The voices of royal subjects? Political speech in the judicial and governmental records of fourteenth-century England

El artículo examina los discursos documentados de personas que fueron acusadas de criticar al monarca o al gobierno real en la Inglaterra del siglo XIV. Dichas palabras fueron atribuidas a individuos de fuera de la élite social, quienes estaban entonces inmersos en discursos políticos trazados por las ideologías y las estructuras institucionales de las cortes reales. Precisamente este proceso pudo influir en las relaciones entre vecinos y comunidades locales, así como entre los particulares y los oficiales que representaban a la Corona. Cuando tratamos de considerar en cómo ello afecta a nuestra comprensión de la cultura política bajomedieval, debemos tener en cuenta el contexto de la acusación: el papel de los informadores, los testimonios y los jurados locales. A veces las noticias políticas emanaban de los oficiales reales, mensajeros, ayudantes y alguaciles, que demostraban así su buena conexión con el poder. También podían manipular el proceso para acusar a sus oponentes de difundir rumores falsos y de perseguir venganzas locales a través de los tribunales reales. Todos aquellos que participaban en el proceso tenían que interactuar con el lenguaje y el procedimiento del sistema judicial real y construían cuidadosamente sus narrativas como parte de la representación requerida por los tribunales. Los registros escritos, entonces, nos permiten examinar cómo las palabras de dichos individuos eran reproducidas en forma de texto y, aún más, considerar con atención cómo eran representados en tanto que súbditos de la Corona.This article examines the reported speech of individuals who were accused of voicing criticism of the monarch or of royal government in fourteenth-century England. These words were attributed to individuals outside of the social elite, who were then drawn into political discourses shaped by the ideologies and institutional structures of the royal courts. This process might influence relations between neighbours and local communities, as well as between individuals and the officials who represented the Crown. When we think about how this affects our understanding of late medieval political culture, we need to think about the whole context of the accusation: the role of ‘informers’, witnesses and local juries. Political news sometimes emanated from royal office holders, messengers, clerks and sheriffs, allowing them to demonstrate just how well-connected they were with those in power. They could also manipulate the process to accuse opponents of spreading false tales and pursue local vendettas through the royal courts. All those who participated in the process had to interact with the language and procedure of the royal judicial system and they constructed their narratives carefully as part of the performance required by the courts. The written records, then, allow us to examine how the words of these individuals were rendered in textual form, and further, to think carefully about how they were represented as subjects of the Crown

The politics of mercy : the use of the royal pardon in fourteenth-century England

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A prospective study comparing radiographer and clinician based localisation for patients with metastatic spinal cord compression (MSCC) to assess the feasibility of a radiographer led service.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate if there was parity between treatment fields localised by radiographers and clinicians, by comparing geographical variations and hence determining the feasibility of a radiographer led service. METHODS: 23 patients with metastatic spinal cord compression (MSCC) were prospectively sampled. 4 radiographers not involved in the original planning performed a localisation on each patient. The 92 localisations were compared to the clinicians approved field. Agreement was defined as ≤0.5cm between field length, width and 3 isocentre coordinates. To be feasible agreement was required in a minimum of 97% of the cases. The potential time saved with a radiographer led approach was also recorded. RESULTS: Agreement between clinicians and radiographers was 97.8%. For all field parameters, the average differences were <0.3cm and was significantly different from the 0.5cm median (p<0.0001) that would establish no agreement using wilcoxon signed rank test. The average (range) delay waiting for clinician approval was 54 minutes (4 minutes to 141 minutes). CONCLUSIONS: Strong agreement between radiographers and clinicians localisation was established. It was also highlighted that time could be saved in the patient's pathway by removing the need to wait for clinician approval. We believe this supports a radiographer led service. Advances in Knowledge: This article is novel as it is the first known comparison between clinicians and radiographers in the localisation of MSCC radiotherapy. This data shows the feasibility of introducing radiographer led practice and a methodology that could be potentially transferred to investigate the localisation parity for other treatment sites

What can the black death tell us about the global economic consequences of a pandemic?

The COVID-19 pandemic and global lockdown have led to academics and media outlets looking for historical parallels to draw lessons from. Whilst great care needs to be taken when trying to relate events many centuries apart, this chapter reviews the Black Death (1348-1351) and particularly focuses upon its economic impact on England. We will contextualise the pandemic and illustrate both the immediate and longer term outcomes of this devastating event. Whilst we can direct the reader to implications for our current situation, we will also discuss the many differences of these two global events

Identifying support mechanisms to overcome barriers to food safety scheme certification in the food and drink manufacturing industry in Wales, UK.

Obtaining food safety certification is essential for food manufacturers. Potential barriers to obtaining certification are complex, interrelated and broadly relate to, ‘knowledge and skills’, ‘time, cost and resources’, and ‘communication and access to information’. This study aimed to explore requirements for support to enable food manufacturers in Wales to overcome identified barriers. Food manufacturers (n=37) participated in group discussions (n=2) and completed online-questionnaires (n=29). Support mechanisms, perceived necessary to obtain food safety certification included; funding for training and audit-fees, support for implementing food safety scheme documentation, on-site support through mentoring/coaching and pre-audits. Findings identify the need for a food safety scheme certification support package pathway incorporating online, off-site, on-site and financial support to assist food and drink manufacturers obtain third-party food safety certification. Such assistance would support three critical areas. Findings may inform development of support mechanisms to increase uptake of food safety certification and accelerate food-sector growth

SARS-CoV-2 Spike Protein Binding of Glycated Serum Albumin-Its Potential Role in the Pathogenesis of the COVID-19 Clinical Syndromes and Bias towards Individuals with Pre-Diabetes/Type 2 Diabetes and Metabolic Diseases

The immune response to SARS‐CoV‐2 infection requires antibody recognition of the spike protein. In a study designed to examine the molecular features of anti‐spike and anti‐nucleocapsid antibodies, patient plasma proteins binding to pre‐fusion stabilised complete spike and nucleocap-sid proteins were isolated and analysed by matrix‐assisted laser desorption ionisation–time of flight (MALDI‐ToF) mass spectrometry. Amongst the immunoglobulins, a high affinity for human serum albumin was evident in the anti‐spike preparations. Careful mass comparison revealed the preferential capture of advanced glycation end product (AGE) forms of glycated human serum albumin by the pre‐fusion spike protein. The ability of bacteria and viruses to surround themselves with serum proteins is a recognised immune evasion and pathogenic process. The preference of SARS‐ CoV‐2 for AGE forms of glycated serum albumin may in part explain the severity and pathology of acute respiratory distress and the bias towards the elderly and those with (pre)diabetic and athero-sclerotic/metabolic disease

Epilepsy mortality in Wales during COVID-19

Purpose: The COVID-19 pandemic has increased mortality worldwide and those with chronic conditions may have been disproportionally affected. However, it is unknown whether the pandemic has changed mortality rates for people with epilepsy. We aimed to compare mortality rates in people with epilepsy in Wales during the pandemic with pre-pandemic rates. Methods: We performed a retrospective study using individual-level linked population-scale anonymised electronic health records. We identified deaths in people with epilepsy (DPWE), i.e. those with a diagnosis of epilepsy, and deaths associated with epilepsy (DAE), where epilepsy was recorded as a cause of death on death certificates. We compared death rates in 2020 with average rates in 2015–2019 using Poisson models to calculate death rate ratios. Results: There were 188 DAE and 628 DPWE in Wales in 2020 (death rates: 7.7/100,000/year and 25.7/100,000/year). The average rates for DAE and DPWE from 2015 to 2019 were 5.8/100,000/year and 23.8/100,000/year, respectively. Death rate ratios (2020 compared to 2015–2019) for DAE were 1.34 (95%CI 1.14–1.57, p<0.001) and for DPWE were 1.08 (0.99–1.17, p = 0.09). The death rate ratios for non-COVID deaths (deaths without COVID mentioned on death certificates) for DAE were 1.17 (0.99–1.39, p = 0.06) and for DPWE were 0.96 (0.87–1.05, p = 0.37). Conclusions: The significant increase in DAE in Wales during 2020 could be explained by the direct effect of COVID-19 infection. Non-COVID-19 deaths have not increased significantly but further work is needed to assess the longer-term impact

Facile synthesis and proposed mechanism of α,ω‐oxetanyl-telechelic poly(3-nitratomethyl-3-methyl oxetane) by an SN2(i) nitrato displacement method in basic media

The synthesis of a novel heterocyclic–telechelic polymer, α,ω-oxetanyl-telechelic poly(3-nitratomethyl-3-methyl oxetane), is described. Infrared spectroscopy (IR), gel permeation chromatography (GPC), and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy have been used to confirm the successful synthesis, demonstrating the presence of the telechelic-oxetanyl moieties. Synthesis of the terminal functionalities has been achieved via displacement of nitrato groups, in a manner similar to that employed with other leaving groups such as azido, bromo, and nitro, initiated by nucleophiles. In the present case, displacement occurs on the ends of a nitrato-functionalized polymer driven by the formation of sodium nitrate, which is supported by the polar aprotic solvent N,N-dimethyl formamide. The formation of an alkoxide at the polymer chain ends is favored and allows internal back-biting to the nearest carbon bearing the nitrato group, intrinsically in an SN2(i) reaction, leading to α,ω-oxetanyl functionalization. The telechelic-oxetanyl moieties have the potential to be cross-linked by chemical (e.g., acidic) or radiative (e.g., ultraviolet) curing methods without the use of high temperatures, usually below 100°C. This type of material was designed for future use as a contraband simulant, whereby it would form the predominant constituent of elastomeric composites comprising rubbery polymer with small quantities of solids, typically crystals of contraband substances, such as explosives or narcotics. This method also provides an alternative approach to ring closure and synthesis of heterocycles