The Combined Elevation Test (CET) in Adolescent School Children: A Pilot Study

The Combined Elevation Test (CET) is a musculoskeletal screening technique (MST) that replicates the streamline position in swimming and is commonly used in various sports. Although CET is widely used, no normative data exist within an adolescent population. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to develop a large data set for the CET within an adolescent population and to evaluate the influence of various demographic and anthropometric variables. Data were collected for 416 participants aged between 8 and 18 years old. Age and arm span showed a significant correlation with CET scores (arm span rs (105) = 0.478, p = 0.000; age rs (416) = 0.238, p = 0.000). Regression analysis further quantified the influence of arm span and age on CET scores, accounting for 23.1% and 5.3% of variability respectively. These results can be used as a reference point for clinicians and coaches who are using the CET within their assessments

Chalk and Cheese: A comparison of England and Scotland’s emerging approaches to regeneration

To suggest that the Department for Communities and Local Government’s (DCLG’s) publication Regeneration to Enable Growth: What Government Is Doing in Support of Community-Led Regeneration, issued in early 2011, was a disappointment to many is something of an understatement. Consequently, the House of Commons Communities and Local Government (CLG) Select Committee’s verdict on the Coalition Government’s regeneration strategy for England was keenly awaited by commentators and practitioners alike. Regeneration, the CLG Select Committee’s report published on 3 November 2011, certainly did not pull any punches, focusing in particular on the Government’s ‘different approach’ to regeneration and its likely effectiveness. This article reviews the current condition of regeneration policy in England – set against the views of the Select Committee and those submitting evidence to it and the Government’s response to its findings, and in comparison with the Scottish Government’s new regeneration strategy, set out in Achieving a Sustainable Future – and considers whether it is fit for purpose

Time for TIF? The prospects for the introduction of Tax Increment Financing in the UK from a local authority perspective

In September 2010, following an endorsement by Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg at the Liberal Democrat Party Conference, HM Treasury released a press statement confirming that TIF would be introduced in the UK.1 It stated that Treasury and local authorities would work together in order to design a framework of rules within which TIF would operate. This research investigates what this framework of rules may comprise and how it may operate in the UK. There is surprising neglect, in literature on TIF, of what local authorities think about it and its potential to facilitate regeneration projects. A survey of 200 local authorities in the UK was conducted, complemented by interviews with local authority officers in Scotland, where pilot TIF projects are already under way. The research focuses in particular on the approval process necessary to ensure viable TIF schemes are identified and progressed, how these schemes are managed and financed, and what the main risks are for local authorities. Of primary concern to LA officers is the financial viability of a project, followed by its long-term commercial viability, overall cost, value for money and impact on surrounding areas. The main risks are identified as being that: the uplift in business rates is insufficient to cover the cost of the loan; TIF does not work in areas of greatest need; private sector investment fails to materialise; and displacement is generated. The paper concludes that such risks may be mitigated by adopting a rigorous appraisal process and robust management structure, and predicts that a two-tier TIF approval process, with similarities to that employed by the Scottish TIF pilots, may emerge

Shaping more resilient and just food systems: Lessons from the COVID-19 Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted weaknesses in global food systems, as well as opening windows of opportunity for innovation and transformation. While the nature and extent of this crisis is rare, extreme climatic events will increase in magnitude and frequency, threatening similar societal impacts. It is therefore critical to identify mechanisms for developing food systems that are resilient to such impacts. We examine impacts of the crisis on UK food systems and how these further entrenched social inequalities. We present data on the experiences and actions of producers, consumers, and community organisers. The data were collected by adapting ongoing research to include surveys, interviews and online workshops focused on the pandemic. Actors’ responses to the pandemic foreshadow how enduring change to food systems can be achieved. We identify support required to enable these transformations and argue that it is vital that these opportunities are em-bedded in food justice principles which promote people-centred approaches to avoid exacerbating injustices prevalent pre-crisis. Learning from these experiences therefore provides insights for how to make food systems elsewhere more resilient and just

Mortality and pulmonary complications in patients undergoing surgery with perioperative SARS-CoV-2 infection: an international cohort study

Background: The impact of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) on postoperative recovery needs to be understood to inform clinical decision making during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. This study reports 30-day mortality and pulmonary complication rates in patients with perioperative SARS-CoV-2 infection. Methods: This international, multicentre, cohort study at 235 hospitals in 24 countries included all patients undergoing surgery who had SARS-CoV-2 infection confirmed within 7 days before or 30 days after surgery. The primary outcome measure was 30-day postoperative mortality and was assessed in all enrolled patients. The main secondary outcome measure was pulmonary complications, defined as pneumonia, acute respiratory distress syndrome, or unexpected postoperative ventilation. Findings: This analysis includes 1128 patients who had surgery between Jan 1 and March 31, 2020, of whom 835 (74·0%) had emergency surgery and 280 (24·8%) had elective surgery. SARS-CoV-2 infection was confirmed preoperatively in 294 (26·1%) patients. 30-day mortality was 23·8% (268 of 1128). Pulmonary complications occurred in 577 (51·2%) of 1128 patients; 30-day mortality in these patients was 38·0% (219 of 577), accounting for 81·7% (219 of 268) of all deaths. In adjusted analyses, 30-day mortality was associated with male sex (odds ratio 1·75 [95% CI 1·28–2·40], p\textless0·0001), age 70 years or older versus younger than 70 years (2·30 [1·65–3·22], p\textless0·0001), American Society of Anesthesiologists grades 3–5 versus grades 1–2 (2·35 [1·57–3·53], p\textless0·0001), malignant versus benign or obstetric diagnosis (1·55 [1·01–2·39], p=0·046), emergency versus elective surgery (1·67 [1·06–2·63], p=0·026), and major versus minor surgery (1·52 [1·01–2·31], p=0·047). Interpretation: Postoperative pulmonary complications occur in half of patients with perioperative SARS-CoV-2 infection and are associated with high mortality. Thresholds for surgery during the COVID-19 pandemic should be higher than during normal practice, particularly in men aged 70 years and older. Consideration should be given for postponing non-urgent procedures and promoting non-operative treatment to delay or avoid the need for surgery. Funding: National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), Association of Coloproctology of Great Britain and Ireland, Bowel and Cancer Research, Bowel Disease Research Foundation, Association of Upper Gastrointestinal Surgeons, British Association of Surgical Oncology, British Gynaecological Cancer Society, European Society of Coloproctology, NIHR Academy, Sarcoma UK, Vascular Society for Great Britain and Ireland, and Yorkshire Cancer Research

A question of disposal

The article explores the implications of Regional Development Agency land and property asset disposal for the continuity of regeneration and economic development in England