The impact of flooding on the price of residential property: A transactional analysis of the UK market

The increase in frequency and severity of flood events in the UK has highlighted the question of the impact of flooding on the value of property. Previous studies in the UK and internationally have measured a wide variety of impacts from no impact to discounts of more than 40 per cent of property price. Transactional measurements have not previously been attempted in the UK property market due to lack of available data. In order to improve the available evidence base, a variation of the repeat sales methodology has been used to measure the impact of flooding on the price of transacted residential property for 13 locations in the UK. The results reveal the impact of flood events to be highly variable and temporary and no effect of flood designation. The policy implications of these findings with regard to the perceptions and behaviours of property stakeholders are explored. © 2010 Taylor & Francis

Development of cost benefit analysis model of accident prevention on construction projects

The Health and Safety Executive estimated the annual cost to British employers and other duty holders failing to comply with health and safety requirements to be up to £18 billion. It is estimated that the construction industry contributed £2billion of these appalling statistics. To date, health and safety management is still perceived as being costly and counterproductive in the construction industry. This research investigated the net benefit of accident prevention and explored the relationship between preventative costs and these benefits, with a view to drawing attention to the economic consequences of effective/ineffective management of health and safety by contractors in the UK construction industry. The need to investigate the cost of accident prevention in relation to overall benefits of accident prevention is therefore deemed necessary. A quantitative research methodology was employed in investigating these costs and benefits within the UK construction industry. From the ratio analysis small contractors spend relatively higher proportions of their turnover in total on accident prevention than medium and large contractors, and medium contractors spend a higher proportion of their turnover in total on accident prevention than large contractors. The results also show that medium and small contractors gain relatively higher proportions of their turnover in total as benefits of accident prevention than large contractors. The benefits of accident prevention far outweigh the costs of accident prevention by a ratio approximately 3:1. The relationships between these costs and benefits were examined. The costs of accident prevention were found to be positively and significantly (P < 0.005) associated with benefits of accident prevention. These associations were modelled using simple linear regression, and from these models it can be inferred from the results that the more contractors spend on accident prevention the more they derive benefits of accident prevention, which would improve health and safety performance on construction sites. ii The developed model was subsequently validated using experts and practitioners opinion from the UK construction industry. This developed model should provide good guidance to assist contractors in developing effective and efficient health and safety management for UK construction industry.EThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceGBUnited Kingdo

The Relationship between Self-Reported Exposure to Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Promotions and Intake: Cross-Sectional Analysis of the 2017 International Food Policy Study.

Sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) consumption is independently associated with several non-communicable diseases, so policymakers are increasingly implementing measures, such as marketing regulation, to reduce intake. To help understand how such measures work, this study examined the association between SSB consumption and self-reported exposure to SSB promotions, both overall and by type of promotion, and whether these relationships vary between the UK, USA, Canada, Mexico, and Australia. Cross-sectional analysis of the online 2017 International Food Policy Study was performed (n = 15,515). Participants were grouped into 5265 (34%) non-, 5117 (33%) low-, and 5133 (33%) high-SSB consumers. Multinomial logistic regression models examined whether SSB consumption varied by exposure to total SSB promotion and by type: traditional, digital, recreational environment, and functional environment. Multiplicative interactions were included to investigate international variations. An additional unit of total self-reported SSB promotion exposure increased the likelihood of participants being low SSB consumers (relative risk ratio (RRR) = 1.08, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.06-1.10) and high SSB consumers (RRR = 1.13, 95% CI = 1.11-1.16). Only exposure to traditional and digital promotion increased the likelihood of participants being SSB consumers, though this may be explained by degree of exposure, which was not measured in this study. Some evidence illustrated international variation in these relationships

Social Competence Treatment after Traumatic Brain Injury: A Multicenter, Randomized, Controlled Trial of Interactive Group Treatment versus Non-Interactive Treatment

Objective To evaluate the effectiveness of a replicable group treatment program for improving social competence after traumatic brain injury (TBI). Design Multicenter randomized controlled trial comparing two methods of conducting a social competency skills program, an interactive group format versus a classroom lecture. Setting Community and Veteran rehabilitation centers. Participants 179 civilian, military, and veteran adults with TBI and social competence difficulties, at least 6 months post-injury. Experimental Intervention Thirteen weekly group interactive sessions (1.5 hours) with structured and facilitated group interactions to improve social competence. Alternative (Control) Intervention Thirteen traditional classroom sessions using the same curriculum with brief supplemental individual sessions but without structured group interaction. Primary Outcome Measure Profile of Pragmatic Impairment in Communication (PPIC), an objective behavioral rating of social communication impairments following TBI. Secondary Outcomes LaTrobe Communication Questionnaire (LCQ), Goal Attainment Scale (GAS), Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS), Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Checklist – (PCL-C), Brief Symptom Inventory 18 (BSI-18), Scale of Perceived Social Self Efficacy (PSSE). Results Social competence goals (GAS) were achieved and maintained for most participants regardless of treatment method. Significant improvements in the primary outcome (PPIC) and two of the secondary outcomes (LCQ and BSI) were seen immediately post-treatment and at 3 months post-treatment in the AT arm only, however these improvements were not significantly different between the GIST and AT arms. Similar trends were observed for PSSE and PCL-C. Conclusions Social competence skills improved for persons with TBI in both treatment conditions. The group interactive format was not found to be a superior method of treatment delivery in this study

The influence of procurement methods on dispute resolution mechanism choice in construction.

The success of major infrastructure projects is crucial to economic development. Clients' expectations that infrastructure projects will meet their objectives are however confronted by hackneyed construction and engineering challenges relating to cost overruns, delays, issues of quality and disputes. In dealing with major construction disputes, the focus has been on the promotion of the use of alternative resolution mechanisms. The discussions in the literature on the subject have, however, failed to align the procurement method with the parties' selection of dispute resolution mechanism in the event of disputes. The result of the failure has been cost in terms of resources and relationships. An understanding of the link between procurement methods and DRM will avoid situations where cooperating construction entities end up as adversaries mainly as a result of how disputes between them are resolved. The study reports on the preliminary phase of on-going research into the avoidence/resolution of major infrastructure project disputes. Initial findings, based on a critical review of the literature and an analysis of DRM provisions in standard forms of contract, show that: (i) The standard contracts have virtually the same provisions on dispute resolution regardless of the procurement method: arbitration, adjudication/dispute board ; (ii) whilst there is ample evidence of the impact of choice of procurement method on project success generally, the literature on the relationship between procurement methods and dispute reduction and resolution is fragmented and of limited direct relevance. What research exists on the subject is primarily confined to an examination of the relationship between procurement methods and dispute frequencies. There are, however, indications from the literature of strong connection between choice of procurement methods and DRM. The implications of the initial findings for the design of the rest of the on-going study are examined

Mortality following Traumatic Brain Injury among Individuals Unable to Follow Commands at the Time of Rehabilitation Admission: A National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research Traumatic Brain Injury Model Systems Study

Severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) has been associated with increased mortality. This study characterizes long-term mortality, life expectancy, causes of death, and risk factors for death among patients admitted within the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR) TBI Model Systems Programs (TBIMS) who lack command following at the time of admission for inpatient TBI rehabilitation. Of the 8084 persons enrolled from 1988 and 2009, 387 from 20 centers met study criteria. Individuals with moderate to severe TBI who received inpatient rehabilitation were 2.2 times more likely to die than individuals in the U.S. general population of similar age, gender, and race, with an average life expectancy (LE) reduction of 6.6 years. The subset of individuals who were unable to follow commands on admission to rehabilitation was 6.9 times more likely to die, with an average LE reduction of 12.2 years. Relative to the U.S. general population matched for age, gender, and race/ethnicity, these non–command following individuals were more than four times more likely to die of circulatory conditions, 44 times more likely to die of pneumonia, and 38 times more likely to die of aspiration pneumonia. The subset of individuals with TBI who are unable to follow commands upon admission to inpatient rehabilitation are at a significantly increased risk of death when compared with the U.S. general population and compared with all individuals with moderate to severe TBI receiving inpatient rehabilitation. Respiratory causes of death predominate, compared with the general population

The impact of flooding on the value of residential property in the UK

Flooding of residential property is a real and growing phenomenon in the UK causing short and long-term detriment of various kinds to its victims. The issue of potential decrease in value of those properties which are located on the floodplain, though much discussed in the media, has received scant attention in the UK research literature. An extensive literature survey has revealed a need for methodological innovation in the field of temporal impact of flooding and the inadequacy of the current paradigms for inclusion of insurance into flood modelling. A wide-ranging review of data sources, including discussion with industry experts, has identified the requirement to generate primary data on the availability and cost of flood insurance. A novel framework has been developed for this research. This framework is an extension of the recent research in flood modelling and incorporates ideas from the wider house price analysis literature. Data collected via a questionnaire survey of householders has been combined with secondary data on property prices and flood designation in order to attribute any loss in property value to the correct vector of underlying flood status. The output from this study makes a contribution to the understanding of the impact of flooding on house prices, allowing for better valuation advice. Empirical findings are that the understandable concerns of residential property owners at risk of flooding regarding long term loss of property value are largely unfounded. Price discounts are observed for some recently flooded areas but they are temporary Improved appreciation of the impact of claims and flood risk on the cost of insurance has also emerged. The insurance market was not found to be instrumental in reducing the price of property. The output from the study also makes a methodological contribution in extending concepts relating to the relationship between flooding, insurance and house prices. This development is anticipated to facilitate refinement and updating of the empirical findings with reduced effort in the light of future events.EThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceGBUnited Kingdo

Race/Ethnicity and Retention in Traumatic Brain Injury Outcomes Research: A Traumatic Brain Injury Model Systems National Database Study

Objective: To investigate the contribution of race/ethnicity to retention in traumatic brain injury (TBI) research at 1 to 2 years post-injury. Setting: Community. Participants: 5548 Whites, 1347 Blacks, and 790 Hispanics enrolled in the Traumatic Brain Injury Model Systems National Database with dates of injury between October 1, 2002 and March 31, 2013. Design: Retrospective database analysis. Main Measure: Retention, defined as completion of at least one question on the follow-up interview by the person with TBI or a proxy. Results: Retention rates 1-2 years post-TBI were significantly lower for Hispanic (85.2%) than for White (91.8%) or Black participants (90.5%) and depended significantly on history of problem drug or alcohol use. Other variables associated with low retention included older age, lower education, violent cause of injury, and discharge to an institution versus private residence. Conclusions: The findings emphasize the importance of investigating retention rates separately for Blacks and Hispanics rather than combining them or grouping either with other races or ethnicities. The results also suggest the need for implementing procedures to increase retention of Hispanics in longitudinal TBI researc

Micro-RNA-155 inhibits IFN-γ signaling in CD4+ T cells

Micro-RNA (miR) are increasingly recognized as critical regulators of tissue-specific patterns of gene expression. CD4+ T cells lacking miR-155, for example, exhibit bias towards Th2 differentiation, indicating that the absence of individual miR could alter CD4+ T cell differentiation. We now show that MiR-155 is induced upon T cell activation and that it promotes Th1 differentiation when over-expressed in activated CD4+ T cells. Antagonism of miR-155 leads to induction of IFN-γRα, and a functional miR-155 target site is identified within the 3′ UTR of IFN-γRα. These results identify IFN-γRα as a second miR-155 target in T cells and suggest that miR-155 contributes to Th1 differentiation in CD4+ T cells by inhibiting IFN-γ signaling

Relationship Between Hispanic Nativity, Residential Environment, and Productive Activity Among Individuals With Traumatic Brain Injury: A TBI Model Systems Study

Objective: To examine the influence of nativity and residential characteristics on productive activity among Hispanics at 1 year after traumatic brain injury (TBI). Setting: Acute rehabilitation facilities and community follow-up. Participants: A total of 706 Hispanic individuals in the TBI Model Systems National Database. Design: Secondary data analysis from a multicenter longitudinal cohort study. Main Measures: Nativity (foreign born or US native), productive activity derived from interview questions regarding employment status, and other demographic information. Census data were extracted by zip code to represent residential characteristics of aggregate household income and proportion of foreign language speakers (FLS). Results: Among foreign-born individuals with TBI, those living in an area with a higher proportion of FLS were 2.8 times more likely to be productive than those living in areas with a lower proportion of FLS. Among individuals living in an area with a lower proportion of FLS, US-born Hispanics were 2.7 times more likely to be productive compared with Hispanic immigrants. Conclusion: The relationship between nativity and productive activity at 1 year post-TBI was moderated by the residential proportion of FLS. Findings underscore the importance of considering environmental factors when designing vocational rehabilitation interventions for Hispanics after TBI