Nick Clegg’s rise and fall as a celebrity politician highlights the Deputy Prime Minister as a victim of the increasing personification of British politics

Nick Clegg has occupied a significant place in the popular imagination of the British public since the General Election of 2010. The extraordinary character of politics has shone a more intense light on the Liberal Democrat party with its leader standing in its full glare. Katy Parry and Kay Richardson examine media coverage of ‘Cleggmania’ before and after the election and find an increasing personification of British politics with not-so-subtle undertones of homophobia and sexism

Absolute Magnitude Distribution And Light Curves Of Gamma-Ray Burst Supernovae

Photometry data were collected from the literature and analyzed for supernovae that are thought to have a gamma-ray burst association. There are several gamma-ray burst afterglow light curves that appear to have a supernova component. For these light curves, the supernova component was extracted and analyzed. A supernova light curve model was used to help determine the peak absolute magnitudes as well as estimates for the kinetic energy, ejected mass and nickel mass in the explosion. The peak absolute magnitudes are, on average, brighter than those of similar supernovae (stripped-envelope supernovae) that do not have a gamma-ray burst association, but this can easily be due to a selection effect. However, the kinetic energies and ejected masses were found to be considerably higher, on average, than those of similar supernovae without a gamma-ray burst association.Comment: Accepted by AJ, 16 pages, 5 figure

Identification and characterisation of HNF1B as a pro-tumorigenic lineage factor in clear cell renal cell carcinoma

Clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) is the most common subtype of renal cancer. ccRCCs exhibit considerable genetic intratumour heterogeneity, and current therapies lack long-term efficacy due to drug resistance. Novel therapeutic targets are thus required to combat this disease. The most effective targets are likely to be factors essential for maintaining ccRCC cell phenotypes and survival across all tumour subclones. Transcription factors (TFs) are appealing candidates as they are key determinants of cellular phenotypes, including in cancer. There is growing evidence to suggest that lineage-specific TFs often play important roles in tumourigenesis and tumour progression. ccRCC phenotypes may also be fundamentally defined by tissue-specific core transcriptional networks. Thus, the aim of my PhD thesis was to identify novel TF dependencies in ccRCC, and characterise the mechanisms by which these essential TFs support these tumours. I performed a CRISPR/Cas9-based genetic depletion screen in vitro with an sgRNA library targeting 50 TFs that are highly expressed in RCC. This highlighted HNF1B as a potential tumour dependency in ccRCC. I demonstrated that both HNF1B CRISPR knockout and CRISPRi knockdown conferred a strong selective disadvantage in vitro that was rescued by HNF1B restoration, suggesting that it was a specific effect of HNF1B loss. I also showed that HNF1B knockout impaired tumour initiation and growth in vivo. I showed that HNF1B knockout led to a downregulation of MYC expression, along with a cell cycle defect in G1/S progression and an increase in cell death. HNF1B ChIP-seq in ccRCC cell lines revealed HNF1B binding peaks near the MYC gene, suggesting that HNF1B might directly regulate MYC in ccRCC. I subsequently found that MYC CRISPRi knockdown phenocopied the striking selective disadvantage associated with HNF1B depletion. Taken together, my data suggests that HNF1B-mediated regulation of MYC might be a key mechanism underlying the importance of HNF1B in ccRCC.I received funding from the Medical Research Council (in the form of an MRC Research Studentship, administered by the MRC Cancer Unit). I also received stipend funding from the Funds for Women Graduates (FfWG) in my final year

Anglo-Norman defence strategy in selected English border and maritime counties, 1066-1087

Available from British Library Document Supply Centre-DSC:DXN053478 / BLDSC - British Library Document Supply CentreSIGLEGBUnited Kingdo

A Study of School Personnel\u27s Knowledge Regarding Traumatic Brain Injury

This study attempted to determine if school psychologists are more knowledgeable regarding traumatic brain injury (TBI) today than in a study conducted years ago (Mira, Meck, & Tyler, 1988). Since the Mira, et al. study a federal category has been added to special education legislation, and it was hypothesized that school psychologists would be receiving more training in this area as a result of the addition of the special education category. This study also attempted to determine if regular education teachers, special education teachers, and school psychologists differ in their knowledge of (TBI). A survey from the Mira, et al. study was replicated and sent to regular education teachers, special education teachers, and school psychologists in Illinois. The results indicate that school psychologists were not significantly more knowledgeable than in the previous study. Although school psychologists were significantly more knowledgeable than either regular or special education teachers regarding TBI, school psychologists only averaged one and a half more correct answers than the other two groups. The implications of this study are that all three groups, regular education teachers, special education teachers, and school psychologists could all benefit from additional training in this area

Developing the Role of the Clinical Academic Nurse, Midwife and Allied Health Professional in Healthcare Organisations

Clinical academics provide key contributions to positive outcomes in the delivery of high-quality health and social care; however, building capacity and capability for these roles for Nurses, Midwives and Allied Health Professionals (NMAHPs) within contemporary healthcare settings is often complex and challenging. Accessing funding and training, such as that provided by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), can remain beyond the reach of NMAHPs at point-of-care delivery because of limited structural empowerment, practical support and a culture inhibiting the growth of clinical academic careers. This article will discuss strategic developments and partnerships from two organisations, both with a positive track record of supporting clinical academic career development for NMAHPs. We aim to provide practical and applicable examples showing how NMAHPs have been supported from foundational to post-doctoral level and outline these under three key headings: strategic commitment; structures to engage, enthuse and empower clinical academic careers; and realising the benefits for staff and patient experience. We contend that a wide-ranging level of support is required to encourage aspiring clinical academics to navigate this complex journey, often where the development of personal confidence, and access to early career models combining clinical and research activity are pivotal. We conclude that when crafted and created effectively with sustainable commitment by organisations, NMAHP clinical academics provide an innovative workforce solution with the knowledge and skills essential for a contemporary NHS healthcare system

Gender differences in perceived stigma among sexual minorities and their related health practices

Stigma, which is partially determined by social norms within specific cultures, can affect individuals in many ways such as direct negative treatment and discrimination as well as medical, social, and psychological disadvantages and problems. Lesbian women, gay men, bisexuals, and pansexuals have endured a long history of stigmatization in the United States (Herek, 1991). There is further evidence suggesting that bisexuals are especially susceptible to stigmatization, not only from heterosexuals (Herek, 2002), but from lesbian women and gay men as well (Ochs, 1996). I hypothesized that among sexual minorities men would report higher levels of perceived stigma than would women, but especially so among bisexual men and women. I hypothesized the more open and “out” a person is about their sexual orientation identity, the more they will report perceived experiences of stigma. I also sought to further examine the relationship between stigmatization and health outcomes, such as visits to healthcare professionals and risky sexual behavior. There was a negative correlation between experienced stigma and openness for male and female participants. Future research should focus on assessing experiences of stigma in sexual minorities by employing measurements designed to assess the perception of the stigmatized individual’s behavior

A feasibility study of acceptance and commitment therapy for emotional dysfunction following psychosis

The experience of psychosis can lead to depression, anxiety and fear. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) facilitates individuals to accept difficult mental experiences and behave in ways that are consistent with personally held values. This study was a single (rater) blind pilot randomised controlled trial of ACT for emotional dysfunction following psychosis. Twenty-seven participants with psychosis were randomised to either: ten sessions of ACT plus treatment as usual (TAU) or TAU alone. The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale, Acceptance and Action Questionnaire, Kentucky Inventory of Mindfulness Skills and Working Alliance Inventory were used. Individuals were assessed at baseline and 3 months post-baseline. The individuals randomised to receive ACT found the intervention acceptable. A significantly greater proportion of the ACT group changed from being depressed at time of entry into the study to not being depressed at follow-up. The ACT group showed a significantly greater increase in mindfulness skills and reduction in negative symptoms. Results indicated that individuals randomised to ACT had significantly fewer crisis contacts over the study. Changes in mindfulness skills correlated positively with changes in depression. ACT appears to offer promise in reducing negative symptoms, depression and crisis contacts in psychosis