Expressed emotion and wellbeing in South Asian heritage families living in the UK

The primary aim of this paper was to understand expressed emotion (EE) and its relationship to wellbeing in South Asians (SAs) living in the UK. A total of 529 participants of South Asian heritage were recruited from the UK and completed an online survey consisting of the family questionnaire, the level of expressed emotion scale (LEE), warmth measure, the hospital anxiety and depression scale. Components of EE and wellbeing were investigated using network analysis. Overall, the participants were classified as low EE for criticism, but high for emotional overinvolvement. They scored relatively high on the warmth scale. LEE scores were in the middle range. The network analysis revealed unique associations between EE subscales and symptoms of depression and anxiety, and highlighted positive aspects of EE. The network analysis also highlighted differences in EE between parents and partner. The findings provide an overview of the interactions and influence of EE variables within this population. Future research should focus on the differences between SA ethnicities and religions; differentiating between intrusive and non-intrusive involvement may help further explain part of the variance between variables; exploring first and second-generation immigrants would help discover the impact of acculturation and intergenerational trauma on EE

CE17015

In the southwest of Ireland and the Celtic Sea (ICES Divisions VIIaS, g & j), herring are an important commercial species to the pelagic and polyvalent fleet. For a period in the 1970s and1980s, larval surveys were conducted for herring in this area. However, since 1989, acoustic surveys have been carried out, and currently are the only tuning indices available for this stock. In the Celtic Sea and VIIj, herring acoustic surveys have been carried out since 1989. Since 2004 the survey has been fixed in October and carried out onboard the RV Celtic Explorer. The geographical confines of the annual 21 day survey have been modified in recent years to include areas to the south of the main winter spawning grounds in an effort to identify the whereabouts of winter spawning fish before the annual inshore spawning migration. Spatial resolution of acoustic transects has been increased over the entire south coast survey area. The acoustic component of the survey has been further complemented since 2004 by detailed hydrographic, marine mammal and seabird surveys

Antarctica on foot: the energy expended to walk, ski and man-haul

Polar exploration often involves travelling on foot and thus is physically intensive, with long-term excursions typically resulting in weight loss. Few studies have investigated the energy expended under such circumstances. Here, we present a range of prediction equations for estimating metabolic rate from heart rate or accelerometry data for specific activities including skiing and man-hauling which can be applied to either short- or long-term excursions. We also use some of these equations to estimate the energy expended undertaking various activities by a team of explorers while attempting to traverse the Antarctic continent during the austral winter of 2013 (as part of the White Mars Project during The Coldest Journey). Calibration equations based on either accelerometry data (from which overall dynamic body acceleration, ODBA, is derived) or heart rate showed good relationships with rate of oxygen consumption, particularly when person height was included. Periods of skiing and man- hauling on The Coldest Journey were estimated to be more energetically demanding (30.0 and 31.1 kJ min−1, respectively) than walking (24.9 kJ min−1), or other outdoor work (21.9 kJ min−1). Estimates of energy expenditure during The Coldest Journey were similar to measures obtained in previous, comparative scenarios. We hope that future expeditions to Antarctica will use these prediction equations to further our understanding of the energy costs of exploring Antarctica and the nutritional requirements needed to guard against emaciation

Protocol for a feasibility randomised controlled trial of targeted oxygen therapy in mechanically ventilated critically ill patients

IntroductionOxygen is the most commonly administered drug to mechanically ventilated critically ill adults, yet little is known about the optimum oxygen saturation (SpO2) target for these patients; the current standard of care is an SpO2of 96% or above. Small pilot studies have demonstrated that permissive hypoxaemia (aiming for a lower SpO2than normal by using a lower fractional inspired oxygen concentration (FIO2)) can be achieved in the critically ill and appears to be safe. This approach has not been evaluated in a National Health Service setting. It is possible that permissive hypoxaemia may be beneficial to critically ill patients thus it requires robust evaluation.Methods and analysisTargeted OXygen therapY in Critical illness (TOXYC) is a feasibility randomised controlled trial (RCT) to evaluate whether recruiting patients to a study of permissive hypoxaemia is possible in the UK. It will also investigate biological mechanisms that may underlie the links between oxygenation and patient outcomes. Mechanically ventilated patients with respiratory failure will be recruited from critical care units at two sites and randomised (1:1 ratio) to an SpO2target of either 88%–92% or ≥96% while intubated with an endotracheal tube. Clinical teams can adjust FIO2and ventilator settings as they wish to achieve these targets. Clinical information will be collected before, during and after the intervention and blood samples taken to measure markers of systemic oxidative stress. The primary outcome of this study is feasibility, which will be assessed by recruitment rate, protocol adherence and withdrawal rates. Secondary outcomes will include a comparison of standard critical care outcome measures between the two intervention groups, and the measurement of biomarkers of systemic oxidative stress. The results will be used to calculate a sample size, likely number of sites and overall length of time required for a subsequent large multicentre RCT.Ethics and disseminationThis study was approved by the London - Harrow Research Ethics Committee on 2 November 2017 (REC Reference 17/LO/1334) and received HRA approval on 13 November 2017. Results from this study will be disseminated in peer-reviewed journals, at medical and scientific meetings, in the NIHR Journals Library and patient information websites.Trial registration numberNCT03287466; Pre-results.</jats:sec

A Synoptic Overview of Expert Opinion on Fisheries in a Post-Brexit World

Publisher PD

Spatial and seasonal variation of peatland-fed riverine macroinvertebrate and benthic diatom assemblages and implications for assessment: a case study from Ireland

Blanket peat catchments are important biodiversity refugia. Key pressures on peatland catchment water bodies include artificial drainage, forestry, over-grazing, wind farm development and climate change, and assessment of these pressures requires sensitive monitoring programmes. This study, undertaken in two neighbouring blanket peat catchments, examined the variability in macroinvertebrate and diatom assemblages and related indices in response to spatial and seasonal variability. Multivariate analysis revealed significant trends in the taxa distribution of both groups and the indices downstream and away from the constraining influence of the peat. However, the ecological quality ratios and status assessments for the associated water bodies were consistent irrespective of spatial variability in assemblages and raw indices. Significant seasonal trends emerged only in the macroinvertebrate assemblages and indices. This study contributes to the understanding of sources of uncertainty in ecological assessment and thus provides valuable information for the calibration of assessment protocols for sensitive peatland catchments

The “ebb and flow” of student learning on placement

There is a rise in interest in work based learning as part of student choice at subject level in the UK (DOE 2017) but there remains an absence of specific guidance on how to best support higher education students learning on placement. An alternative HE experience in England, the degree apprenticeship, underlies the continued focus by policy in securing placement experiences for students without stipulating the type of support that is required at the ‘coal face’ of work based learning. Policy documents (UUK 2016), that urge universities to enter into partnership agreements with both employers and FE colleges to plug skills shortages, are noticeably lacking in their appreciation of the unique qualities of work based learning and how best to support students in this setting (Morley 2017a). Unfortunately, this is not unusual as placements have predominantly been an enriching ‘add on’ to the real business of academic learning in more traditional university programmes. Support initiatives, such as that described in chapter 9, are a rare appreciation of the importance of this role. Undergraduate nursing programmes currently support a 50:50 split between practice learning in clinical placements and the theory delivered at universities. Vocational degrees, such as this, provide an interesting case study as to how students can be supported in the practice environment by an appreciation of how students really learn on placement and how hidden resources can be utilised more explicitly for practice learning. During 2013 – 2015 a professional doctorate research study (Morley 2015) conducted a grounded theory study of 21 first year student nurses on their first placement to discover how they learnt ‘at work’ and the strategies they enlisted to be successful work based learners

Emotion dysregulation mediates the relationship between nightmares and psychotic experiences: Results from a student population

Sleep-disruption is commonly associated with psychotic experiences. Whilst sparse, the literature to date highlights nightmares and related distress as prominent risk factors for psychosis in students. We aimed to further explore the relationship between specific nightmare symptoms and psychotic experiences in university students whilst examining the mediating role of emotion dysregulation. A sample (N=1273) of student respondents from UK universities completed measures of psychotic experiences, nightmare disorder symptomology, and emotion dysregulation. Psychotic experiences were significantly more prevalent in students reporting nightmares (n=757) relative to those who did not (n=516). Hierarchical linear regression analysis showed that psychotic experiences were significantly associated (Adjusted R2 = 32.4%) with perceived nightmare intensity, consequences and resulting awakenings, and with emotion regulation difficulties. Furthermore, multiple mediation analysis showed that the association between psychotic experiences and nightmare factors was mediated by emotion regulation difficulties. Adaptive regulation of dream content during rapid eye-movement sleep has previously been demonstrated to attenuate surges in affective arousal by controlling the intensity and variability of emotional content. Difficulties in emotion regulation may partially explain the experience of more intense and disruptive nightmares amongst individuals with psychotic experiences. Emotion regulation may represent an important control mechanism that safeguards dream content and sleep quality