Understandings of participation in behavioural research: a qualitative study of gay and bisexual men in Scotland

An array of empirical research has emerged related to public participation in health research. To date, few studies have explored the particular perspectives of gay and bisexual men taking part in behavioural surveillance research, which includes the donation of saliva swabs to investigate HIV prevalence and rates of undiagnosed HIV. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with twenty-nine gay and bisexual men in Scotland who had participated in a bar-based survey. Thematic analysis of men’s accounts of their motives for participation and their perceptions of not receiving individual feedback on HIV status suggested a shared understanding of participation in research as a means of contributing to ‘community’ efforts to prevent the spread of HIV. Most men expressed sophisticated understandings of the purpose of behavioural research and distinguished between this and individual diagnostic testing. Despite calls for feedback on HIV results broadly, for these men feedback on HIV status was not deemed crucial

Views from the frontline: graduate police recruits on the status of evidence-based practice

This paper presents findings from in-depth interviews with 30 police recruits participating in a national two-year graduate training programme. Police Now comprises a six-week training course followed by a neighbourhood policing post where operational skills are developed, and recruits are encouraged to apply problem-solving and evidence-based approaches to police work. This research was undertaken as part of a project to inform the development and implementation of the Degree Holder Entry Programme (DHEP) into policing. We explore interviewees’ perceptions about the value placed by police colleagues on evidence-based practice and how different responses to EBP were ‘managed’ by interviewees. Findings show a largely disengaged attitude towards research, creating disconnect between ‘classroom’ emphasis and practice experience. Interviewees’ accounts of their first months in force show potential for rejection of training ideals but also willingness to challenge the perceived status quo regarding evidence-based practice. We reflect on the implications of findings for introducing the DHEP

An evaluation of the What Works Centre for Crime Reduction: final report

The ‘What Works Network’, launched in 2013, is a nationally co-ordinated initiative which aims to “improve the way government and other organisations create, share and use high quality evidence for decision-making”. The What Works philosophy is that good decision-making should be informed by the best available evidence. If relevant or adequate evidence is unavailable, decision-makers should be encouraged to use high quality methods to find out ‘what works’. The What Works Centre for Crime Reduction (WWCCR) was launched in September 2013, led by a team from the College of Policing with support from an Academic Consortium. Its work involves: Building and refining the evidence base by systematically reviewing available research on the effectiveness of interventions to reduce crime; summarising that evidence in terms of its strength and quality, cost, impact, mechanisms (why it works), context (where it works) and implementation issues; Providing police, Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) and other crime reduction stakeholders with the knowledge, tools and guidance to help them target their resources more effectively. Our three and a half year evaluation - 2014 to 2017 - conducted alongside the work of the Consortium, but independently of it, aimed to: Assess the impact of the WWCCR, including whether it had engaged key stakeholders, produced tools and guidance that they found clear and easy to use, and improved stakeholder understanding and application of research evidence; Chart outputs, modes of dissemination and user reactions during the evaluation; Identify changes in use of research evidence, especially in strategic decision-making and resource allocatio

Case studies in the use of computer software in the teaching of energy.

The project was designed to investigate how a piece of software could be used in the teaching of Energy. The central aim of the research was to show how the incorporation of software in the teaching of energy is dependent on a variety of factors, notably pupil's cognitive levels, and their underlying conceptions of energy. The subjects of the study were four classes consisting of three age groups, who participated in a six week energy project. The data consisted of: (a) A special purpose conceptual questionnaire; (b) CSMS Science Reasoning Tasks; (c) Observations during teaching; (d) Pupils work during teaching; (e) Data about pupils from teachers and school records. The questionnaire was given to pupils before and after teaching. From an analysis of the results it was possible to describe a structure of pupil's conceptions of Energy. Three of the classes were given Piagetian tests to establish pupil's cognitive levels, as a possible way of predicting problem areas that might occur in the use of the software. Observations of the interaction between pupils and the computer were made and used to develop teaching strategies. Detailed records of the pupil's project work were collected. The analysis of this work was made through: 1 A "systemic" network, that characterised pupil's conceptions of Energy from their written work; 2 A comparison of the cognitive level (on Piagetian lines) of the written work and the cognitive demands of the tasks set through the software; 3 A comparison of cognitive levels on SRTs and cognitive level as evidence in pupil's work and in their conceptions; 4 In certain cases, data about pupils was obtained from the teachers and school records to substantiate the results found in the analysis. In so doing, some of the influences on the learning and teaching of energy with the use of a piece of software have been explored

A single center observational study on emergency department clinician non-adherence to clinical practice guidelines for treatment of uncomplicated urinary tract infections

Background The Emergency Department (ED) is a frequent site of antibiotic use; poor adherence with evidence-based guidelines and broad-spectrum antibiotic overuse is common. Our objective was to determine rates and predictors of inappropriate antimicrobial use in patients with uncomplicated urinary tract infections (UTI) compared to the 2010 International Clinical Practice Guidelines (ICPG). Methods A single center, prospective, observational study of patients with uncomplicated UTI presenting to an urban ED between September 2012 and February 2014 that examined ED physician adherence to ICPG when treating uncomplicated UTIs. Clinician-directed antibiotic treatment was compared to the ICPG using a standardized case definition for non-adherence. Binomial confidence intervals and student’s t-tests were performed to evaluate differences in demographic characteristics and management between patients with pyelonephritis versus cystitis. Regression models were used to analyze the significance of various predictors to non-adherent treatment. Results 103 cases met the inclusion and exclusion criteria, with 63.1 % receiving non-adherent treatment, most commonly use of a fluoroquinolone (FQ) in cases with cystitis (97.6 %). In cases with pyelonephritis, inappropriate antibiotic choice (39.1 %) and no initial IV antibiotic for pyelonephritis (39.1 %) where recommended were the most common characterizations of non-adherence. Overall, cases of cystitis were no more/less likely to receive non-adherent treatment than cases of pyelonephritis (OR 0.9, 95 % confidence interval 0.4–2.2, P = 0.90). In multivariable analysis, patients more likely to receive non-adherent treatment included those without a recent history of a UTI (OR 3.8, 95 % CI 1.3–11.4, P = 0.02) and cystitis cases with back or abdominal pain only (OR 11.4, 95 % CI 2.1–63.0, P = 0.01). Conclusions Patients with cystitis with back or abdominal pain only were most likely to receive non-adherent treatment, potentially suggesting diagnostic inaccuracy. Physician education on evidence-based guidelines regarding the treatment of uncomplicated UTI will decrease broad-spectrum use and drug resistance in uropathogens

The long and winding road: embedding evidence informed policing

Book synopsis: The Evidence-Based Policing (EBP) movement has intensified in many countries around the world in recent years, resulting in a proliferation of policies and infrastructure to support such a transformation. This movement has come to be associated with particular methods of evaluation and systematic review, which have been drawn from what is assumed to prevail in medicine. Given the credibility EBP is currently enjoying with both practitioners and government, it is timely to subject its underpinning logic to thoughtful scrutiny. This involves deliberating upon the meaning of evidence, and what different models of knowledge accumulation and research methods have to offer in realising the aims of EBP. The communication and presentation of evidence to practitioner audiences is another important aspect of EBP, as are collaborative efforts to ‘co-produce’ new knowledge on police practice. This is the first book that takes a kaleidoscopic approach to depict what EBP presently is, and how it could develop. The chapters individually, and collectively, challenge the underlying logic to the mainstream EBP position, and the book concludes with an agenda for a more inclusive conceptualisation of evidence and EBP for the future. It is aimed at students and academics who are interested in being part of this movement, as well as policy-makers and practitioners interested in integrating EBP principles into their practices

From filters to features:Scale-space analysis of edge and blur coding in human vision

To make vision possible, the visual nervous system must represent the most informative features in the light pattern captured by the eye. Here we use Gaussian scale-space theory to derive a multiscale model for edge analysis and we test it in perceptual experiments. At all scales there are two stages of spatial filtering. An odd-symmetric, Gaussian first derivative filter provides the input to a Gaussian second derivative filter. Crucially, the output at each stage is half-wave rectified before feeding forward to the next. This creates nonlinear channels selectively responsive to one edge polarity while suppressing spurious or "phantom" edges. The two stages have properties analogous to simple and complex cells in the visual cortex. Edges are found as peaks in a scale-space response map that is the output of the second stage. The position and scale of the peak response identify the location and blur of the edge. The model predicts remarkably accurately our results on human perception of edge location and blur for a wide range of luminance profiles, including the surprising finding that blurred edges look sharper when their length is made shorter. The model enhances our understanding of early vision by integrating computational, physiological, and psychophysical approaches. © ARVO