Sport in the city: measuring economic significance at the local level

In many cities throughout Europe, sport is increasingly being used as a tool for economic revitalisation. While there has been a growth in literature relating to the specific economic impacts of sports-led development, including professional sport facilities, teams, and sport events, limited research has been undertaken on the contribution of the whole sport sector to output and employment. In the United Kingdom (UK), studies have focused on evaluating sport-related economic activity at the national level, yet despite the increasing use of sport for local economic development little research has been undertaken at the city level. To address this situation, this article uses the National Income Accounting framework to measure the economic importance of sport in Sheffield, UK. It shows that the value-added in 1996/97 was 165.61m or 4.11% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP), approximately twice the amount predicted from current national estimates. It is argued that this can primarily be explained by previous studies under-estimating the economic importance of sport, largely due to methodological differences. It goes on to suggest that future research on the significance of sport should be undertaken at the local level to provide policymakers with information at the spatial level where regeneration programmes are being implemented.</p

Lanthanide-doped CaS and SrS luminescent nanocrystals : A single-source precursor approach for doping

The incorporation of dopants with optical or magnetic functionalities into colloidal nanocrystals (NCs) has been a longstanding challenge for nanomaterial research. A deeper understanding of the doping kinetics will aid a better control of the doping process. In particular, alkaline-earth sulfides are an important class of host materials for a range of luminescent dopants, including transition-metal and lanthanide ions. Their nanocrystalline analogues have many potential applications. However, the lack of synthetic methodologies hampers their development. Here we introduce a single-source precursor approach that successfully leads to Ce3+- and Eu2+-doped CaS and SrS luminescent NCs with diameters of ∼10 nm and with luminescent properties similar to those of the bulk analogues. The characteristic absorption and luminescence of Ce3+ and Eu2+ depend on the local coordination and are applied to probe dopant ion internalization. We demonstrate that controlling the reactivity of the precursors is crucial for achieving effective doping. By designing the chemical structure of the dopant precursor to vary the reactivity relative to that of the host precursor, the doping efficiency can be controlled. In addition, we have applied a growth doping strategy to further improve internalization of the dopants. Finally, we demonstrate nucleation doping as an alternative method to achieve lanthanide NC doping for dopant and host precursors with strongly different reactivities. The single-source precursor approaches proposed here allow for a flexible design of synthesis strategies and have the potential to be widely applicable to the doping of colloidal chalcogenide NCs with transition-metal and lanthanide dopant ions

Lanthanide-doped CaS and SrS luminescent nanocrystals: A single-source precursor approach for doping

The incorporation of dopants with optical or magnetic functionalities into colloidal nanocrystals (NCs) has been a longstanding challenge for nanomaterial research. A deeper understanding of the doping kinetics will aid a better control of the doping process. In particular, alkaline-earth sulfides are an important class of host materials for a range of luminescent dopants, including transition-metal and lanthanide ions. Their nanocrystalline analogues have many potential applications. However, the lack of synthetic methodologies hampers their development. Here we introduce a single-source precursor approach that successfully leads to Ce3+- and Eu2+-doped CaS and SrS luminescent NCs with diameters of ∼10 nm and with luminescent properties similar to those of the bulk analogues. The characteristic absorption and luminescence of Ce3+ and Eu2+ depend on the local coordination and are applied to probe dopant ion internalization. We demonstrate that controlling the reactivity of the precursors is crucial for achieving effective doping. By designing the chemical structure of the dopant precursor to vary the reactivity relative to that of the host precursor, the doping efficiency can be controlled. In addition, we have applied a growth doping strategy to further improve internalization of the dopants. Finally, we demonstrate nucleation doping as an alternative method to achieve lanthanide NC doping for dopant and host precursors with strongly different reactivities. The single-source precursor approaches proposed here allow for a flexible design of synthesis strategies and have the potential to be widely applicable to the doping of colloidal chalcogenide NCs with transition-metal and lanthanide dopant ions

Diabetes-related distress over the course of illness : results from the Diacourse study

AIMS: To investigate the relationship between diabetes duration and diabetes-related distress and to examine the impact of micro- and macrovascular complications and blood glucose-lowering treatment on this relationship. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional study in people with Type 2 diabetes who participated in the Dutch Diacourse study (n = 590) and completed the Problem Areas in Diabetes questionnaire. Data on diabetes duration, micro- and macrovascular complications and blood glucose-lowering treatment were collected. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to investigate the association between diabetes duration and diabetes-related distress, and to examine whether complications and treatment could explain this association. RESULTS: A significant linear and quadratic association between diabetes duration and diabetes-related distress was found (duration: β = 0.27, P = 0.005; duration(2) : β = -0.21, P = 0.030). The association between duration and distress could be explained by microvascular complications and insulin treatment, which were both more often present in people with a longer diabetes duration, and were associated with higher levels of diabetes-related distress (β = 0.20, P < 0.001 and β = 0.16, P = 0.006 respectively). Duration, age, gender, complications and treatment together explained 13.1% of the variance in distress. CONCLUSIONS: Diabetes duration was associated with diabetes-related distress. This association can be explained largely by the presence of diabetes-related microvascular complications and insulin treatment. Healthcare providers should focus on distress in people with Type 2 diabetes in different stages over the course of illness, especially when complications are present or when people are on insulin treatment. As well as diabetes duration, complications and blood glucose-lowering treatment, diabetes-related distress is likely to be influenced by many other factors

Lanthanide-Doped CaS and SrS Luminescent Nanocrystals: A Single-Source Precursor Approach for Doping

The incorporation of dopants with optical or magnetic functionalities into colloidal nanocrystals (NCs) has been a longstanding challenge for nanomaterial research. A deeper understanding of the doping kinetics will aid a better control of the doping process. In particular, alkaline-earth sulfides are an important class of host materials for a range of luminescent dopants, including transition-metal and lanthanide ions. Their nanocrystalline analogues have many potential applications. However, the lack of synthetic methodologies hampers their development. Here we introduce a single-source precursor approach that successfully leads to Ce³⁺- and Eu²⁺-doped CaS and SrS luminescent NCs with diameters of ∼10 nm and with luminescent properties similar to those of the bulk analogues. The characteristic absorption and luminescence of Ce³⁺ and Eu²⁺ depend on the local coordination and are applied to probe dopant ion internalization. We demonstrate that controlling the reactivity of the precursors is crucial for achieving effective doping. By designing the chemical structure of the dopant precursor to vary the reactivity relative to that of the host precursor, the doping efficiency can be controlled. In addition, we have applied a growth doping strategy to further improve internalization of the dopants. Finally, we demonstrate nucleation doping as an alternative method to achieve lanthanide NC doping for dopant and host precursors with strongly different reactivities. The single-source precursor approaches proposed here allow for a flexible design of synthesis strategies and have the potential to be widely applicable to the doping of colloidal chalcogenide NCs with transition-metal and lanthanide dopant ions

What are the combined effects of negative emotions and illness cognitions on self-care in people with type 2 diabetes? A longitudinal structural equation model

Objective To explore whether negative emotions mediate the effect of diabetes cognitions on diabetes self-care and conversely whether diabetes cognitions mediate the effect of negative emotions on diabetes self-care. Design Longitudinal observational study in adults with Type 2 diabetes. Main outcome measures Self-reported depression and anxiety (Diabetes Wellbeing Questionnaire), cognitions (Illness Perceptions Questionnaire-Revised; Beliefs about Medicines Questionnaire), and diabetes self-care (Summary of Diabetes Self-Care Activities Scale) were completed at baseline and six months. Analyses used structural equation modelling. Results Baseline medication concerns were associated with elevated symptoms of depression and anxiety at follow-up, but emotions did not mediate medication concern’s effect on diabetes self-care. Baseline depression and anxiety symptoms were associated with specific diabetes cognitions over time, but these cognition domains did not mediate emotion’s effect on diabetes self-care. Personal control remained independent of emotions and was associated with diabetes self-care over time. Conclusions Negative emotions did not act directly or alongside cognitions to influence diabetes self-care. The reciprocal relationship between diabetes cognitions and emotions suggests cognitive restructuring, in addition to other mood management intervention techniques would likely improve the emotional wellbeing of adults with Type 2 diabetes. Likewise, personal control beliefs are likely important intervention targets for improving self-care