The interpretive approach to religious education : challenging Thompson's interpretation

In a recent book chapter, Matthew Thompson makes some criticisms of my work, including the interpretive approach to religious education and the research and activity of Warwick Religions and Education Research Unit. Against the background of a discussion of religious education in the public sphere, my response challenges Thompson’s account, commenting on his own position in relation to dialogical approaches to religious education. The article rehearses my long held view that the ideal form of religious education in fully state funded schools of a liberal democracy should be ‘secular’ but not ‘secularist’; there should be no implication of an axiomatic secular humanist interpretation of religions

Modeling N2O/NO formation and reduction during combustion of char

The method of combusting coal in a fluidized bed combustor has many advantages. Due to the low combustion temperature, the emission of NOx is low compared to conventional combustion techniques, because at these low temperatures the formation of NOx from N2 and 02 from the fluidizing air (thermal NOx) and NOx formation through oxidation of char bound nitrogen (fuel NOx), is less pronounced. Furthermore it is possible to reduce the emissions of S02 and S03 in the temperature range of a fluidized bed combustor by means of limestone addition to the bed

Monitoring the entry of young people into labour market: the potential of the EU-LFS

Om beter zicht te krijgen op de toetreding van jonge mensen op de arbeidsmarkt in de EU is er in de 'EU Labour Force Study 2000' een ad hoc module geïntroduceerd. Deze module, 'School-To-Work Transition', staat in 2009 opnieuw gepland. Vooruitlopend hierop is SEO Economisch Onderzoek door Eurostat gevraagd het potentieel van de ad hoc module onderzoeken. De doelen van het rapport zijn: analyseren van de belangrijkste kwesties en uitdagingen voor het beleid omtrent toetreding op de arbeidsmarkt van jonge mensen. voorstellen van een set internationaal vergelijkbare en relevante indicatoren. analyseren van het potentieel van de voortdurende EU Labour Force Survey. aanbevelingen doen aangaande geschikte indicatoren voor de ad hoc module en technische specificaties voor een succesvolle implementatie daarvan

Rehabilitation: Periodic somatosensory stimulation increases arterial baroreflex sensitivity in chronic heart failure patients

BACKGROUND: One of the beneficial effects of exercise training in chronic heart failure (CHF) is an improvement in baroreflex sensitivity (BRS), a prognostic index in CHF. In our hypothesis-generating study we propose that at least part of this effect is mediated by neural afferent information, and more specifically, by exercise-induced somatosensory nerve traffic. OBJECTIVE: To compare the effects of periodic electrical somatosensory stimulation on BRS in patients with CHF with the effects of exercise training and with usual care. METHODS: We compared in stable CHF patients the effect of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS, N=23, LVEF 30+/-9%) with the effects of bicycle exercise training (EXTR, N=20, LVEF 32+/-7%). To mimic exercise-associated somatosensory ergoreceptor stimulation, we applied periodic (2/s, marching pace) burst TENS to both feet. TENS and EXTR sessions were held during two successive days. RESULTS: BRS, measured prior to the first intervention session and one day after the second intervention session, increased by 28% from 3.07+/-2.06 to 4.24+/-2.61ms/mmHg in the TENS group, but did not change in the EXTR group (baseline: 3.37+/-2.53ms/mmHg; effect: 3.26+/-2.54ms/mmHg) (P(TENS vs EXTR)=0.02). Heart rate and systolic blood pressure did not change in either group. CONCLUSIONS: We demonstrated that periodic somatosensory input alone is sufficient and efficient in increasing BRS in CHF patients. This concept constitutes a basis for studies towards more effective exercise training regimens in the diseased/impaired, in whom training aimed at BRS improvement should possibly focus more on the somatosensory aspect.Cardiac Dysfunction and Arrhythmia

Heart failure with preserved, mid-range, and reduced ejection fraction across health care settings: an observational study

Aims This study aimed to assess the sex-specific distribution of heart failure (HF) with preserved, mid-range, and reduced ejection fraction across three health care settings.Methods and results In this descriptive observational study, we retrieved the distribution of HF types [with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF), mid-range ejection fraction (HFmrEF), and preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF)] for men and women between 65 and 79 years of age in three health care settings from a single country: (i) patients with screening-detected HF in the high-risk community (i.e. those with shortness of breath, frailty, diabetes mellitus, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) from four screening studies, (ii) patients with confirmed HF from primary care derived from a single observational study, and (iii) patients with confirmed HF from outpatient cardiology clinics participating in a registry. Among 1407 patients from the high-risk community, 288 had screen-detected HF (15% HFrEF, 12% HFmrEF, 74% HFpEF), and 51% of the screen-detected HF patients were women. In both women (82%) and men (65%), HFpEF was the most prevalent HF type. In the routine general practice population (30 practices, 70 000 individuals), among the 160 confirmed HF cases, 35% had HFrEF, 23% HFmrEF, and 43% HFpEF, and in total, 43% were women. In women, HFpEF was the most prevalent HF type (52%), while in men, this was HFrEF (41%). In outpatient cardiology clinics (n = 34), of the 4742 HF patients (66% HFrEF, 15% HFmrEF, 20% HFpEF), 36% were women. In both women (56%) and men (71%), HFrEF was the most prevalent HF type.Conclusions Both HF types and sex distribution vary considerably in HF patients of 65-79 years of age among health care settings. From the high-risk community through to general practice to the cardiology outpatient setting, there is a shift in HF type from HFpEF to HFrEF and a decrease in the proportion of HF patients that are women

Heart failure with preserved, mid-range, and reduced ejection fraction across health care settings: an observational study

Aims This study aimed to assess the sex-specific distribution of heart failure (HF) with preserved, mid-range, and reduced ejection fraction across three health care settings.Methods and results In this descriptive observational study, we retrieved the distribution of HF types [with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF), mid-range ejection fraction (HFmrEF), and preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF)] for men and women between 65 and 79 years of age in three health care settings from a single country: (i) patients with screening-detected HF in the high-risk community (i.e. those with shortness of breath, frailty, diabetes mellitus, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) from four screening studies, (ii) patients with confirmed HF from primary care derived from a single observational study, and (iii) patients with confirmed HF from outpatient cardiology clinics participating in a registry. Among 1407 patients from the high-risk community, 288 had screen-detected HF (15% HFrEF, 12% HFmrEF, 74% HFpEF), and 51% of the screen-detected HF patients were women. In both women (82%) and men (65%), HFpEF was the most prevalent HF type. In the routine general practice population (30 practices, 70 000 individuals), among the 160 confirmed HF cases, 35% had HFrEF, 23% HFmrEF, and 43% HFpEF, and in total, 43% were women. In women, HFpEF was the most prevalent HF type (52%), while in men, this was HFrEF (41%). In outpatient cardiology clinics (n = 34), of the 4742 HF patients (66% HFrEF, 15% HFmrEF, 20% HFpEF), 36% were women. In both women (56%) and men (71%), HFrEF was the most prevalent HF type.Conclusions Both HF types and sex distribution vary considerably in HF patients of 65-79 years of age among health care settings. From the high-risk community through to general practice to the cardiology outpatient setting, there is a shift in HF type from HFpEF to HFrEF and a decrease in the proportion of HF patients that are women