Political concepts

Written by a powerful international team of theorists, this book offers a sophisticated analysis of the central political concepts in the light of recent debates in political theory. All political argument employs political concepts. They provide the building blocks needed to construct a case for or against a given political position. To address such issues as whether or not development aid is too low, income tax too high, or how to cope with poverty and the distribution of wealth, citizens must develop views on what individuals are entitled to, what they owe to others, and the role of individual choice and responsibility in these areas. These matters turn on an understanding of concepts such as rights, equality and liberty and the ways they relate to each other. People of different political persuasions interpret such key political concepts in different ways. This book introduces students to some of the main interpretations, pointing out their strengths and weaknesses. It covers a broad range of the main concepts employed in contemporary political and theoretical debates. Separate chapters look at liberty, rights, social justice, political obligation, nationalism, punishment, social exclusion, legitimacy, the rule of law, multiculturalism, gender, public and private, democracy, environmentalism, international justice and just war. This book is perfect for students of political theory and political ideology, and indeed anyone approaching political theory for the first time

Political concepts

Written by a powerful international team of theorists, this book offers a sophisticated analysis of the central political concepts in the light of recent debates in political theory. All political argument employs political concepts. They provide the building blocks needed to construct a case for or against a given political position. To address such issues as whether or not development aid is too low, income tax too high, or how to cope with poverty and the distribution of wealth, citizens must develop views on what individuals are entitled to, what they owe to others, and the role of individual choice and responsibility in these areas. These matters turn on an understanding of concepts such as rights, equality and liberty and the ways they relate to each other. People of different political persuasions interpret such key political concepts in different ways. This book introduces students to some of the main interpretations, pointing out their strengths and weaknesses. It covers a broad range of the main concepts employed in contemporary political and theoretical debates. Separate chapters look at liberty, rights, social justice, political obligation, nationalism, punishment, social exclusion, legitimacy, the rule of law, multiculturalism, gender, public and private, democracy, environmentalism, international justice and just war. This book is perfect for students of political theory and political ideology, and indeed anyone approaching political theory for the first time

Evaluation of Struthio camelus eggshell as an in vitro alternative to extracted human teeth in preliminary screening studies on dental erosion

Abstract Objectives This in vitro work investigates the potential of ostrich eggshell as a substitute for extracted human teeth in preliminary screening studies on dental erosion. Additionally, it aims to demonstrate the potential of ostrich eggshell compared to human enamel in evaluating the efficacy of a preventive agent in protecting against dental erosion, using an artificial mouth model. Methods The experiment utilized 96 erosion testing specimens from each substrate, human enamel, and ostrich eggshell. The specimens were subjected to six different experimental regimens of increasing erosive challenge, simulating the consumption of an acidic drink. The acidic drink was delivered at a consistent volume and duration range. Both artificially stimulated and unstimulated saliva flowed throughout the experimental regimens. Surface hardness was measured using a Through‐Indenter Viewing hardness tester with a Vickers diamond, while surface profiling was done using a surface contacting profilometer with a diamond stylus. An automated chemistry analyzer system was used to detect calcium and phosphate ions. Results The study found that ostrich eggshell specimens demonstrated predictable surface loss, hardness drop, and ion loss due to the acidic challenge. Meanwhile, enamel appeared to fall short in terms of surface hardness predictability. The transient hardness loss phase, which manifests as an overlooked decrease in surface hardness despite significant ion and structural loss, may explain this phenomenon. Conclusions The experiment showed that assessing surface loss is essential in addition to hardness testing, particularly as certain experimental conditions may produce a false perception of tissue recovery despite the actual surface loss. By analyzing the response of ostrich eggshell specimens to erosive challenges, researchers were able to identify an “overlooked” reduction in hardness in enamel specimens. The differences in the structure, chemical composition, and biological response to erosion in the presence of artificial saliva between enamel and ostrich eggshell could explain their distinct behaviors

An exploration of how working in the Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) programme, might affect the personal and professional development of counsellors: an analytical autoenthnographic study

This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in British Journal of Guidance and Counselling on 29th August 2018, available online: https://doi.org/10.1080/03069885.2018.1516860Since implementing the Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) programme in 2008, provision of counselling and other idiographic approaches to psychological therapy in the English National Health Service (NHS) has been reduced to several manualised therapies supported by NICE guidelines for depression and anxiety. Many counsellors who previously provided psychological therapies in the NHS subsequently left or retrained in IAPT compliant models of treatment. This study explores the effect that working in IAPT services over an eight-year period had on the professional and personal development of the primary author, resulting in a strong exhortation for counsellors to take advantage of, and influence the professional development opportunities it presents. This study takes an analytical autoenthnographic approach, undertaking the thematic analysis of naturally occurring data, taken from previously published opinion columns in a professional journal, and an unpublished doctoral assignment to illuminate previously unrecognised narrative. Themes of ideological resistance, and being out-group resulting in a sense of professional loss, uncertainty and cessation of professional development preceded acceptance of the IAPT nomothetic ideology. After which, a sense of being in-group facilitated a sense of gain, certainty, and the reimplementation of professional growth. Counsellors in IAPT may be prejudiced by their idiographic ideology. Professional uncertainty and a sense of loss could inhibit professional development. Development of a pluralistic ideological stance, and integrative approach to treatment is encouraged. Counsellors who accept a Cinderella like status in IAPT, are exhorted to adapt, influence from within, and thrive in IAPT

Stimulation of the tibial nerve: a protocol for a multicentred randomised controlled trial for urinary problems associated with Parkinson’s disease—STARTUP

Introduction Parkinson’s disease is the second most common chronic neurodegenerative condition with bladder dysfunction affecting up to 71%. Symptoms affect quality of life and include urgency, frequency, hesitancy, nocturia and incontinence. Addressing urinary dysfunction is one of the top 10 priority research areas identified by the James Lind Alliance and Parkinson’s UK. Objectives Conduct a randomised controlled trial (RCT) targeting people with Parkinson’s disease (PwP) who have self-reported problematic lower urinary tract symptoms, investigating the effectiveness of transcutaneous tibial nerve stimulation (TTNS) compared with sham TTNS. Implement a standardised training approach and package for the correct application of TTNS. Conduct a cost-effectiveness analysis of TTNS compared with sham TTNS. Methods and analysis An RCT of 6 weeks with twice weekly TTNS or sham TTNS. Participants will be recruited in 12 National Health Service neurology/movement disorder services, using a web-based randomisation system, and will be shown how to apply TTNS or sham TTNS. Participants will receive a weekly telephone call from the researchers during the intervention period. The trial has two coprimary outcome measures: International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire-Urinary Incontinence Short Form and the International Prostate Symptom Score. Secondary outcomes include a 3-day bladder diary, quality of life, acceptability and fidelity and health economic evaluation. Outcomes will be measured at 0, 6 and 12 weeks. A sample size of 208 randomised in equal numbers to the two arms will provide 90% power to detect a clinically important difference of 2.52 points on the Internatioanl Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire - Short Form (ICIQ-SF) and of 3 points in the International Prostate Symptom Score total score at 12 weeks at 5% significance level, based on an SD of 4.7 in each arm and 20% attrition at 6 weeks. Analysis will be by intention to treat and pre defined in a statistical analysis plan Ethics and dissemination East of Scotland Research Ethics Service (EoSRES), 18/ES00042, obtained on 10 May 2018. The trial will allow us to determine effectiveness, safety, cost and acceptability of TTNS for bladder dysfunction in PWP. Results will be published in open access journals; lay reports will be posted to all participants and presented at conferences. Trial registration number ISRCTN12437878; Pre-results

Smart Systems Implementation in UK Food Manufacturing Companies:A Sustainability Perspective

The UK food industry faces significant challenges to remain sustainable. With major challenges, such as Brexit, on the horizon, companies can no longer rely on a low labour cost workforce to maintain low production costs and achieve economic sustainability. Smart Systems (SS) is being seen as an approach towards achieving significant improvements in both economic and environmental sustainability. However, there is little evidence to indicate whether UK food companies are prepared for the implementation of such systems. The purpose of this research is to explore the applicability of Smart Systems in UK food manufacturing companies, and to identify the key priority areas and improvement levers for the implementation of such systems. A triangulated primary research approach is adopted that includes a questionnaire, follow-up interviews, and visits to 32 food manufacturing companies in the UK. The questionnaire and interviews are guided by a unique measuring instrument that the authors developed that focusses upon SS technologies and systems. This paper makes an original contribution in that it is one of the few academic studies to explore the implementation of SS in the industry, and provides a new perspective on the key drivers and inhibitors of its implementation. The findings suggest that the current turbulence in the industry could be bringing food companies closer to the adoption of such systems; hence, it is a good time to define and develop the optimum SS implementation strategy

Accounting for the power of Nature: using flume and field studies to compare the capacities of bio-energy and fluvial energy to move surficial gravels

River channel, riparian and floodplain forms and dynamics are all influenced strongly by biological processes. However, the influence of macroinvertebrates on entrainment and transport of river sediments remains poorly understood. We use an energy-based approach to explore the capacity of benthic animals to move surficial, gravel-bed particles in field and laboratory settings, and use the results to assess the relative significance of biological and physical benthic processes. Our results showed that in 11 British gravel-bed rivers, the maximum energy content (i.e., calorific content) of macroinvertebrate communities generally matched the flow energy associated with median discharges and, at multiple sites, exceeded that of the 10-year return interval flood. A series of laboratory experiments used to estimate the minimum energy expended by signal crayfish (Pacifastacus leniusculus) when performing geomorphic work established that crayfish move gravel particles at energy levels below that expected of the flow, complicating direct comparisons of the capacity for macroinvertebrates and fluvial flows to influence bed mobility. Our findings suggest that the influence of macroinvertebrate communities in either promoting, or suppressing, mobilisation of the bed may be large compared to equivalent values of fluvial energy. Based on these findings, we conclude that in the gravel-bed rivers studied, the macroinvertebrate community’s potential to perform geomorphic work matches or exceeds the stream power during most of the year. Although our study examined biological and fluvial energy systems separaetely, it is important to recognise that in Nature these systems are highly interactive. It follows that utilising the energy framework presented in this paper could lead to rapid advances in both fluvial biogeomorphology and river management and restoration