PRIVATE BANKING IN EUROPE - Getting Clients & Keeping Them!

The paper examines the features of private banking business in Europe and focuses on the key roles of client segmentation, retention and acquisition. There has been substantial growth in private banking business over the last decade or so as commercial banks have targeted both the 'mass-affluent' and more upmarket high net worth individuals (HNWI's). The combined amount of investable assets at the disposal of these two groups amounts to around Euro 6 trillion and a wide range of banks, investment firms and other operators have focused on devising strategies aimed at grabbing a share of this potentially lucrative market. The private client wealth management industry in Europe remains relatively fragmented although a few major players have emerged and consolidation is an ongoing theme in the sector. Given the commercial opportunities afforded by this business area the increased complexity of clients needs continues to be a critical strategic issue for industry participants. This paper illustrates important themes relating to the wealth management service proposition and focuses on client segmentation, retention and acquisition strategies. Overall we find that private banks will have to adopt a more systematic approach to these areas and in particular also have to pay greater qualitative and quantitative attention to client satisfaction, trust and loyalty issues if their client retention and acquisition strategies are to be a success.Private banking, wealth management, segmentation

Effectiveness of sensory modulation in treating sensory modulation disorders in adults with schizophrenia: a Systematic Literature Review

Sensory modulation, as a treatment for sensory modulation disorders in adults with psychiatric conditions, has been implemented by occupational therapists for more than two decades. The purpose of this systematic literature review was to evaluate published research evidence relating to this intervention. The aim of the study was to determine if there was established evidence for the effectiveness of sensory modulation in treating sensory modulation disorder in adults with schizophrenia and to identify any gaps in knowledge to guide further research. We utilized Australia’s National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC)’s levels of evidence and recommendation grading and the Rosalind Franklin Research Appraisal Instrument (RF-QRA) to review selected articles. The results were then summarized and reported utilizing the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) framework. A total of 17 studies were included in the study. We concluded that there is preliminary evidence for the existence of sensory modulation disorder in schizophrenia and the effectiveness of sensory modulation interventions for reducing distress. We recommended further studies on the effectiveness of sensory modulation with better rigor and advise that guidelines be developed for use in practice by clinicians.Griffith Health, School of Applied PsychologyNo Full Tex

The synthesis: An innovative approach to student research

Background: Although there is an expectation for health practitioners to be able to use research to inform their practice, opportunities for students to actually plan, conduct and report a research project are diminishing. Students are less able to gain first-hand experience of research as a result of demands to include more in curricula, and increasingly rigorous and time-consuming ethical review procedures. It is important, therefore, for health educators to explore different research methods and approaches. Content: This article proposes the synthesis, an entirely literature-based approach, as a method to enable students to plan and conduct a research project. It is more than a literature review in that it requires students to synthesize material from two previously unrelated fields. As a result it is possible to shine a new light on issues facing health-care professionals and their patients/clients, by bringing new ways of thinking to issues. Conclusions: Although the synthesis is a nascent concept in student health professional education, it has the potential to offer students first-hand experience of the research process, and so contribute to their development as research aware professionals.Full Tex

The Value of Attending University: An Analysis on the Novels of Evelyn Waugh and their Adaptations

An analysis on Evelyn Waugh\u27s novels: Brideshead Revisited, Decline and Fall, and Vile Bodies as well as their film and television adaptations. The paper relates all of these works to Waugh\u27s idea that the true value and reason why students should attend university is not because their degree will earn them a massive salary, but because it allows for another four years of sequestered development away from adult society. Waugh stated that the true value of his time as an undergraduate at Oxford was because it provided him with the opportunity to drink, throw parties, discover art, etc...which therefore gave him an appropriate amount of time to grow up gradually. All of these novels, films, and television series provide substantial evidence as to why Waugh\u27s point was correct and is still valid

Manipulating soil microbial communities in extensive green roof substrates

There has been very little investigation into the soil microbial community on green roofs, yet this below ground habitat is vital for ecosystem functioning. Green roofs are often harsh environments that would greatly benefit from having a healthy microbial system, allowing efficient nutrient cycling and a degree of drought tolerance in dry summer months. To test if green roof microbial communities could be manipulated,we added mycorrhizal fungi and a microbial mixture (‘compost tea’) to green roof rootzones, composed mainly of crushed brick or crushed concrete. The study revealed that growingmedia type and depth play a vital role in the microbial ecology of green roofs. There are complex relationships between depth and type of substrate and the biomass of different microbial groups, with no clear pattern being observed. Following the addition of inoculants, bacterial groups tended to increase in biomass in shallower substrates, whereas fungal biomass change was dependent on depth and type of substrate. Increased fungal biomass was found in shallow plots containing more crushed concrete and deeper plots containing more crushed brick where compost tea (a live mixture of beneficial bacteria) was added, perhaps due to the presence of helper bacteria for arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF). Often there was not an additive affect of the microbial inoculations but instead an antagonistic interaction between the added AM fungi and the compost tea. This suggests that some species of microbes may not be compatible with others, as competition for limited resources occurs within the various substrates. The overall results suggest that microbial inoculations of green roof habitats are sustainable. They need only be done once for increased biomass to be found in subsequent years, indicating that this is a novel and viable method of enhancing roof community composition

Development Of An Engineered Bioluminescent Reporter Phage For Detection Of Bacterial Blight Of Crucifers

Bacterial blight, caused by the phytopathogen Pseudomonas cannabina pv. alisalensis, is an emerging disease afflicting important members of the Brassicaceae family. The disease is often misdiagnosed as pepper spot, a much less severe disease caused by the related pathogen Pseudomonas syringae pv. maculicola. We have developed a phage-based diagnostic that can both identify and detect the causative agent of bacterial blight and differentiate the two pathogens. A recombinant >light>-tagged reporter phage was generated by integrating bacterial luxAB genes encoding luciferase into the genome of P. cannabina pv. alisalensis phage PBSPCA1. The PBSPCA1::luxAB reporter phage is viable and stable and retains properties similar to those of the wildtype phage. PBSPCA1::luxAB rapidly and sensitively detects P. cannabina pv. alisalensis by conferring a bioluminescent signal response to cultured cells. Detection is dependent on cell viability. Other bacterial pathogens of Brassica species such as P. syringae pv. maculicola, Pseudomonas marginalis, Pectobacterium carotovorum, Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris, and X. campestris pv. raphani either do not produce a response or produce significantly attenuated signals with the reporter phage. Importantly, the reporter phage detects P. cannabina pv. alisalensis on diseased plant specimens, indicating its potential for disease diagnosis.National Science Foundation Small Business Innovative Research 1012059U.S. Department of EducationU.S. Department of AgricultureCellular and Molecular Biolog

The Subject-centered Integrative Learning Model: A New Model for Teaching Occupational Therapy’s Distinct Value

The concept of occupation-centered education has been used to describe what programs do when they infuse occupation throughout an occupational therapy curriculum. In describing occupation-centered education, educators often describe the strategies they use to help students learn occupation, including courses about occupation, direct experience with occupation, cases and questions that connect biomedical sciences and health conditions to occupation, assignments that require students to infuse occupation into therapy, curriculum threads related to occupation, and many others. While each of these strategies is important, no conceptual model exists that defines occupation-centered education, elaborates its concepts and principles, and guides the development of curriculum and instructional strategies, uniting them within a whole theoretical approach to teaching occupational therapy. Research has consequently demonstrated that occupation can remain hidden and implied in these and similar teaching and learning strategies. Further, the number of topics students must learn continues to explode and many are not profession-specific. Thus, students and educators alike need a learning framework that helps them intentionally relate multi-disciplinary topics to the distinct value of occupational therapy. The Subject-centered Integrative Learning Model (SCIL-OT) is a conceptual model that outlines the theoretical foundations, elements, and principles of occupation-centered education. This model thus offers a roadmap for curriculum and instructional design that seeks to place the concept of occupation at the center of all aspects of education

Educating Occupational Therapists in the Use of Theory and Evidence to Enhance Supervision Practice

This paper describes the implementation of a unique learning experience aimed at enhancing the quality of supervision practice in occupational therapy at the Gold Coast Hospital and Health Service. The package was designed by experienced occupational therapy educators based on adult, blended, and flipped learning approaches with content developed following administration of a standardized tool and semi-structured interviews. The learning package focused particularly on the logistics of supervision and the use of occupational therapy theory and evidence with supervision. The training for supervising therapists included a workshop and pre and post workshop learning activities. This collaborative research approach to designing and implementing a learning package as well as the specific content of the ongoing education opportunities could also be transferred to other services

Characteristics of Occupation-based Education within Entry-level Occupational Therapy Programs: Professional Leaders\u27 Perspectives

Occupational therapy is a profession concerned with promoting health and well-being through occupation, and accordingly occupation should permeate all aspects of the profession. Entry-level education is the primary means by which new members of the profession become educated about occupation and its place in occupational therapy practice. Therefore, it is essential that education reflects the core concept of the profession. To date there have been individual opinions about occupation-based education but no studies have documented the characteristics that demonstrate this approach from the perspective of professional leaders. A qualitative descriptive study was conducted to explore professional leaders’ views on, and strategies for, occupation-based entry-level education. Participants were selected through a combination of purposive and network sampling to ensure variation and depth. Six in-depth, semi-structured interviews of approximately 60 minutes duration each, were conducted with leaders from Australia, Canada, and the United States of America via telephone or internet conferencing. These interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed thematically. Three themes emerged: embodied knowledge and understanding of occupation and its link to health and well-being; deliberate educators who value occupation; and rhetoric versus reality of professional practice. This research demonstrates the critical role individual academics play in the development of students’ understanding of, and passion for, occupation and how it is enacted in practice. Educators must continue to develop their knowledge and skills of occupation as well as effective ways to teach this core concept