Numeracy Definition Report: A report on adult learners' understanding and conceptualisation of numeracy in Ireland

This research report describes adult learners’ understanding and conceptualisation of numeracy. It was done to support the development of a working definition for numeracy in Ireland. This was a recommendation in SOLAS, the Further Education and Training Authority’s report ‘Good Practice in Integrated and Standalone Numeracy Provision at Levels 1-3’

Community first responders and responder schemes in the United Kingdom: systematic scoping review

Background: Community First Responder (CFR) schemes support lay people to respond to medical emergencies, working closely with ambulance services. They operate widely in the UK. There has been no previous review of UK literature on these schemes. This is the first systematic scoping review of UK literature on CFR schemes, which identifies the reasons for becoming a CFR, requirements for training and feedback and confusion between the CFR role and that of ambulance service staff. This study also reveals gaps in the evidence base for CFR schemes. Methods: We conducted a systematic scoping review of the published literature, in the English language from 2000 onwards using specific search terms in six databases. Narrative synthesis was used to analyse article content. Results: Nine articles remained from the initial search of 15,969 articles after removing duplicates, title and abstract and then full text review. People were motivated to become CFRs through an altruistic desire to help others. They generally felt rewarded by their work but recognised that the help they provided was limited by their training compared with ambulance staff. There were concerns about the possible emotional impact on CFRs responding to incidents. CFRs felt that better feedback would enhance their learning. Ongoing training and support were viewed as essential to enable CFRs to progress. They perceived that public recognition of the CFR role was low, patients sometimes confusing them with ambulance staff. Relationships with the ambulance service were sometimes ambivalent due to confusion over roles. There was support for local autonomy of CFR schemes but with greater sharing of best practice. Discussion: Most studies dated from 2005 and were descriptive rather than analytical. In the UK and Australia CFRs are usually lay volunteers equipped with basic skills for responding to medical emergencies, whereas in the US they include other emergency staff as well as lay people. Conclusion: Opportunities for future research include exploring experiences and perceptions of patients who have been treated by CFRs and other stakeholders, while also evaluating the effectiveness and costs of CFR schemes

Acquisition of Growth-Inhibitory Antibodies against Blood-Stage Plasmodium falciparum

Background: Antibodies that inhibit the growth of blood-stage Plasmodium falciparum may play an important role in acquired and vaccine-induced immunity in humans. However, the acquisition and activity of these antibodies is not well understood. Methods: We tested dialysed serum and purified immunoglobulins from Kenyan children and adults for inhibition of P. falciparum blood-stage growth in vitro using different parasite lines. Serum antibodies were measured by ELISA to bloodstage parasite antigens, extracted from P. falciparum schizonts, and to recombinant merozoite surface protein 1 (42 kDa Cterminal fragment, MSP1-42). Results: Antibodies to blood-stage antigens present in schizont protein extract and to recombinant MSP1-42 significantly increased with age and were highly correlated. In contrast, growth-inhibitory activity was not strongly associated with age and tended to decline marginally with increasing age and exposure, with young children demonstrating the highest inhibitory activity. Comparison of growth-inhibitory activity among samples collected from the same population at different time points suggested that malaria transmission intensity influenced the level of growth-inhibitory antibodies. Antibodies to recombinant MSP1-42 were not associated with growth inhibition and high immunoglobulin G levels were poorly predictive of inhibitory activity. The level of inhibitory activity against different isolates varied. Conclusions: Children can acquire growth-inhibitory antibodies at a young age, but once they are acquired they do not appear to be boosted by on-going exposure. Inhibitory antibodies may play a role in protection from early childhood malaria

Mortality and pulmonary complications in patients undergoing surgery with perioperative SARS-CoV-2 infection: an international cohort study

Background: The impact of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) on postoperative recovery needs to be understood to inform clinical decision making during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. This study reports 30-day mortality and pulmonary complication rates in patients with perioperative SARS-CoV-2 infection. Methods: This international, multicentre, cohort study at 235 hospitals in 24 countries included all patients undergoing surgery who had SARS-CoV-2 infection confirmed within 7 days before or 30 days after surgery. The primary outcome measure was 30-day postoperative mortality and was assessed in all enrolled patients. The main secondary outcome measure was pulmonary complications, defined as pneumonia, acute respiratory distress syndrome, or unexpected postoperative ventilation. Findings: This analysis includes 1128 patients who had surgery between Jan 1 and March 31, 2020, of whom 835 (74·0%) had emergency surgery and 280 (24·8%) had elective surgery. SARS-CoV-2 infection was confirmed preoperatively in 294 (26·1%) patients. 30-day mortality was 23·8% (268 of 1128). Pulmonary complications occurred in 577 (51·2%) of 1128 patients; 30-day mortality in these patients was 38·0% (219 of 577), accounting for 81·7% (219 of 268) of all deaths. In adjusted analyses, 30-day mortality was associated with male sex (odds ratio 1·75 [95% CI 1·28–2·40], p\textless0·0001), age 70 years or older versus younger than 70 years (2·30 [1·65–3·22], p\textless0·0001), American Society of Anesthesiologists grades 3–5 versus grades 1–2 (2·35 [1·57–3·53], p\textless0·0001), malignant versus benign or obstetric diagnosis (1·55 [1·01–2·39], p=0·046), emergency versus elective surgery (1·67 [1·06–2·63], p=0·026), and major versus minor surgery (1·52 [1·01–2·31], p=0·047). Interpretation: Postoperative pulmonary complications occur in half of patients with perioperative SARS-CoV-2 infection and are associated with high mortality. Thresholds for surgery during the COVID-19 pandemic should be higher than during normal practice, particularly in men aged 70 years and older. Consideration should be given for postponing non-urgent procedures and promoting non-operative treatment to delay or avoid the need for surgery. Funding: National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), Association of Coloproctology of Great Britain and Ireland, Bowel and Cancer Research, Bowel Disease Research Foundation, Association of Upper Gastrointestinal Surgeons, British Association of Surgical Oncology, British Gynaecological Cancer Society, European Society of Coloproctology, NIHR Academy, Sarcoma UK, Vascular Society for Great Britain and Ireland, and Yorkshire Cancer Research

Strategies to improve the microbial quality of liquid feed and optimise growth of liquid-fed grow-finisher pigs

The objectives of this thesis were to (1) characterise the microbiological quality of liquid feed on Irish pig units; (2) control spontaneous fermentation during liquid feeding using controlled fermentation and dietary acidification; (3) compare feed form and delivery in grow-finisher pigs; (4) determine the optimum water-to-feed ratio for grow-finisher pigs. A survey of eight commercial pig production units was conducted, in which spontaneous fermentation and amino acid degradation were found in liquid feed. Controlled whole diet fermentation and cereal-only fermentation were then compared to fresh liquid and wet/dry feeding of the same diet. Feeding a fermented whole diet reduced pig growth and caused feed conversion efficiency (FCE) to deteriorate. As no benefits were found for fermentation, feed form (meal, pellets) and delivery methods (dry, wet/dry, liquid) were compared. The conclusion was that wet/dry feeding of a pelleted diet to growfinisher pigs optimises growth and FCE. In an attempt to improve FCE in liquid-fed pigs, four commercially used water-to-feed ratios (2.4:1, 3:1, 3.5:1 and 4.1:1, dry matter basis) were compared. The 3.5:1 ratio optimised FCE without reducing killout percentage. Lastly, diets supplemented with benzoic acid (BA) at 0, 2.5, 5 and 10kg/t were liquid-fed to grow-finisher pigs. While BA inclusion stabilised liquid feed pH and controlled lactic acid bacteria (LAB) growth in troughs, no improvements in growth or FCE were observed; however, FCE was excellent for the control and hence a response to BA was unlikely. In conclusion, wet/dry feeding of a pelleted diet optimised growth and FCE in grow-finisher pigs. Spontaneous fermentation occurs during fresh liquid feeding and even controlled whole diet fermentation leads to amino acid degradation. To optimise FCE, a 3.5:1 water-tofeed ratio is optimal for short-trough liquid feeding of grow-finisher pigs. Benzoic acid stabilised liquid feed pH and controlled LAB growth but did not improve pig growth

Numeracy-Meets: professional development and networking for adult numeracy practitioners

International audienceDespite the clear and obvious need for adults to be proficient in numeracy, international studies suggest that many adults continue to struggle in this area. One of the main challenges continues to be the availability and quality of adult numeracy education. Research has highlighted an unmet demand for professional development in this area with many numeracy practitioners looking for opportunities to further develop their practice. Moreover, practitioners have expressed a desire for networking opportunities with colleagues to discuss and share their experiences. Thus, this research aims to establish a series of online 'Numeracy-Meets' for adult numeracy practitioners. These 'Meets' will be an organised but informal community of practice for practitioners to share pedagogy, practical innovations, and personal insights into teaching adult numeracy

Addressing the Professional Development Needs of Adult Numeracy Practitioners in Ireland

<p>The development of a numerate society is an international and national priority in education. Given such importance, there is a need for increased attention on adult education, and particularly to the availability and quality of adult numeracy education. While there has been considerable focus on mathematics teaching in general, there is a dearth of research and resources in relation to teaching adult numeracy. Consequently, there is an unmet demand for the professional development of adult numeracy practitioners with many looking for opportunities to network and further develop their practice. This study aimed to design, implement, and evaluate a professional development model that supported adult numeracy practitioners in developing the necessary skills to support their students. After an initial needs analysis, a series of six online 'Numeracy-Meets' were designed and implemented between February and May 2022. After all the Numeracy-Meets had taken place, five practitioners took part in individual semi-structured interviews to evaluate their experiences. This paper details the design, implementation, and evaluation of these Numeracy-Meets.</p&gt

Numeracy-Meets: an innovative professional development model for adult numeracy practitioners in Ireland

Despite the clear and obvious need for adults to be proficient in numeracy, international studies suggest that many continue to struggle in this area. In Ireland, one of the main challenges continues to be the availability of effective adult numeracy education. This is a diverse sector, and little is known about the varied provision of adult numeracy courses and of those who teach on them. Recent research has highlighted an unmet demand for the professional development of adult numeracy practitioners with many looking for opportunities to network and further develop their practice. This study aimed to design, implement and evaluate a professional development model that supported adult numeracy practitioners in developing the necessary skills to support their students. After an initial needs analysis, a series of six ‘Numeracy-Meets’ were designed and implemented between February and May 2022. There was an average of twenty adult numeracy practitioners in attendance at each Numeracy-Meet. After all the Numeracy-Meets had taken place, five practitioners took part in individual semi-structured interviews to evaluate their experiences. This paper details the design, implementation and evaluation of these Numeracy-Meets and discusses whether they are a sustainable model of professional development for adult numeracy practitioners.</p