The construction and validation of an institutional work based learning programme.

This chapter explores why the Middlesex University approved the programme

Identification of behaviour change techniques and engagement strategies to design a smartphone app to reduce alcohol consumption using a formal consensus method

Background: Digital interventions to reduce excessive alcohol consumption have the potential to have a broader reach and be more cost-effective than traditional brief interventions. However, there is not yet a strong evidence base on their ability to engage users or on their effectiveness. Objective: This study aimed to identify the behaviour change techniques (BCTs) and engagement strategies most worthy of further study by inclusion in a smartphone application (app) to reduce alcohol consumption, using formal expert consensus methods. Methods: The first phase of the study consisted of a Delphi exercise with three rounds. It was conducted with seven international experts in the field of alcohol and/or behaviour change. In the first round, experts identified BCTs most likely to be effective at reducing alcohol consumption and strategies most likely to engage users with an app; these were rated in the second round; and those rated as effective by at least four out of seven participants were ranked in the third round. The rankings were analysed using Kendall’s W coefficient of concordance, which indicates consensus between participants. The second phase consisted of a new, independent group of experts (n=43) ranking the BCTs that were identified in the first phase. The correlation between the rankings of the two groups was assessed using Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient. Results: Twelve BCTs were identified as likely to be effective. There was moderate agreement among the experts over their ranking (W=.465, χ2(11)=35.77, P<.001) and the BCTs receiving the highest mean rankings were self-monitoring, goal-setting, action planning, and feedback in relation to goals. There was a significant correlation between the ranking of the BCTs by the group of experts who identified them and a second independent group of experts (Spearman’s rho=.690, P=.01). Seventeen responses were generated for strategies likely to engage users. There was moderate agreement among experts on the ranking of these engagement strategies (W=.563, χ2(15)=59.16, P<.001) and those with the highest mean rankings were ease of use, design – aesthetic, feedback, function, design – ability to change design to suit own preferences, tailored information, and unique smartphone features. Conclusions: The BCTs with greatest potential to include in a smartphone app to reduce alcohol consumption were judged by experts to be self-monitoring, goal-setting, action planning, and feedback in relation to goals. The strategies most likely to engage users were ease of use, design, tailoring of design and information, and unique smartphone features

Tunneling mechanism of light transmission through metallic films

A mechanism of light transmission through metallic films is proposed, assisted by tunnelling between resonating buried dielectric inclusions. This is illustrated by arrays of Si spheres embedded in Ag. Strong transmission peaks are observed near the Mie resonances of the spheres. The interaction among various planes of spheres and interference effects between these resonances and the surface plasmons of Ag lead to mixing and splitting of the resonances. Transmission is proved to be limited only by absorption. For small spheres, the effective dielectric constant can be tuned to values close to unity and a method is proposed to turn the resulting materials invisible.Comment: 4 papges, 5 figure

Discovery of low mass objects in Taurus

In infrared (2.2 micron, K-band) search of small regions (25 in square) near 26 members of the Taurus star-forming association has revealed 20 dim (K = 13-16 mag) stellar objects near 13 of them. Of these 20 objects, 9 are exceptionally red. It is argued that these 9 are probably also Taurus members. From the luminosities (0.4 to 4 times 10 the -3 power luminosity) and ages (estimated at 10(exp 6) years), masses can be determined by reference to theoretical low-mass cooling curves. The masses are in the range 0.005 to 0.015 solar mass, i.e., low-mass brown dwarfs. Proper motion studies of 7 of the objects visible on the POSS plates conducted by Burton Jones establish that 4 are highly probable Taurus members while 1 is a possible member

Alcohol consumption and associations with sociodemographic and health-related characteristics in Germany: a population survey

BACKGROUND: To assess the prevalence of ever-drinking and hazardous drinking among adults in Germany, and investigate the factors associated with level of alcohol consumption. METHODS: Cross-sectional population survey of a representative sample of 11,331 adults in Germany (2018 to 2019). The Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test-Consumption (AUDIT-C) was used to define ever-drinking (AUDIT-C>=1), hazardous drinking (AUDIT-C>=5) and an overall AUDIT-C (alcohol consumption) score (from 0 to 12). Regression models were used to examine sociodemographic and health-related characteristics associated with AUDIT-C score. RESULTS: The prevalence of ever-drinking and hazardous drinking was 84.7% (95% CI = 84.1–85.4) and 19.4% (95% CI = 18.6–20.1), respectively. The mean AUDIT-C score was 2.8 (SD = 2.16). AUDIT-C scores were independently positively associated with having medium (Badj = 0.12, 95% CI = 0.02–0.21) and high (Badj = 0.11, 95% CI = 0.01–0.21) educational qualifications (compared with low), monthly income (Badj = 0.31 per €1,000, 95% CI = 0.26–0.36), being a current smoker (Badj = 0.94, 95% CI = 0.86–1.02), anxiety (Badj = 0.26, 95% CI = 0.02–0.50), and living in North East (Badj = 0.43, 95% CI = 0.29–0.58), North West (Badj = 0.47, 95% CI = 0.39–0.55) and South East (Badj = 0.79, 95% CI = 0.64–0.93) Germany (compared with South West), and negatively associated with age (Badj = -0.17, 95% CI = -0.21- −0.13), being female (Badj = -1.21, 95% CI = -1.28- −1.14) and depression (Badj = -0.22, 95% CI = -0.43- −0.02). CONCLUSIONS: In a large, representative sample of adults in Germany, the majority were ever-drinkers and one fifth were hazardous drinkers. Higher alcohol consumption scores were associated with being younger, male, current smoker, of high socioeconomic position, anxiety, and not living in South West Germany, and lower scores were associated with depression. These groups may benefit from targeted alcohol reduction policies and support

High Carbon in I Zwicky 18: New Results from Hubble Space Telescope Spectroscopy

We present new measurements of the gas-phase C/O abundance ratio in both the NW and SE components of the extremely metal-poor dwarf irregular galaxy I Zw 18, based on ultraviolet spectroscopy of the two H II regions using the Faint Object Spectrograph on the Hubble Space Telescope. We determine values of log C/O = -0.63 +/- 0.10 for the NW component and log C/O = -0.56 +/- 0.09 for the SE component. In comparison, log C/O = -0.37 in the sun, while log C/O = -0.85 +/- 0.07 in the three most metal-poor irregular galaxies measured by Garnett et al. (1995a). Our measurements show that C/O in I Zw 18 is significantly higher than in other comparably metal-poor irregular galaxies, and above predictions for the expected C/O from massive star nucleosynthesis. These results suggest that carbon in I Zw 18 has been enhanced by an earlier population of lower-mass carbon producing stars; this idea is supported by stellar photometry of I Zw 18 and its companion, which demonstrate that the current bursts of massive stars were not the first. Despite its very low metallicity, it is likely that I Zw 18 is not a ``primeval'' galaxy.Comment: 14 pages including 4 figures; uses aaspp4.sty. Accepted for publication in ApJ. Postscript version also available by e-mail request to author at [email protected]

The development of Drink Less: an alcohol reduction smartphone app for excessive drinkers

Excessive alcohol consumption poses a serious problem for public health. Digital behavior change interventions have the potential to help users reduce their drinking. In accordance with Open Science principles, this paper describes the development of a smartphone app to help individuals who drink excessively to reduce their alcohol consumption. Following the UK Medical Research Council’s guidance and the Multiphase Optimization Strategy, development consisted of two phases: (i) selection of intervention components and (ii) design and development work to implement the chosen components into modules to be evaluated further for inclusion in the app. Phase 1 involved a scoping literature review, expert consensus study and content analysis of existing alcohol apps. Findings were integrated within a broad model of behavior change (Capability, Opportunity, Motivation-Behavior). Phase 2 involved a highly iterative process and used the “Person-Based” approach to promote engagement. From Phase 1, five intervention components were selected: (i) Normative Feedback, (ii) Cognitive Bias Re-training, (iii) Self-monitoring and Feedback, (iv) Action Planning, and (v) Identity Change. Phase 2 indicated that each of these components presented different challenges for implementation as app modules; all required multiple iterations and design changes to arrive at versions that would be suitable for inclusion in a subsequent evaluation study. The development of the Drink Less app involved a thorough process of component identification with a scoping literature review, expert consensus, and review of other apps. Translation of the components into app modules required a highly iterative process involving user testing and design modification

Estimating effectiveness of components of a smartphone app – Drink Less – to reduce excessive alcohol consumption

Background: Smartphone apps have the potential to help drinkers reduce hazardous and harmful alcohol consumption. However, there have been few evaluations of the effectiveness of these apps and none to our knowledge that estimates the effects of individual intervention components. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of intervention components of an alcohol reduction app, Drink Less. Materials and Methods: Drink Less is a freely available app to any individual in the UK making an attempt to reduce their drinking. The app was structured around goal setting with information on the UK drinking guidelines, units and alcohol-related harms. The app offered access to five additional intervention modules – Normative Feedback, Cognitive Bias Re-training, Self-monitoring and Feedback, Action Planning and Identity Change – to help them achieve their goal. Excessive drinkers (AUDIT >=8) who were aged 18+ were orthogonally randomised to receive ‘enhanced’ or ‘minimal’ versions of each of the five modules (to a total of 25 experimental conditions). The primary outcome measure was change in past week consumption at one-month follow-up. Secondary measures were change in AUDIT score, usage data and usability ratings. A factorial between-subjects ANOVA assessed main and interactive effects of the app modules using an intention-to-treat analysis. Results: Of 672 study participants, 27% responded to follow-up. At baseline, the mean past week consumption was 39.9 units (SD=27.34) and mean AUDIT score was 19.1 (SD=6.56). There were no significant main effects of the intervention modules on either measure. There were two-way interactions between enhanced Self-monitoring and Feedback and Action Planning on AUDIT score (F=5.818, p=0.016) and between enhanced Normative Feedback and Cognitive Bias Re-training on past week consumption (F=4.676, p=0.031). Enhanced Self-monitoring and Feedback was used more often and rated more positively for helpfulness, satisfaction and recommendation than the minimal version. Conclusions: Individual enhanced modules were not more effective compared with their minimal condition. The combinations of Self-monitoring and Feedback with Action Planning, and Normative Feedback with Cognitive Bias Re-training resulted in significant reductions in alcohol-related outcomes when both modules were enhanced. Users rated the Self-monitoring and Feedback module significantly more positively when it was enhanced