Skills for self employment

This small scale, explorative research study looks at the hitherto relatively under-researched question of the role of skills and training in the development of self employment. It draws on a literature review, data analysis from the Labour Force Survey, and a series of expert interviews. We summarise here the main findings from the research and, where appropriate, we highlight possible policy implications of those findings, although given the small scale, exploratory nature of the study, some of these issues would benefit from further investigation(and the report highlights possible avenues for new research to fill these gaps: see section 6.7). In thinking about policy we do not, for the most part, recommend specific interventions. Rather we highlight the kinds of considerations that policy-makers should be aware of when designing interventions" -- page i (Evidence Report). "This Annex presents an analysis of Labour Force Survey data, to provide descriptive statistics on the nature and extent of self-employment in the UK" -- page 1 (Annex)

Lipid-laden alveolar macrophages and pH monitoring in gastroesophageal reflux-related respiratory symptoms

Lipid-laden alveolar macrophages and pH monitoring have been used in the diagnosis of chronic aspiration in children with gastroesophageal reflux (GER). This study was conducted to prove a correlation between the detection of alimentary pulmonary fat phagocytosis and an increasing amount of proximal gastroesophageal reflux. It was assumed that proximal gastroesophageal reflux better correlates with aspiration than distal GER. Patients from 6 months to 16 years with unexplained recurrent wheezy bronchitis and bronchial hyperreactivity, or recurrent pneumonia with chronic cough underwent 24-hour double-channel pH monitoring and bronchoscopy with bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL). Aspiration of gastric content was determined by counting lipid laden alveolar macrophages from BAL specimens. There were no correlations between any pH-monitoring parameters and counts of lipid-laden macrophages in the whole study population, even when restricting analysis to those with abnormal reflux index expressing clinically significant GER. Quantifying lipid-laden alveolar macrophages from BAL in children with gastroesophageal-related respiratory disorders does not have an acceptable specificity to prove chronic aspiration as an underlying etiology. Therefore, research for other markers of pulmonary aspiration is needed

Conversations about safe firearm storage with patients: why and how

This project outlines the need for firearm safe storage counseling in the medical encounter and provides some evidence-based suggestions regarding how to approach conversations about safe firearm storage with patients.https://scholarworks.uvm.edu/fmclerk/1704/thumbnail.jp

A New Cultural Diplomacy: The integration of Cultural Relations and diplomacy

The definition and understanding of Cultural Diplomacy are changing; and they are doing so at a moment when the European Commission is rethinking its own external representation in cultural terms. The joint ifa/EUNIC conference in April 2016 brought together thinkers to contribute to debate on what the closer integration of culture and diplomacy means in practice: what opportunities it offers, what risks it holds and - above all - how we should see the potential scope of culturally-framed actions to influence problems traditionally seen as political. Cultural Relations, in other words, are seen as more potent than previously understood - but with this understanding comes the need to integrate Cultural Relations with diplomacy in search of solutions to challenges that are culturally, as well as politically, rooted. This input seeks to outline an approach to the New Cultural Diplomacy (NCD)