The Amateur Sky Survey Mark III Project

The Amateur Sky Survey (TASS) is a loose confederation of amateur and professional astronomers. We describe the design and construction of our Mark III system, a set of wide-field drift-scan CCD cameras which monitor the celestial equator down to thirteenth magnitude in several passbands. We explain the methods by which images are gathered, processed, and reduced into lists of stellar positions and magnitudes. Over the period October, 1996, to November, 1998, we compiled a large database of photometric measurements. One of our results is the "tenxcat" catalog, which contains measurements on the standard Johnson-Cousins system for 367,241 stars; it contains links to the light curves of these stars as well.Comment: 20 pages, including 4 figures; additional JPEG files for Figures 1, 2. Submitted to PAS

Using co-production to increase activity in acute stroke units : the CREATE mixed-methods study

Background: Stroke is the most common neurological disability in the UK. Any activity contributes to recovery, but stroke patients can be inactive for > 60% of their waking hours. This problem remains, despite organisational changes and targeted interventions. A new approach to addressing post-stroke inactivity is needed. Experience-based co-design has successfully initiated improvements for patients and staff in other acute settings. Experience-based co-design uses observational fieldwork and filmed narratives with patients to trigger different conversations and interactions between patients and staff to improve health-care services. Objectives: To complete a rapid evidence synthesis of the efficacy and effectiveness of co-production as an approach to quality improvement in acute health-care settings; to evaluate the feasibility and impact of patients, carers and staff co-producing and implementing interventions to increase supervised and independent therapeutic patient activity in acute stroke units; and to understand the experience of participating in experience-based co-design and whether or not interventions developed and implemented in two units could transfer to two additional units using an accelerated experience-based co-design cycle. Design: A mixed-methods case comparison using interviews, observations, behavioural mapping and self-report surveys (patient-reported outcome measure/patient-reported experience measure) pre and post implementation of experience-based co-design cycles, and a process evaluation informed by normalisation process theory. Setting: The setting was two stroke units (acute and rehabilitation) in London and two in Yorkshire. Participants: In total, 130 staff, 76 stroke patients and 47 carers took part. Findings: The rapid evidence synthesis showed a lack of rigorous evaluation of co-produced interventions in acute health care, and the need for a robust critique of co-production approaches. Interviews and observations (365 hours) identified that it was feasible to co-produce and implement interventions to increase activity in priority areas including ‘space’ (environment), ‘activity’ and, to a lesser extent, ‘communication’. Patients and families reported benefits from participating in co-design and perceived that they were equal and valued members. Staff perceived that experience-based co-design provided a positive experience, was a valuable improvement approach and led to increased activity opportunities. Observations and interviews confirmed the use of new social spaces and increased activity opportunities. However, staff interactions remained largely task focused, with limited focus on enabling patient activity. Behavioural mapping indicated a mixed pattern of activity pre and post implementation of co-designed changes. Patient-reported outcome measure/patient-reported experience measure response rates were low, at 12–38%; pre- and post-experience-based co-design cohorts reported dependency, emotional and social limitations consistent with national statistics. Post-experience-based co-design patient-reported experience measure data indicated that more respondents reported that they had ‘enough things to do in their free time’. The use of experience-based co-design – full and accelerated – legitimised and supported co-production activity. Staff, patients and families played a pivotal role in intervention co-design. All participants recognised that increased activity should be embedded in everyday routines and in work on stroke units. Limitations: Communication by staff that enabled patient activity was challenging to initiate and sustain. Conclusions: It was feasible to implement experience-based co-design in stroke units. This resulted in some positive changes in unit environments and increased activity opportunities for patients. There was no discernible difference in experiences or outcomes between full and accelerated experience-based co-design. Future work should consider multiple ways to embed increased patient activity into everyday routines in stroke units

Co-designing organisational improvements and interventions to increase inpatient activity in four stroke units in England : a mixed-methods process evaluation using normalisation process theory

Objective: To explore facilitators and barriers to using Experience-based Co-design (EBCD) and accelerated EBCD (AEBCD) in the development and implementation of interventions to increase activity opportunities for inpatient stroke survivors. Design: Mixed-methods process evaluation underpinned by normalisation process theory (NPT). Setting: Four post-acute rehabilitation stroke units in England. Participants: Stroke survivors, family members, stroke unit staff, hospital managers, support staff and volunteers. Data informing our NPT analysis comprised: ethnographic observations, n= 366 hours; semi-structured interviews with 76 staff, 53 stroke survivors and 27 family members pre or post EBCD/AEBCD implementation; and observation of 43 co-design meetings involving 23 stroke survivors, 21 family carers and 54 staff Results: Former patients and families valued participation in EBCD/AEBCD perceiving they were equal partners in co-design. Staff engaged with EBCD/AEBCD, reporting it as valuable improvement approach leading to increased activity opportunities. The structured EBCD/AEBCD approach was influential in terms of progressing coherence and cognitive participation and legitimated staff involvement in the process. Researcher facilitation of EBCD/AEBCD supported cognitive participation collective action and reflexive monitoring which was important in implementing and sustaining co-design activities. Observations and interviews post EBCD/AEBCD cycles confirmed creation and use of new social spaces and increased activity opportunities in all units. Changes occurred without increased staffing or organisational resource allocation. EBCD/AEBCD facilitated engagement with wider hospital resources and local communities increasing and enhancing activity opportunities. However, outside of structured group activity many individual staff-patient interactions remained task-focused with limited focus on enabling patient activity. Conclusions: Using EBCD and AEBCD facilitated the development and implementation of environmental changes and revisions to work routines which supported increased activity opportunities in stroke units providing post-acute and rehabilitation care. Former stroke patients and carers contributed to improvements. Normalisation process theory’s generative mechanisms were instrumental in analysis and interpretation of facilitators and barriers at the individual, group and organisational levels

Exploring liminality in the co-design of rehabilitation environments: The case of one acute stroke unit

This paper describes an Experience-based Co-design (EBCD) project that aimed to increase patient activity within an acute stroke unit. We apply the concept of liminality to explore ways in which the EBCD process, a form of Participatory Action Research, may challenge social hierarchies and assumptions about practices and constraints in this care setting, thereby opening up possibilities for improving the therapeutic value of the space for patients. Through the creation of an 'anti-structure' within a medicalised and bureaucratised clinical setting, EBCD enhanced a sense of community and trust between staff and patients, generating both therapeutic and social value

Reporter

Issue Subtitle: "Stress!!

Proteomics and deep sequencing comparison of seasonally active venom glands in the platypus reveals novel venom peptides and distinct expression profiles

The platypus is a venomous monotreme. Male platypuses possess a spur on their hind legs that is connected to glands in the pelvic region. They produce venom only during the breeding season, presumably to fight off conspecifics. We have taken advantage of this unique seasonal production of venom to compare the transcriptomes of in-and out-of-season venom glands, in conjunction with proteomic analysis, to identify previously undiscovered venom genes. Comparison of the venom glands revealed distinct gene expression profiles that are consistent with changes in venom gland morphology and venom volumes in and out of the breeding season. Venom proteins were identified through shot-gun sequenced venom proteomes of three animals using RNA-seq-derived transcripts for peptide-spectral matching. 5,157 genes were expressed in the venom glands, 1,821 genes were up-regulated in the in-season gland, and 10 proteins were identified in the venom. New classes of platypusvenom proteins identified included antimicrobials, amide oxidase, serpin protease inhibitor, proteins associated with the mammalian stress response pathway, cytokines, and other immune molecules. Five putative toxins have only been identified in platypus venom: growth differentiation factor 15, nucleobindin-2, CD55, a CXC-chemokine, and corticotropin-releasing factor-binding protein. These novel venom proteins have potential biomedical and therapeutic applications and provide insights into venom evolution. Molecular & Cellular Proteomics 11: 10.1074/mcp.M112.017491, 1354-1364, 2012