Embedding colloidal nanoparticles inside mesoporous silica using gas expanded liquids for high loading recyclable catalysts

The ability to tune the structural and chemical properties of colloidal nanoparticles (NPs), make them highly advantageous for studying activity and selectivity dependent catalytic behaviour. Incorporating pre-synthesized colloidal NPs into porous supports materials remains a challenge due to poor wetting and pore permeability. In this report monodisperse, composition controlled AgPd alloy NPs were synthesised and embedded into SBA-15 using supercritical carbon dioxide and hexane. Supercritical fluid impregnation resulted in high metal loading without the requirement for surface pre-treatments. The catalytic activity, reaction profiles and recyclability of the alloy NPs embedded in SBA-15 and immobilised on non-porous SiO2 are evaluated. The NPs incorporated within the SBA-15 porous network showed significantly greater recyclability performance compared to non-porous SiO2

Monolayer doping of Si with improved oxidation resistance

In this article, the functionalization of planar silicon with arsenic- and phosphorus-based azides was investigated. Covalently bonded and well-ordered alkyne-terminated monolayers were prepared from a range of commercially available dialkyne precursors using a well-known thermal hydrosilylation mechanism to form an acetylene-terminated monolayer. The terminal acetylene moieties were further functionalized through the application of copper-catalyzed azide–alkyne cycloaddition (CuAAC) reactions between dopant-containing azides and the terminal acetylene groups. The introduction of dopant molecules via this method does not require harsh conditions typically employed in traditional monolayer doping approaches, enabling greater surface coverage with improved resistance toward reoxidation. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy studies showed successful dialkyne incorporation with minimal Si surface oxidation, and monitoring of the C 1s and N 1s core-level spectra showed successful azide–alkyne cycloaddition. Electrochemical capacitance–voltage measurements showed effective diffusion of the activated dopant atoms into the Si substrates

An ADAR that edits transcripts encoding ion channel subunits functions as a dimer

In this report, we establish that Drosophila ADAR (adenosine deaminase acting on RNA) forms a dimer on double-stranded (ds) RNA, a process essential for editing activity. The minimum region required for dimerization is the N-terminus and dsRNA-binding domain 1 (dsRBD1). Single point mutations within dsRBD1 abolish RNA-binding activity and dimer formation. These mutations and glycerol gradient analysis indicate that binding to dsRNA is important for dimerization. However, dimerization can be uncoupled from dsRNA-binding activity, as a deletion of the N-terminus (amino acids 1–46) yields a monomeric ADAR that retains the ability to bind dsRNA but is inactive in an editing assay, demonstrating that ADAR is only active as a dimer. Different isoforms of ADAR with different editing activities can form heterodimers and this can have a significant effect on editing in vitro as well as in vivo. We propose a model for ADAR dimerization whereby ADAR monomers first contact dsRNA; however, it is only when the second monomer binds and a dimer is formed that deamination occurs

Citizens defining citizenship : a model grounded in lived experience and its implications for research, policy and practice

Citizenship is gaining currency in health and social care internationally as a way of making sense of the lived experiences of people with major life disruptions who face exclusion, marginalisation and discrimination, but the concept is often contested, poorly defined and understood. This paper charts the development of an empirical model of citizenship within Scotland, UK. A mixed method, community based participatory research approach using 10 focus groups (n = 77), concept mapping exercises (n = 45) and statement clarity and relevant ratings (n = 242) was used to develop a model of citizenship that is grounded in the lived experience of participants, which is absent from current conceptualisations of citizenship. Multidimensional scaling and hierarchical cluster analysis revealed five core domains emerging from our work: 'building relationships', 'autonomy and acceptance', 'access to services and supports', 'shared values and social roles' and 'civic rights and responsibilities' representing the personal meanings of citizenship for participants. We argue that the value of this model is that is draws upon the personal understandings and experiences of participants who emphasised the "banal ordinariness" of its core elements. We suggest that the model makes an original contribution by clearly illustrating the practical applicability of citizenship as a concept thus enhancing existing theories of citizenship. Our model highlights the interplay between the relational and structural aspects of citizenship and acknowledging the barriers that marginalised groups face in claiming their citizenship rights. It offers a call to action for policy makers and practitioners to set goals that contribute to the social inclusion of those who have experienced major life disruptions

Understanding citizenship within a health and social care context in Scotland using community based participatory research methods

Community based participatory research (CBPR) principles were used to develop a conceptual framework of citizenship for people experiencing mental health problems and/or other life disrupting events in Scotland. This case study illustrates the use of a participatory methodology replicating an approach adopted as part of an international collaboration in understanding citizenship across diverse social and cultural contexts. Reflecting on the approach taken, we argue that it encourages the development of a model of citizenship that is entirely grounded in the perspectives and lived experiences of the participants. We consider the importance of ‘meaningfully’ engaging peer researchers throughout the research process, exploring the methodological issues, challenges and opportunities when working in partnership. The importance of adopting a reflexive approach throughout the research approach is emphasised. We consider how the need for adequate resources, preparatory work, training and research management is key to the success of a CBPR approach with peer researchers. Finally, we suggest making appropriate adaptations to any research methodology when working with diverse populations, particularly the ‘seldom heard’ groups within society, in order to inform health and social policy and practice

What's citizenship got to do with mental health? Rationale for inclusion of citizenship as part of a mental health strategy

Purpose: People with lived experience of mental health problems (MHPs) are often marginalised and have difficulty achieving community inclusion. Citizenship, a relatively novel concept in mental health, provides a means of understanding what is necessary for marginalised individuals and groups to gain a sense of belonging within their communities. By exploring the “what, why, how and who” of citizenship, the purpose of this paper is to provide a rationale for the inclusion of citizenship as part of a person-centred and holistic mental health strategy. Design/methodology/approach: A community-based participatory research (CBPR) approach, with peer researchers, was adopted to develop a model of citizenship within a Scottish context. The aim of the model is to link the concept of citizenship with specific strategies that systems, agencies and individuals can use within mental health policy and practice to promote greater inclusion and participation. Concept mapping was used as part of a mixed-methods participatory methodology and data were then analysed using multivariate statistical methods of multidimensional scaling and hierarchical cluster analysis. Findings: It is argued that using a CBPR approach, utilising concept mapping, encourages the development of a model of citizenship that is entirely grounded in the perspectives and lived experiences of people with MHPs. The need for adequate resources, preparatory work, training, research management and reflexive practice are key to the success of a CBPR approach with peer researchers. Originality/value: Working with peer researchers and key stakeholder groups is central to a CBPR approach and the implementation of a model of citizenship within mental health policy and practice. Developing a model of citizenship derived specifically from the experiences of people with lived experience is likely to promote their inclusion. It provides a means of challenging the structural deficits and inequalities that cause distress and prevent people with lived experience of MHPs of recovering their citizenship

Pre-Weaned Calf Rearing on Northern Irish Dairy Farms: Part 1. A Description of Calf Management and Housing Design

Publication history: Accepted - 27 June 2021; Pubished online - 30 June 2021.Simple Summary: Calf health, welfare and performance in the first few months of life are important for the lifetime productivity of dairy cows. Therefore, all aspects of management, including nutrition, hygiene, housing and health, should be optimal to maintain productive calves. As there is little information surrounding these areas on Northern Irish dairy farms, this study investigated 66 farms with the objective of describing common trends and identifying factors which have the potential to compromise calf health, welfare and performance. A large degree of variation was seen in calf housing and other management practices across the farms. The majority of housing, in terms of building design and functionality, was identified as sub-optimal and is likely a contributing factor for selection of particular management practices. Regular monitoring of management practices such as measuring quantity of feedstuffs provided and animal live weight allows farmers to assess the effectiveness of their rearing system. However, this study highlighted a lack of appropriate monitoring and measuring in several key areas that present a risk for calf health and performance. Abstract: The first few months of life are of great importance to the longevity and lifetime performance of dairy cows. The nutrition, environment and healthcare management of heifer calves must be sufficient to minimise exposure to stress and disease and enable them to perform to their genetic potential. Lack of reporting of farm management practices in Northern Ireland (NI) makes it difficult to understand where issues impacting health, welfare and performance may occur in the rearing process. The objective of this study was to investigate housing design and management practices of calves on 66 dairy farms across NI over a 3-month period and also identify areas that may cause high risk of poor health and performance in dairy calves. An initial survey was used to detail housing and management practices, with two subsequent visits to each farm used to collect animal and housing-based measurements linked to hygiene management, animal health and performance. Large variations in key elements such as weaning criteria and method, calf grouping method used, nutritional feed plane, and routine hygiene management were identified. The specification of housing, in particular ventilation and stocking density, was highlighted as a potential limiting factor for calf health and performance. Lack of measurement of nutritional inputs, hygiene management practices and calf performance was observed. This poses a risk to farmers’ ability to ensure the effectiveness of key management strategies and recognise poor calf performance and healthThis research was funded by Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) project 17 1 03 with co-funding by Agrisearch

Developing and establishing the psychometric properties of the Strathclyde Citizenship Measure : a new measure for health and social care practice and research

There has been increasing interest and research attention towards citizenship-based practices and care within health and social care settings. A framework for implementing citizenship-based interventions has helped support the participation in society of persons who have experienced major life disruptions. Yet, having ways to measure the impact of citizenship 'in action' within specific socio-cultural contexts has proved challenging. We report on the development of the Strathclyde Citizenship Measure (SCM) which seeks to establish a psychometrically sound measure of citizenship that is relevant to the Scottish context. We outline the three phases of developing the SCM: (1) item generation, (2) item reduction and piloting, and (3) measure validation. Having generated items for the SCM using concept mapping techniques, we piloted it with 407 participants who completed an online survey of a 60-item version of the SCM. The aims were to assess the validity of the items and reduce the number of items using principal components analysis for the final measure. This resulted in a 39 item SCM. We then sought to establish the psychometric properties of this shorter version of the SCM through testing its reliability, convergent, concurrent and discriminant validity. The 39 item SCM was administered online to 280 Scottish residents along with additional measures including the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale (WEMWBS), the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS21), the Sense of Belonging Instrument (SOBI-A); the Big Five Personality Inventory (Shortened Version; BFI-10) and the Personal Social Capital Scale (PSCS-16). The factor structure and dimensionality of the SCM was examined using exploratory factor analysis and it was found to be reliable and valid. This paper explores the potential for the application of the SCM across health and social care settings and identifies future work to develop citizenship tools to facilitate dialogues about citizenship across health and social care practice settings

Amnesia for violent crime among young offenders

Amnesia for the perpetration of violent offences is an important issue in medico-legal proceedings. Previous studies of amnesia have mainly relied on selected groups of unconvicted offenders, which raises the question of how reliable the findings are. The purpose of this study was to examine the prevalence and phenomenological qualities of amnesia in violent offenders. In semi-structured interviews with 105 young offenders convicted of serious violence, 20 (19%) reported partial amnesia for their offence and only one (1%) reported complete amnesia. Amnesia was associated with high alcohol intake, emotional ties to the victim, and cognitive processing during the assault. Complete amnesia for violent crime appears to be less frequent than suggested by previous reports using unconvicted samples. The findings have implications for the clinical assessment of claimed amnesia for violent crime and are potentially of medico-legal significance

Conceptualising a model to guide nursing and midwifery in the community guided by an evidence review

Background: Successful models of nursing and midwifery in the community delivering healthcare throughout the lifespan and across a health and illness continuum are limited, yet necessary to guide global health services. Primary and community health services are the typical points of access for most people and the location where most care is delivered. The scope of primary healthcare is complex and multifaceted and therefore requires a practice framework with sound conceptual and theoretical underpinnings. The aim of this paper is to present a conceptual model informed by a scoping evidence review of the literature. Methods: A scoping evidence review of the literature was conducted using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) statement. Databases included CINAHL, MEDLINE, PsycINFO and SocINDEX using the EBSCO platform and the Cochrane Library using the keywords: model, nursing, midwifery, community, primary care. Grey literature for selected countries was searched using the Google ‘advanced’ search interface. Data extraction and quality appraisal for both empirical and grey literature were conducted independently by two reviewers. From 127 empirical and 24 non-empirical papers, data extraction parameters, in addition to the usual methodological features, included: the nature of nursing and midwifery; the population group; interventions and main outcomes; components of effective nursing and midwifery outcomes. Results: The evidence was categorised into six broad areas and subsequently synthesised into four themes. These were not mutually exclusive: (1) Integrated and Collaborative Care; (2) Organisation and Delivery of Nursing and Midwifery Care in the Community; (3) Adjuncts to Nursing Care and (4) Overarching Conceptual Model. It is the latter theme that is the focus of this paper. In essence, the model depicts a person/client on a lifespan and preventative-curative trajectory. The health related needs of the client, commensurate with their point position, relative to both trajectories, determines the nurse or midwife intervention. Consequently, it is this need, that determines the discipline or speciality of the nurse or midwife with the most appropriate competencies. Conclusion: Use of a conceptual model of nursing and midwifery to inform decision-making in primary/community based care ensures clinical outcomes are meaningful and more sustainable. Operationalising this model for nursing and midwifery in the community demands strong leadership and effective clinical governance