Passing crisis and emergency risk communications: the effects of communication channel, information type, and repetition.

Three experiments explore several factors which influence information transmission when warning messages are passed from person to person. In Experiment 1, messages were passed down chains of participants using five different modes of communication. Written communication channels resulted in more accurate message transmission than verbal. In addition, some elements of the message endured further down the chain than others. Experiment 2 largely replicated these effects and also demonstrated that simple repetition of a message eliminated differences between written and spoken communication. In a final field experiment, chains of participants passed information however they wanted to, with the proviso that half of the chains could not use telephones. Here, the lack of ability to use a telephone did not affect accuracy, but did slow down the speed of transmission from the recipient of the message to the last person in the chain. Implications of the findings for crisis and emergency risk communication are discussed

Extending AdS/CFT: dual states for new geometries

In this thesis we present research that extends our knowledge of the AdS/CFT correspondence; in particular we look at various non-supersymmetric Spacetimes and their conjectured dual field theory states. We consider known U(l) xU(l) invariant spaces and investigate the requirements for smoothness, which results in the construction of new smooth non-supersymmetric soliton solutions with Dl, D5 and momentum charges. We are able to identify dual states for these geometries in the field theory describing D1-D5 systems. Also discussed are interesting aspects of these Spacetimes and new orbifold solutions which are valid string backgrounds. In addition to this, we study time-dependent Spacetimes which are asymptotically locally anti-de Sitter. There are two different Spacetimes with the same asymptotics: the 'bubble of nothing' solutions and higher dimensional BTZ black holes, which are both asymptotically locally anti de Sitter and whose conformal boundaries are both conformal to de Sitter space times a circle. We use the AdS/CFT correspondence to give a description of the spacetimes in the dual field theory. We are also able to relate horizons and their thermodynamic quantities in the bulk and boundary spacetimes and are able to assign entropy to non-compact horizons

Economic analysis of royalactin production under uncertainty: Evaluating the effect of parameter optimization.

Royalactin is a protein with several different potential uses in humans. Research, in insects and in mammalian cells, has shown that it can accelerate cell division and prevent apoptosis. The method of action is through the use of the epidermal growth factor receptor, which is present in humans. Potential use in humans could be to lower cholesterolemic levels in blood, and to elicit similar effects to those seen in bees, e.g., increased lifespan. Mass production of Royalactin has not been accomplished, though a recent article presented a Pichia pastoris fermentation and recovery by aqueous two-phase systems at laboratory scale as a possible basis for production. Economic modelling is a useful tool with which compare possible outcomes for the production of such a molecule and in particular, to locate areas where additional research is needed and optimization may be required. This study uses the BioSolve software to perform an economic analysis on the scale-up of the putative process for Royalactin. The key parameters affecting the cost of production were located via a sensitivity analysis and then evaluated by Monte Carlo analysis. Results show that if titer is not optimized the strategy to maintain a low cost of goods is process oriented. After optimization of this parameter the strategy changes to a product-oriented and the target output becomes the critical parameter determining the cost of goods. This study serves to provide a framework for the evaluation of strategies for future production of Royalactin, by analyzing the factors that influence its cost of manufacture. © 2015 The Authors Biotechnology Progress published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog., 2015

Evaluating the application of research-based guidance to the design of an emergency preparedness leaflet

UNLABELLED: Guidelines for the design of emergency communications were derived from primary research and interrogation of the literature. The guidelines were used to re-design a nuclear emergency preparedness leaflet routinely distributed to households in the local area. Pre-test measures of memory for, and self-reported understanding of, nuclear safety information were collected. The findings revealed high levels of non-receipt of the leaflet, and among those who did receive it, memory for safety advice was poor. Subjective evaluations of the trial leaflet suggested that it was preferred and judged easier to understand than the original. Objective measures of memory for the two leaflets were also recorded, once after the study period, and again one week or four weeks later. Memory for the advice was better, at all time periods, when participants studied the trial leaflet. The findings showcase evaluation of emergency preparedness literature and suggest that extant research findings can be applied to the design of communications to improve memory and understandability. STATEMENT OF RELEVANCE: Studies are described that showcase the use of research-based guidelines to design emergency communications and provide both subjective and objective data to support designing emergency communications in this way. In addition, the research evaluates the effectiveness of emergency preparedness leaflets that are routinely distributed to households. This work is of relevance to academics interested in risk communication and to practitioners involved in civil protection and emergency preparedness

Direct Detection of Quantum Phase Errors in Spatially Multiplexed Transmission Channels

We introduce a protocol for direct detection of arbitrary continuous phase errors in transmission of multi-photon spatially entangled quantum states, and present a design and experimental evidence for its realization in an integrated photonic circuit.This work was supported by the Australian Research Council (DP160100619) and Australia-Germany Joint Research Cooperation Scheme

Challenges of developing decision-support LCA tools in the biopharmaceutical industry

The biopharmaceutical industry has been slow in carrying out LCA analyses. However, as the industry matures, the level of scrutiny placed on this industry by international governments will increase and hence, there is an urgent need for the industry to implement decision-support tools for the decision-making processes. Decision-support tools based on life cycle assessment (LCA) can be potentially used for application in the biopharmaceutical industry as an aid to decision making. This paper sets out the challenges associated with developing such decision-support LCA tools. This paper highlights that in order for the industry to overcome these challenges and successfully develop decision-support LCA tools, they require a broader understanding of the biopharmaceutical manufacturing processes and LCA methodology

The future of community nursing: Hospital in the Home

With an increasing ageing population who often have multiple long-term conditions, there is a growing need to provide an alternative type of care to the traditional hospital-based model. ‘Hospital in the Home’ is a model that provides integrated care for patients in their home. The @home service was established in 2013 by Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust. The service provides health care in patients' home, supporting early discharge from hospital as well as preventing avoidable admissions and readmissions saving valuable hospital bed days and reducing length of stay. This article describes the service available with the use of a case study of a 78-year-old lady who was referred by the London Ambulance Service with exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). This case study highlights the ability to assess, treat and manage an acutely unwell patient with newly diagnosed heart failure in the community without the need for hospitalisation. This type of integrated care model with a multidisciplinary team is a feasible alternative to the traditional models of care in both the acute and community settings. </jats:p

Nonsupersymmetric smooth geometries and D1-D5-P bound states

We construct smooth nonsupersymmetric soliton solutions with D1-brane, D5-brane, and momentum charges in type IIB supergravity compactified on T4×S1, with the charges along the compact directions. This generalizes previous studies of smooth supersymmetric solutions. The solutions are obtained by considering a known family of U(1)×U(1) invariant metrics, and studying the conditions imposed by requiring smoothness. We discuss the relation of our solutions to states in the CFT describing the D1-D5 system and describe various interesting features of the geometry

The development of an evaluation framework for a Hospital at Home service

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to share good practice with interested professionals, commissioners and health service managers regarding the development of an evidence-based approach to evaluation of an integrated care service providing acute level care for patients in their own homes in South London called the Guys and St Thomas’ @home service. Design/methodology/approach – A literature review related to Hospital at Home (HH) schemes was carried out with an aim of scoping approaches used during previous evaluations of HH type interventions to inform the development of an evaluation strategy for @home. The results of the review were then applied to the Donabedian (1988) conceptual model: Structure; Process; and Outcome and contextualised to the population being served by the scheme to ensure a robust, practical and comprehensive approach to evaluation. Findings – Due to the heterogeneity of the studies it was not possible to conduct a systematic review or meta-analysis. In total, 28 studies were identified that met the inclusion criteria and included both HH to facilitate early discharge and admission prevention across a wide range of conditions. The key finding was there is a dearth of literature evaluating staff preparation to work on HH, models of delivery, specifically integrated care and trans-disciplinary working and few studies included the experiences of family carers. Originality/value – This paper will be of value to those involved in the commissioning and delivery of HH and other models of integrated care services type services and will help to inform evaluation strategies that are practical, evidence based and include all stakeholder perspectives.Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, London, U