Increasing student engagement in pharmacy law

To enhance student engagement and learning, the use of a social medial platform, Snapchat, was introduced into a cohort of second year pharmacy students (n=160). This study aims to evaluate student perception of this intervention which was used in a pharmacy law module. Participation in the intervention was voluntary. An evaluation survey was designed to understand usage of the Snapchat tool through tick box responses and comment boxes. The survey was given out and collected at the end of a lecture. The response rate was 55.6%. Of those with an active Snapchat account, 90% (n=63/69) had joined our pharmacy law Snapchat account. When asked whether Snapchat supported revision, 91.9% (n=57/62) agreed whilst 81.0% (n=51/63) reported that the snapchat account had increased their knowledge in relation to pharmacy law and 93.8% (n=60/64) would recommend this learning tool to their peers.Keywords:  Student engagement, SnapChat, Social media, Pharmacists, Pharmacy La

A whole-health-economy approach to antimicrobial stewardship: Analysis of current models and future direction.

Antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) strategies are widely implemented in single healthcare sectors and organisations; however, the extent and impact of integrated AMS initiatives across the whole health economy are unknown. Assessing degree of integration of AMS across the whole health economy and its impact is essential if we are to achieve a ‘One Health’ approach to addressing antimicrobial resistance (AMR), and therefore we searched systematically for and analysed published examples of integrated AMS initiatives to address this gap. Application of a system-level framework to analyse integration of AMS initiatives across and within healthcare sectors shows that integration is emerging but needs strengthening. Findings from a small number of evaluations in high-income countries suggest that antimicrobial prescribing and healthcare-associated infections can be reduced using a multisectoral integrated AMS approach. More robust research designs to evaluate and understand the impact of multisectoral integrated AMS are needed, particularly with respect to differing health systems in different countries and local organisational contexts. Our analysis highlights a number of challenges and ways forward for enhancing the delivery of AMS through an integrated approach

CONTROLLING CRACK WIDTHS IN WALLS RESTRAINED AT THEIR BASE AND ENDS

Following casting, concrete cracks if early-age thermal (EAT) and long-term (LT) shrinkage movement is restrained. Crack control is of particular importance in walls which rely solely on concrete for water tightness, such as retaining walls and water resisting tanks. It is well established that the cracking behaviour of end restrained members is very different from that of edge restrained walls. For this reason, both restraint types are considered separately in literature and in codes of practice such as Eurocode 2 (EN 1992). In reality, combined edge and end restraint is present in many reinforced concrete (RC) structures. In the absence of design recommendations for combined restraint, U.K. engineers commonly design crack control reinforcement for end restraint as it is the worst case. In the authors’ opinion, this is wasteful as it leads to the provision of unnecessary reinforcement. To this end, an experimental programme was conducted to investigate cracking in RC walls with combined base and end restraint. The measured and calculated crack widths are compared with the predictions of EN 1992 for edge and end restraint. The results suggest that crack widths in walls with combined edge and end restraint can be calculated with the EN 1992 equations for cracking in edge restrained walls

Advances in friction stir welding of steel : Project HILDA

A microstructure and property evaluation of friction stir welded DH36 6mm plate has been undertaken. The study examined a wide range of process parameters and, from this, a process parameter envelope has been developed and an initial process parameter set established that gives good welding properties. Thermo-mechanical deformation studies were developed to generate flow stress regimes over a range of stain rates and temperatures and these data will support the on-going local numerical modelling development. A preliminary thermo-fluid model has been developed to predict temperature and material flow during the FSW of steel grade DH36. In this model, materials are considered as highly viscous incompressible fluid. The welded material is flowing around the rotating tool thanks to the modelling of the friction at tool/workpiece interface. In parallel, a global numerical model is being developed to predict the inherent residual stresses and distortion of FSW butt welded assemblies often in excess of 6m long plate

Tallaba

Ġabra ta’ poeżiji u proża li tinkludi: Il-Bravi fid-Dar ta’ Luċija ta’ Dun Pawl – X’Qasma ta’ Qalb ta’ C. M. D – Innu ta’ G. M. A. – Ġens il-Malti ta’ R. Briffa – It-Tallaba minn ta’ Matilde Serao ta’ Ġużè Micallef GoggiN/

Theory and practice of advisory work in a time of turbulences

The Maltese ministry responsible for agriculture until recently offered a free of charge extension service. In view of the need for structured advisory facilities, and the risk that farmers resort to unofficial sources of information, the same ministry has taken the initiative to regulate, monitor and support this service by the relevant legal framework and EAFRD measures in the Rural Development Programme for the period 2007-2013 (Ministry for Rural Affairs and the Environment, 2007). The newly set up private Farm Advisory Service (FAS) providers can be considered as the latest development in the provision of institutionalised advisory and extension services in Malta. Their role is crucial in empowering producers to face the challenges and exploit opportunities brought about as a result of Malta’s membership in the EU. Although Maltese rural society has a rich history and experience within the cooperative movement, the formation, and fiscal realities of producer organisations has so far been limited and problematic. The intent of this paper is to identify some of the constraints and highlight possible mitigation options that could serve as recommendations for future action.peer-reviewe

The influence of photovoltaics on roof thermal performance - an analysis of convective heat transfer coefficients

In a Mediterranean climate, given the absence of snow, flat roofs are typical of both vernacular and modern architecture. Thermal mass, cross ventilation and night time cooling are standard passive design aids that inhibit indoor temperature build-up on hot summer days. Such flat roofs provide a golden opportunity for free-orientation of PV (photovoltaic) panels, unlike pitched roofs. There is established scientific evidence that their presence on flat roofs also helps curtail surface temperatures of the heavy mass structure, by means of (i) solar shading and (ii) convective cooling at given angles. Both factors in turn lower the convective heat transfer coefficient (CHTC) of the roof structure, thus inhibiting early seasonal temperature build-up. This contributes to lower cooling loads, thus reducing both the carbon footprint of the building as well as lowering energy costs for the owners. Such a holistic contribution is deemed to uphold the social, environmental and economic challenges of today. This study purports to do just that. Through CFD (computational fluid dynamics) this study investigates the effect of flow fields over a typical flat roof building mass in a free field for a range of wind velocities. Results indicate that for a higher wind speed, the convective cooling is more significant than at lower wind speeds. This will in turn influence the elemental U-value of the roof structure, thus reducing cooling loads indoors.peer-reviewe

Examination of the risk of reinfection with hepatitis C among injecting drug users who have been tested in Glasgow

Unsafe injecting practices put injecting drug users (IDUs) at repeat exposure to infection with the hepatitis C virus (HCV). It has not yet been determined if spontaneously clearing one's primary infection influences the risk of reinfection; our aim was to estimate the relative risk of reinfection in IDUs who have cleared the virus. We conducted a retrospective study using a large database of HCV test results covering Greater Glasgow Health Board during 1993–2007 to calculate rates of infection and reinfection in current/former IDUs. The relative risk of (re)infection in previously infected compared with never-infected IDUs was estimated using Poisson regression, adjusting for age at study entry, sex, and calendar period of test. Although the rate of reinfection in IDUs who were HCV antibody-positive, RNA-negative at baseline was lower (7/100 person-years, 95% CI: 5–9) than the rate of acute infection in IDUs who were HCV antibody-negative at baseline (10/100 person-years, 95% CI: 9–12), the risk of reinfection was not significantly different than the risk of initial infection (adjusted rate ratio = 0.78, 95% CI: 0.57–1.08). We found only weak evidence for a reduced risk of HCV reinfection in IDUs who had cleared their previous infection. Further research among those who have cleared infection through antiviral therapy is needed to help inform decisions regarding treatment of IDUs

Political risk in light rail transit PPP projects

Since 2003 public-private partnerships (PPPs) have represented between 10 and 13.5% of the total investment in public services in the UK. The macro-economic and political benefits of PPPs were among the key drivers for central government's decision to promote this form of procurement to improve UK public services. Political support for a PPP project is critical and is frequently cited as the most important critical success factor. This paper investigates the significance of political support and reviews the treatment of political risk in a business case by the public sector project sponsor for major UK-based light rail transit PPP projects during their development stage. The investigation demonstrates that in the early project stages it is not traditional quantitative Monte Carlo risk analysis that is important; rather it is the identification and representation of political support within a business case together with an understanding of how this information is then used to inform critical project decisions