliable estimates of wave characteristics are essential for comparison with theoretical and numerical models and for understanding the nonlinear development of KH waves and their role in the plasma entry into the magnetosphere. After discussing their typical conditions of appearance in KH unstable domains at the magnetopause, both theoretically and observationally, we outline recent results of multi‐spacecraft analysis with Cluster giving accurate, albeit spatially limited, determination of surface wave characteristics. Those characteristics (wavelength and propagation direction), close to the terminator on the nightside, are likely to be prescribed by the 3‐D geometry and the bending of field lines developed by the KH waves, rather than by the magnitude and the direction of the magnetosheath or background flow. An unprecedented number of satellites provides now the opportunity to extend the analysis of source regions of KH waves and their domains of development

Investigative study on the angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibiting properties of the terpenoid extract of Crataegus monogyna using in silico models

Crataegus monogyna is mainly used in the treatment of cardiac and circulatory system disorders. In vitro and clinical studies are indicative of the fact that the hydroethanolic extract of C. monogyna has angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory activity. This study sought to support these claims through the use of in silico modelling techniques. Possible binding conformations for β-amyrin, oleanolic acid and ursolic acid were generated using captopril, as well as enalaprilat and lisinopril, as template ligands. The ligand binding affinity (LBA) of each was calculated and the best binding conformation of each triterpene was established. Results indicate that these naturally occuring terpenes possess in silico predicted ligand binding affinities that are superior to both the small molecule captopril and the larger molecules enalaprilat and lisinopril.peer-reviewe

Evolution of Kelvin-Helmholtz activity on the dusk flank magnetopause

Copyright © 2008 American Geophysical Union (AGU)Our purpose is to characterize the evolution of the magnetopause Kelvin-Helmholtz (KH) wave activity with changes in thickness of the adjacent boundary layer, geomagnetic latitude and interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) orientation. As the IMF turns northward, wave activity may be generated at the dayside before propagating down the tail, where the boundary layer is expected to support longer wavelengths. We use two-point observations on the dusk magnetopause at low latitudes, from Geotail on the dayside and Cluster tailward of the dusk terminator. We quantify the wavelength, power, wavefront steepness and propagation direction at Cluster. An estimate of the thickness of the low-latitude boundary layer (LLBL) is obtained by correlating normal distances to the magnetopause, derived from two empirical solar-wind-driven models, with a systematic relationship (the “transition parameter”) found between the electron number density and temperature; the correlation factor is used to infer the temporal evolution of the thickness of the locally sampled layer. We find that wavelengths are controlled by the IMF clock angle, as expected when generated by the KH mechanism at the dayside, although amplitudes, wavefront steepness and propagation directions are more closely correlated with the layer thickness. A survey of parameter space provides evidence of the contribution of the KH mechanism to the widening of the electron LLBL

Charting the endometrial cancer care pathway : a baseline audit

Introduction: Longer waiting times from diagnosis to surgical resection have been found to negatively impact the overall survival and quality of life of women with endometrial cancer. The Cancer Care Pathway Directorate adopted the UK National Waiting Times Monitoring Dataset Guidance, to improve the timeliness of services along the cancer care pathway. From this, three key targets were identified: 1) Maximum 14-day wait from urgent GP referral for suspected cancer to first outpatient attendance (operational standard of 93%), 2) Maximum 31-day wait from decision to treat to first definitive treatment (operational standard of 96%), and 3) Maximum 62-day wait from urgent GP referral for suspected cancer to first treatment (operational standard of 85%). The aim of this baseline audit was to chart the time-frames of the various stages in the endometrial cancer pathway of patients diagnosed with this disease between 2015 and 2016 to assess for and identify delays in referral, investigation and care. -- Methods: A tool was developed following consultation with key stakeholders. Data protection clearance was obtained. Patient medical and oncology files, hospital databases, and MDT documentation for confirmed endometrial cancer cases were reviewed between September 2017 – March 2018. -- Results: A total of 101 endometrial cancer cases were included in the audit. The proportion of cases which met the 14-day, 31-day and 62-day wait KPIs operational standards were 39.1%, 81.2% and 17.2% respectively. -- Conclusion: The endometrial cancer care pathway timeframes did not meet the KPIs operational standards. Fast-track coordinators and nurse navigators could improve continuity and coordination of patient care.peer-reviewe

"The university didn\u27t actually tell us this is what you have to do": Social inclusion through embedding of academic skills in first year professional courses

This paper presents findings from a mixed methods project investigating first year social work students\u27 perceived role in academic skills and thier development.  Students expressed the perception that academic skill requirements and how they would be assessed should be made explicit, and idenfied a stigma associated with accessing study support services.  The aper concluses that an intentional design strategy, such as embedding academic skills into the curriculum, helps bridge the different expectations between academics and students and hence constitutes a socially inclusive strategy to teaching professional courses sucha s social work, within higher education.  Recommendations to enhance the succes and sustainability of such an initiative in the current higher educacion environment are offered

Academic skills and beyond : a resource based approach to support student success in higher education

An increasingly diverse range of students are entering higher education, bringing with them a vast range of experiences, skills and pre-existing knowledge. However, approaches to increasing student participation (and therefore success) to date have focused on strategies aimed at supporting non-traditional students to &ldquo;fit in&rdquo;, rather than changing existing structures to accommodate their needs. This paper will outline a resource-based approach to student success, which capitalises on the resources and capacities existing within the student, within their performance of the student role and within the environment that surrounds their learning. This paper will report on a study and propose a resource based approach to student success. Three main sites or domains are identified as a focus of this approach &ndash; intrapersonal resources, skills resources and environmental resources. These domains interact with each other to support student success, and three potential methods for implementing a resource based approach are highlighted in the spaces where they intersect. Pedagogical design, mapping and matching, and learning support all have a role in enabling both students and universities to make the most of their existing resources and develop new ones.<br /

Texture development during annealing in a low-carbon formable steel containing impurities from increased scrap use

Impurities (Cu, Sn, Cr, and Ni) have been added to a low-carbon formable strip steel to simulate the scenario of increased use of scrap during steel production. Texture evolution during annealing of the cold-rolled base steel and impurity-added steel have been investigated. The impurities were shown to suppress the development of the γ-fiber texture. Meanwhile, a higher fraction of random orientations was developed in the impurity-added steel. However, the adverse effect of impurities on the γ-fiber was mitigated during annealing at higher temperatures (650 °C to 750 °C). The correlation between texture development and microstructure heterogeneity, and the effect of impurity additions on texture development are discussed. This work provides guidelines on recycling scrap for the production of low-carbon formable steels

A multidimensional framework for embedded academic skill development : transition pedagogy in social work

As a consequence of the widening participation agenda, student cohorts in Australian higher education are becoming increasingly diverse. While diversity is often characterised by a focus on culture or ethnicity, this variability also independently exists in regard to competence in academic skills (Dillon, 2007). Successfully developing discipline-specific academic skills is crucial to a student&rsquo;s learning, progress and attainment in higher education. The growing recognition that students are entering Australian universities with varying levels of academic preparedness as a result of the widening participation agenda has made effective academic skill support even more important, since &lsquo;access without a reasonable chance of success is an empty promise&rsquo; (International Associations of Universities, 2008, p. 1)