“On the edge of glory and hanging on a moment of truth”: PgCAP in a rapidly changing and uncertain world

The last three years have seen rapid changes to learning, teaching and assessment in Higher Education. This paper shares our experiences of leading, teaching and reaccrediting a Postgraduate Certificate in Higher Education (PgCAP) during this time. The PgCAP, much like the staff enrolled on the course, has had to adapt, innovate, and experiment to meet the various challenges. This has included an unplanned move online, to a planned online approach, through to our current blended by design delivery method. Throughout we have sought to model best practice with the risks and rewards this brings. Our revised PgCAP was approved internally in 2022 and subsequently successfully reaccredited with Advance HE on the Professional Standards Framework (PSF). Some of this process was exciting: we felt at the forefront of changes to learning and teaching, to be charting new developments in technology and interaction which our learners could then use in their own teaching. But part of this process was also daunting, feeling we were one moment away from crashing and failing. We tried to learn from those failures and become comfortable working on the edge, with an ever-changing set of priorities and expectations (from ourselves, our learners, and our institution). Our case study: (1) reflects on the challenges, pressures and opportunities associated with PgCAP programmes to model best practice (even in times of crisis), (2) shares how our blended by design approach came about, how it works, and the feedback we have received from participants, (3) demonstrates how we refreshed our content, intended learning outcomes and assessments to map to the PSF 2023

Adaptation to the impacts of climate change in small island communities : an analysis of Scottish case studies

The IPCC have identified small islands as high-risk settings facing adverse impacts of climate change, particularly flooding and storm surge, with potentially detrimental consequences for human wellbeing and livelihoods. The Scottish Islands are peripheral locations that are physically exposed to storms and coastal flooding; the frequency and magnitude of which are likely to be exacerbated under changing climatic conditions. Key questions remain about the issues, capacity and priorities of small island communities for adapting to climate change impacts. The research seeks to review and develop theory on the scale of adaptation measures and considers: the appropriateness of top-down versus bottom-up approaches within small island contexts; the role of participatory processes and utility of scenario-based tools in island adaptation; and the effectiveness of ‘one-size-fits-all’ adaptation planning where local priorities differ significantly. Communities in South Uist (Outer Hebrides), Westray (Orkney) and Unst (Shetland) formed a multiple case study approach. Policy mapping, documentary analysis and deliberative workshops were employed to develop initial background understandings of each case study. Empirical evidence was drawn from focus groups (N=9) which explored local perspectives on issues and priorities for adaptation in the case study communities. The findings highlight that place-based issues and priorities exist within the case studies, with significant variation across all cases despite the communities being of similar population, demographic profile and island context. The research contributes to debate on one-size-fits-all adaptation planning and supports the argument that national adaptation strategies can only be effective in small islands if local issues are understood. The findings support the integration of top-down-and-bottom-up approaches as a pathway for effective adaptation in small island settings. Deeper knowledge of the interface between community-based action and strategic policy in cross-scale climate change governance processes is developed and there is scope to apply a similar approach to understand adaptation planning priorities in other small island locations."... my gratitude goes to both MASTS and ClimateXChange for funding the research. I would also like to thank MASTS Coastal Zone Forum for the provision of further grant funding that enabled field visits to the case studies." -- Acknowledgement

Postgraduate student perceptions of face-to-face and distance education in Orthodontics: a cross-sectional qualitative study

OBJECTIVE: To investigate postgraduate student perceptions of face-to-face and distance education on a three-year programme in orthodontics. DESIGN: Cross-sectional qualitative study. SETTING: UCL Eastman Dental Institute, London. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 25 current postgraduate orthodontic students in the first, second and third years of training were included in this study. METHODS: Postgraduate student perceptions were obtained by conducting online focus groups on Zoom Video Communications Inc. A focus group topic guide was developed, and a facilitator was trained to host the focus groups. There were separate focus groups for each year group, with a maximum of five participants in each group. The focus groups were audio recorded and transcribed verbatim. The transcripts were assessed by all members of the research team and analysed using a thematic content analysis, with a framework approach to identify themes and subthemes regarding perceptions of distance and face-to-face education. RESULTS: A total of 25 students participated. Six key themes were identified relating to student perceptions of face-to-face and distance education: (1) social support network; (2) technology; (3) learning experience; (4) education environment; (5) interpersonal interactions; and (6) effective teaching/learning. There were perceived benefits and drawbacks for both modes of teaching delivery. In particular, students highlighted the importance of reliable technology, peer support and accessibility of educational resources for their academic learning. Students favoured a blended approach to learning where practical skills were taught in person and some theoretical aspects taught remotely. CONCLUSION: The results aid the understanding of how educational tools and digital technology can enrich the student academic experience. The results provide important information for the future development and delivery of orthodontic postgraduate education

‘There’s no place like home’: an exploration of graduate attitudes toward place and mobility

This report presents a small-scale, mixed methods research project exploring patterns of regional graduate migration, building upon the typology proposed by Ball (2015). It seeks to better understand the reasons why new graduates might stay in the North West of England. The participants graduated from five North West universities. There is a greater representation of individuals from the Greater Manchester conurbation, and from those who stayed in the region to work. The region is undergoing transformation through policy initiatives such as the Northern Powerhouse, Greater Manchester Spatial Framework and local industrial strategies. There is a need to attract and retain a highly skilled workforce. Although London is still the top graduate recruiting region the North West is fertile ground for recruiters and job-seekers of all sectors. The results of the survey and themes from qualitative interviews suggested that, for many, staying in the region was a positive choice influenced heavily by family and friends as well as an affinity to the region itself because of culture and environment. In addition, many participants expressed hope and confidence in the opportunities available. Place emerges as not just a physical location but as representing deep connections to people, culture and identity. These conclusions challenge lazy assumptions that immobility might represent a default option or a lack of ambition. Employers, policymakers and careers services could usefully focus upon increasing the systematic and accessible profiling of regional work opportunities. However, most participants would consider moving for the ‘right job’. There was a perception amongst many participants that they ‘should’ consider working in London although some had bad experiences there, feeling isolated and anxious as well as out of pocket. Attractive international destinations also featured, often as a potential temporary relocation. Some people planned to work away in the short-term and ultimately ‘settle down’ back in the North West. For those who did want to leave the North West, frustrations with transport and infrastructure emerged as perceived barriers to developing a career. Regional universities, individually and collectively, should explore the creation of accessible labour market information about career opportunities, in order to inform graduates about options existing in the region, and whether leaving will be necessary for the career they are interested in. Additional work could also explore innovative solutions to support opportunities for short-term outward mobility. Two additional conceptual types are proposed which extend Ball’s (2015) typology (‘loyals, stayers, returners and incomers’), which we call ‘explorer’ and ‘tourist’. Narratives around these two types highlight the need to consider mobility and migration as dynamic, fluid and highly personalised. Careers and higher education professionals need to examine their own attitudes to mobility as they could unwittingly influence the brokering and discussion of opportunities. Student and graduate attitudes to mobility, the benefits and challenges and how to navigate the practical and emotional obstacles are aspects of employability which deserve more attention and need to take into account personal circumstances in order to ensure that choices are informed and proactive rather than a default option

Mixed metal nanoparticle assembly and the effect on surface enhanced raman scattering

Here we report the assembly of mixed metal nanoparticles using an oligonucleotide-templated approach. Substitution of one of the gold nanoparticle probes with an analagous silver probe to produce a hetero-metal duplex permitted surface enhanced Raman scattering of the dye label, exploiting the improved surface enhancement properties of silver nanoparticles whilst maintaining the surface chemistry benefits of gold nanoaprticle

A career in sport does not eliminate risk of cardiovascular disease; A systematic review and meta-analysis of the cardiovascular health of field-based athletes

Objectives: To determine the prevalence of cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors in current field-based athletes. Design: Meta-analysis. Methods: This review was conducted and reported in accordance with PRISMA and pre-registered with PROSPERO. Articles were retrieved via online database search engines, with no date or language restriction. Studies investigating current field-based athletes (>18years) for CVD risk factors according to the European Society of Cardiology and American Heart Association were screened. Full texts were screened using Covidence and Cochrane criteria. Eligible articles were critically appraised using the AXIS tool. Individual study estimates were assessed by random-effect meta-analyses to examine the overall effect. Results: This study was ascribed a 1b evidence level, according to the Oxford Centre for Evidence-based Medicine. 41 studies were identified, including 5,546 athletes from four sports; American football; soccer; rugby and baseball (mean ages:18-28). Despite participation in sport, increased body mass was associated with increased total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein, triglycerides, hypertension, systolic blood pressure, and decreased high-density lipoprotein. Linemen had increased prevalence of hypertension compared to non-athletes. Conflicting findings on fasting glucose were prevalent. There were inconsistencies in screening and reporting of CVD risk factors. Sport specific anthropometric demands were associated with elevated prevalence of CVD risk factors, most notably: elevated body mass; dyslipidemia; elevated systolic blood pressure and; glucose Conclusions: There are elevated levels of risk for CVD in some athletes, primarily football players. Lifestyle behaviours associated with elite athleticism, particularly football linemen potentially expose players to greater metabolic and CVD risk, which is not completely offset by sport participation

General practice pharmacists' implementation of advanced clinical assessment skills: a qualitative study of behavioural determinants.

The role of General Practice Clinical Pharmacists is becoming more clinically complex. Some are undertaking courses to develop their skillsets. The aim of this study is to explore potential behavioural determinants influencing the implementation of skills gained from Advanced Clinical Examination and Assessment courses by General Practice Clinical Pharmacists. This study used a qualitative methodology with theoretical underpinning. General Practice Clinical Pharmacists in the Scottish National Health Service, having completed an Advanced Clinical Examination and Assessment course, were invited for online dyadic (paired) interviews. Informed written consent was obtained. The interview schedule was developed using the Theoretical Domains Framework and piloted. Interviews were recorded, transcribed verbatim and analysed using a framework analysis. Ethics approval was obtained. Seven dyadic interviews were conducted. These included fourteen pharmacist participants from eight Health Boards. Three main themes were identified: 1. Factors influencing implementation of advanced clinical skills by pharmacists; 2. Social and environmental influences affecting opportunities for pharmacists in advanced clinical roles; 3. Perceptions of pharmacist professional identity for advanced practice roles. Nine sub-themes provided a depth of insight including; participants reporting courses allowed clinically autonomous practice; participants shared frustration around social and environmental factors limiting implementation opportunities; participants expressed a need for clarification of professional identify/roles within current contractual mechanisms to allow them to fully implement the skills gained. This work identified numerous behavioural determinants related to implementation of advanced clinical skills by pharmacists in general practice. Policy, and review of implementation strategies are urgently required to best utilise pharmacists with these skills

A database and API for variation, dense genotyping and resequencing data

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Advances in sequencing and genotyping technologies are leading to the widespread availability of multi-species variation data, dense genotype data and large-scale resequencing projects. The 1000 Genomes Project and similar efforts in other species are challenging the methods previously used for storage and manipulation of such data necessitating the redesign of existing genome-wide bioinformatics resources.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Ensembl has created a database and software library to support data storage, analysis and access to the existing and emerging variation data from large mammalian and vertebrate genomes. These tools scale to thousands of individual genome sequences and are integrated into the Ensembl infrastructure for genome annotation and visualisation. The database and software system is easily expanded to integrate both public and non-public data sources in the context of an Ensembl software installation and is already being used outside of the Ensembl project in a number of database and application environments.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Ensembl's powerful, flexible and open source infrastructure for the management of variation, genotyping and resequencing data is freely available at <url>http://www.ensembl.org</url>.</p

On social class, anno 2014

This article responds to the critical reception of the arguments made about social class in Savage et al. (2013). It emphasises the need to disentangle different strands of debate so as not to conflate four separate issues: (a) the value of the seven class model proposed; (b) the potential of the large web survey – the Great British Class Survey (GBCS) for future research; (c) the value of Bourdieusian perspectives for re-energising class analysis; and (d) the academic and public reception to the GBCS itself. We argue that, in order to do justice to the full potential of the GBCS, we need a concept of class which does not reduce it to a technical measure of a single variable and which recognises how multiple axes of inequality can crystallise as social classes. Whilst recognising the limitations of what we are able to claim on the basis of the GBCS, we argue that the seven classes defined in Savage et al. (2013) have sociological resonance in pointing to the need to move away from a focus on class boundaries at the middle reaches of the class structure towards an analysis of the power of elite formation

Embedding good work and employment rights in employability

Employment rights are fundamental to the notion of ‘decent’ or ‘good’ work. But to what extent do employability professionals embed these ideas in their practice? In this article, we introduce the concepts of legal and psycho-social literacy, which could empower employability professionals to 1) develop and use their knowledge of good work and employment rights 2) help their clients to evaluate and recognise good work and what this means for them, and 3) help educate employers about how to create sustainable and inclusive work for their employees