Extending the concept of research impact literacy: levels of literacy, institutional role and ethical considerations

Building on the concept of ‘impact literacy’ established in a previous paper from Bayley and Phipps, here we extend the principles of impact literacy in light of further insights into sector practice. More specifically, we focus on three additions needed in response to the sector-wide growth of impact: (1) differential levels of impact literacy; (2) institutional impact literacy and environment for impact; and (3) issues of ethics and values in research impact. This paper invites the sector to consider the relevance of all dimensions in establishing, maintaining and strengthening impact within the research landscape. We explore implications for individual professional development, institutional capacity building and ethical collaboration to maximise societal benefit

A transdiagnostic dimensional approach towards a neuropsychological assessment for addiction: an international Delphi consensus study.

BACKGROUND: The US National Institutes of Mental Health Research Domain Criteria (RDoC) seek to stimulate research into biologically validated neuropsychological dimensions across mental illness symptoms and diagnoses. The RDoC framework comprises 39 functional constructs designed to be revised and refined, with the overall goal of improving diagnostic validity and treatments. This study aimed to reach a consensus among experts in the addiction field on the 'primary' RDoC constructs most relevant to substance and behavioural addictions. METHODS: Forty-four addiction experts were recruited from Australia, Asia, Europe and the Americas. The Delphi technique was used to determine a consensus as to the degree of importance of each construct in understanding the essential dimensions underpinning addictive behaviours. Expert opinions were canvassed online over three rounds (97% completion rate), with each consecutive round offering feedback for experts to review their opinions. RESULTS: Seven constructs were endorsed by ≥ 80% of experts as 'primary' to the understanding of addictive behaviour: five from the Positive Valence System (reward valuation, expectancy, action selection, reward learning, habit); one from the Cognitive Control System (response selection/inhibition); and one expert-initiated construct (compulsivity). These constructs were rated to be related differentially to stages of the addiction cycle, with some linked more closely to addiction onset and others more to chronicity. Experts agreed that these neuropsychological dimensions apply across a range of addictions. CONCLUSIONS: The study offers a novel and neuropsychologically informed theoretical framework, as well as a cogent step forward to test transdiagnostic concepts in addiction research, with direct implications for assessment, diagnosis, staging of disorder, and treatment.Medical research Council Leverhulme Trus

Nitrogen migration in crop rotations differing in fertilisation

Inappropriate use of nitrogen fertilisers is becoming a global problem; however, continuous fertilisation with N fertiliser ensures large and constant harvests. To evaluate the relationships of differently fertilised cultivated plant rotation with N metabolism in the agroecosystem the research was conducted between 2006 and 2013 at Lipliūnai, Lithuania, in fields with calcareous gley brown soil, i.e. Endocalcari Endohypogleyic Cambisol (CMg-n-w-can). The research area covered three drained plots where crop rotation of differently fertilised cereals and perennial grasses were applied. The greatest productivity was found in a higher fertilisation (TII, 843 kg N/ha) cereals crop rotation. With less fertilisation (TI, 540 kg N/ha) crop rotation productivity of cereals and perennial grasses (TIII, 218 kg N/ha) was 11-35% lower. The highest amount of mineral soil N (average 76 kg/ha) was found in TI. It was influenced by fertilisation (r=0.71) and crop productivity (r=0.39). TIII tended to reduce Nmin (12.1 mg/L) and Ntotal (12.8 mg/L) concentrations in drainage water and leaching of these elements (7 and 8 kg/ha). Nmin and Ntotal concentrations in the water depended on crop productivity respectively (r=0.48; r=0.36), quantity of mineral soil N (r=0.65; r=0.59), fertilisation (r=0.59; r=0.52), and N balance (r=0.26; r=0.35). Cereal crop rotation increased N leaching by 12-42%. The use of all crop rotations resulted in a negative N balance. Nitrogen balance depended on fertilisation with N fertiliser (r=0.55). The application of perennial grasses crop rotation in agricultural fields was the best environmental tool, reducing N migration to drainage

Drainage runoff and migration of mineral elements in organic and conventional cropping systems

In the present investigation, organic and intensive cropping systems were compared on small autonomous drainage plots in limed Luvisoils and Cambisoils as well as non-acid Cambisoils during the period 1995–1998. In the intensive cropping system with balanced nutrient application, the yield of all crops was 38–77% higher than in the organic cropping system. Cropping intensity had no influence on mineral concentration in drainage water, which depended on geochemical soil media. The concentrations of Cl$^-$ and NO$_3^-$ in drainage water were, respectively, 8–22 and 24–80% higher than in the organic system. But at low N application, improvement of fertilisation efficiency increased crop yield and decreased nitrate leaching at the same time. The leached amount of solutes depended mainly upon drainage runoff, which was 6–57% lower in the intensive cropping system than in the organic one, and much less upon its concentration. From this study, organic agriculture has no essential advantage compared with intensive agriculture, considering the amount of leached elements and compounds, and secondarily, crop productivity.Drainage, ruissellement et migration des éléments minéraux dans les systèmes de culture conventionnel et biologique. La comparaison de systèmes de cultures intensif et biologique a été conduite de 1995 à 1998 sur des petites parcelles de drainage autonomes avec des Luvisols et Cambisols chaulés ainsi que des Cambisols non acides. Avec l'agriculture intensive et une application équilibrée de fertilisants, le rendement a été de 38 à 77 % plus élevé qu'avec l'agriculture biologique. L'intensification de l'agriculture n'a pas eu d'effet sur la concentration en éléments minéraux des eaux de drainage qui dépendait surtout de la composition géochimique du sol. Les concentrations en Cl$^-$ et NO$_3^-$ dans l'eau de drainage des parcelles en culture traditionnelle étaient respectivement 8–22 et 24–80 % plus élevées que pour les parcelles en culture biologique. Mais avec l'application de faibles doses d'azote, l'amélioration de l'efficience de la fertilisation a permis d'augmenter le rendement des cultures et de diminuer dans le même temps le lessivage des nitrates. La quantité de solutés lessivés a dépendu surtout du drainage et du ruissellement qui était réduit de 6 à 57 % avec l'agriculture intensive comparativement à l'agriculture biologique et beaucoup moins de la concentration en solutés. D'après cette étude, l'agriculture biologique ne présente pas d'avantage essentiel comparativement à l'agriculture intensive si l'on considère la quantité d'éléments minéraux lessivés et secondairement le rendement des cultures

Primary health care and health care reform

Primary health care (PHC) is a philosophy or approach to health care whereby health is acknowledged as a fundamental right, as well as an individual and collective responsibility. This approach requires that health care addresses the causes of poor health, not only its symptoms. The focus is on care for the person, not simply treatment of her or his health condition. Most health care systems have been developed to respond to illness, rather than to create and support wellness. Affordable, sustainable health care appropriate to local need, ensuring social justice, equity, community participation and promoting health, is the goal of PHC. For this to be truly achieved, change in health care systems must occur

Gadamerian philosophical hermeneutics as a useful methodological framework for the Delphi technique

In this article we aim to demonstrate how Gadamerian philosophical hermeneutics may provide a sound methodological framework for researchers using the Delphi Technique (Delphi) in studies exploring health and well-being. Reporting of the use of Delphi in health and well-being research is increasing, but less attention has been given to covering its methodological underpinnings. In Delphi, a structured anonymous conversation between participants is facilitated, via an iterative survey process. Participants are specifically selected for their knowledge and experience with the topic of interest. The purpose of structuring conversation in this manner is to cultivate collective opinion and highlight areas of disagreement, using a process that minimizes the influence of group dynamics. The underlying premise is that the opinion of a collective is more useful than that of an individual. In designing our study into health literacy, Delphi aligned well with our research focus and would enable us to capture collective views. However, we were interested in the methodology that would inform our study. As researchers, we believe that methodology provides the framework and principles for a study and is integral to research integrity. In assessing the suitability of Delphi for our research purpose, we found little information about underpinning methodology. The absence of a universally recognized or consistent methodology associated with Delphi was highlighted through a scoping review we undertook to assist us in our methodological thinking. This led us to consider alternative methodologies, which might be congruent with the key principles of Delphi. We identified Gadamerian philosophical hermeneutics as a methodology that could provide a supportive framework and principles. We suggest that this methodology may be useful in health and well-being studies utilizing the Delphi method

Growth Trajectories in Genetic Subtypes of Prader-Willi Syndrome

Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) is a rare disorder caused by the loss of expression of genes on the paternal copy of chromosome 15q11-13. The main molecular subtypes of PWS are the deletion of 15q11-13 and non-deletion, and differences in neurobehavioral phenotype are recognized between the subtypes. This study aimed to investigate growth trajectories in PWS and associations between PWS subtype (deletion vs. non-deletion) and height, weight and body mass index (BMI). Growth data were available for 125 individuals with PWS (63 males, 62 females), of which 72 (57.6%) had the deletion subtype. There was a median of 28 observations per individual (range 2-85), producing 3565 data points distributed from birth to 18 years of age. Linear mixed models with cubic splines, subject-specific random effects and an autoregressive correlation structure were used to model the longitudinal growth data whilst accounting for the nature of repeated measures. Height was similar for males in both PWS subtypes, with non-deletion females being shorter than deletion females for older ages. Weight and BMI were estimated to be higher in the deletion subtype compared to the non-deletion subtype, with the size of difference increasing with advancing age for weight. These results suggest that individuals with deletion PWS are more prone to obesity