An evaluation of seasonal variations in footwear worn by adults with inflammatory arthritis: a cross-sectional observational study using a web-based survey

Background: Foot problems are common in adults with inflammatory arthritis and therapeutic footwear can be effective in managing arthritic foot problems. Accessing appropriate footwear has been identified as a major barrier, resulting in poor adherence to treatment plans involving footwear. Indeed, previous New Zealand based studies found that many people with rheumatoid arthritis and gout wore inappropriate footwear. However, these studies were conducted in a single teaching hospital during the New Zealand summer therefore the findings may not be representative of footwear styles worn elsewhere in New Zealand, or reflect the potential influence of seasonal climate changes. The aim of the study was to evaluate seasonal variations in footwear habits of people with inflammatory arthritic conditions in New Zealand. Methods: A cross-sectional study design using a web-based survey. The survey questions were designed to elicit demographic and clinical information, features of importance when choosing footwear and seasonal footwear habits, including questions related to the provision of therapeutic footwear/orthoses and footwear experiences. Results: One-hundred and ninety-seven participants responded who were predominantly women of European descent, aged between 46–65 years old, from the North Island of New Zealand. The majority of participants identified with having either rheumatoid arthritis (35%) and/or osteoarthritis (57%) and 68% reported established disease (>5 years duration). 18% of participants had been issued with therapeutic footwear. Walking and athletic shoes were the most frequently reported footwear type worn regardless of the time of year. In the summer, 42% reported wearing sandals most often. Comfort, fit and support were reported most frequently as the footwear features of greatest importance. Many participants reported difficulties with footwear (63%), getting hot feet in the summer (63%) and the need for a sandal which could accommodate a supportive insole (73%). Conclusions: Athletic and walking shoes were the most popular style of footwear reported regardless of seasonal variation. During the summer season people with inflammatory arthritis may wear sandals more frequently in order to accommodate disease-related foot deformity. Healthcare professionals and researchers should consider seasonal variation when recommending appropriate footwear, or conducting footwear studies in people with inflammatory arthritis, to reduce non-adherence to prescribed footwear

Computational and experimental investigation of the strain rate sensitivity of small punch testing of the high-entropy alloy CoCrFeMnNi

The suitability of determining the strain rate sensitivity (SRS) of the CoCrFeMnNi high-entropy alloy (HEA) by small punch (SP) testing has been assessed at displacement rates ranging from 0.2 to 2 mm∙min−1. The stress was found to increase as the displacement rate was raised from 0.2 to 2 mm∙min−1, whereas the plastic strain distributions were similar in all cases. However, for a higher displacement rate of 10 mm∙min−1, the sample was found to exhibit a drop in strength and ductility attributed to casting defects. The strain-rate sensitivity exponent (m) was found to be 0.1387 whilst the Finite Element Analysis (FEA) simulations predicted a slightly smaller value of 0.1313. This latter value is closer to m = 0.091 obtained from nanoindentation strain rate jump tests since the results are insensitive to the presence of small casting defects. The relationship between the experimental and the empirically derived predicted properties from the SP tests revealed a high level of agreement for maximum stress properties. The properties predicted at 2 mm∙min−1 (R2 = 0.96) offered a stronger fit than at 0.5 mm∙min−1 (R2 = 0.92)

Spatial and environmental drivers of macrophyte diversity and community composition in temperate and tropical calcareous rivers

The hypothesis was examined that sources of variation in macrophyte species richness (alpha-diversity: S) and community composition (“species-set”), attributable to spatial and environmental, variables, may differ in importance between tropical and temperate calcareous rivers (>10 mg CaCO3 L−1). To test this hypothesis geographic, environmental, and aquatic vegetation data was acquired for 1151 sites on calcareous rivers within the British Isles, supporting 106 macrophyte species (mean S: 3.1 species per sample), and 203 sites from Zambian calcareous rivers, supporting 255 macrophyte species (mean S: 8.3 species per sample). The data were analysed using an eigenfunction spatial analysis procedure, Moran’s Eigenvector Maps (MEM), to assess spatial variation of species richness and community composition at large regional scale (>105 km2: British Isles and Zambia); and at medium catchment scale (104–105 km2: British Isles only). Variation-partitioning was undertaken using multiple regression for species richness data, and partial redundancy analysis (pRDA) for community data. For the British Isles, spatial and environmental variables both significantly contributed to explaining variation in both species richness and community composition. In addition, a substantial amount of the variation in community composition, for the British Isles as a whole and for some RBUs, was accounted for by spatially-structured environmental variables. In Zambia, species richness was explained only by pure spatial variables, but environmental and spatially-structured environmental variables also explained a significant part of the variation for community composition. At medium-scale, in the British Isles, species richness was explained by spatial variables, and only for four of the six RBUs

20/20 Vision - What does the next 20 years hold for citizenship education?

Citizenship is a feeling, status and practice. It is essentially about living together and working to transform society towards greater democracy and social justice. It is a curriculum space shared by educational movements for human rights, political literacy, sustainable development, peace and equalities. Implementing this synthesis of politics, philosophy, sociology, law and international relations is an adventure in curriculum development. I identify three periods of Citizenship in England, analysing opportunities and significant and severe threats now and in the future

Rethinking cultural diversity in the UK film sector:practices in community filmmaking

© The Author(s) 2017. Academic, policy and industry debates have tended to focus on the mainstream film sector when discussing cultural diversity. One of the persistent challenges for the sector has been how to diversify cultural representation and participation. This article suggests that participatory modes of community filmmaking make an important contribution to cultural diversity. Drawing on an evidence base derived from qualitative research conducted in three English regions, the article shifts the spotlight away from the mainstream and onto the margins of the film sector in order to explore more ‘bottom-up’ approaches to cultural diversity. It examines how community filmmakers interpret and engage with questions of cultural diversity and how this connects to the participatory and business practices that they adopt. The findings highlight the significance of processes of practice in how mediated cultural diversity manifests itself and the value of community filmmaking in contributing to wider cultural diversity debates and practices.The authors thank the Arts and Humanities Research Council (UK) for funding the ‘Community Filmmaking and Cultural Diversity: Practice, Innovation and Policy project’ (2013–2014)

Reviewing, indicating, and counting books for modern research evaluation systems

In this chapter, we focus on the specialists who have helped to improve the conditions for book assessments in research evaluation exercises, with empirically based data and insights supporting their greater integration. Our review highlights the research carried out by four types of expert communities, referred to as the monitors, the subject classifiers, the indexers and the indicator constructionists. Many challenges lie ahead for scholars affiliated with these communities, particularly the latter three. By acknowledging their unique, yet interrelated roles, we show where the greatest potential is for both quantitative and qualitative indicator advancements in book-inclusive evaluation systems.Comment: Forthcoming in Glanzel, W., Moed, H.F., Schmoch U., Thelwall, M. (2018). Springer Handbook of Science and Technology Indicators. Springer Some corrections made in subsection 'Publisher prestige or quality