Podcasting - putting the library back at the centre of learning

During the first three months of 2006 Glasgow University Library looked at the use of podcasting following a request from Joe Maguire, a final-year student who wanted to carry out a project to podcast a talk on how to gain entry to the building. The introduction of podcasting at Glasgow University has been a user-generated project developed with a user perspective from conception to end service

Podcasting - putting the library back at the centre of learning

During the first three months of 2006 Glasgow University Library looked at the use of podcasting following a request from Joe Maguire, a final-year student who wanted to carry out a project to podcast a talk on how to gain entry to the building. The introduction of podcasting at Glasgow University has been a user-generated project developed with a user perspective from conception to end service

A protocol for a systematic review of clinical guidelines and published systematic reviews on the early detection of oral cancer

Background: The predicted increase in incidence of oral cavity cancer (OCC) coupled with high mortality and poor prognosis – particularly when diagnosed at a late/advanced stage – highlights the need for prevention and early detection/screening to reverse these trends. Dental healthcare professionals in primary care settings have a pivotal role in this effort. Aim: The aim of this protocol is to detail the process for assessing the evidence for the best practice and methods of early detection/screening for OCC in primary care dental settings by undertaking a systematic review of global clinical guidelines and published systematic reviews. Method: Searches for clinical guidelines and systematic reviews will be conducted in the following databases: Cochrane library, Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online (Ovid), Excerpta Medical dataBASE, PubMed, Turning Research into Practice, SCOPUS and Web of Science Core Collection. Our search will extend to include Google Scholar and international professional organizations/associations websites. In addition, we will handsearch the bibliographies and undertake citation searches of the selected papers. Quality appraisal will be undertaken using the Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation version II instrument for the clinical guidelines and both A MeaSurement Tool to Assess Systematic Reviews and Risk of Bias in Systematic Reviews tools for the systematic reviews. A narrative synthesis approach will be used to assess the evidence of extracted data, primarily taking account of quality appraisal and recency of publication. Discussion: The synthesis of evidence will determine best practice for OCC early detection/screening by primary care dental healthcare professionals and will evaluate the relationship between clinical guidelines and the evidence base available from systematic reviews in this area

Assessment and prevention of behavioural and social risk factors associated with oral cancer: protocol for a systematic review of clinical guidelines and systematic reviews to inform primary care dental professionals

Background: Tobacco and alcohol are recognised as the major risk factors for both oral cavity (mouth) and oropharyngeal (throat) cancers, with increasing acceptance of the role of human papillomavirus (HPV) in the aetiology of oropharyngeal cancers. In addition, there is a significant increased risk for oral cancer among lower socioeconomic groups, males and older age groups. There is a growing evidence for the potential role of primary care professionals in smoking cessation and reducing alcohol-related harm. However, there are uncertainties about the best approaches/strategies to assess risk factors associated with oral cancer, effective components of preventive interventions for behaviour change and implementation strategies in primary care dental settings. Thus, in order to contribute to the prevention of oral cancer effectively, dental professionals need to assess patients on the major risk factors (tobacco, alcohol and HPV/sexual behaviours) and deliver appropriate prevention, taking into account the patient’s sociodemographic context. Aim: The study aims to synthesise evidence on the best practice for undertaking an assessment of major behavioural risk factors associated with oral cancer and delivering effective behaviour change preventive interventions (e.g. advice, counselling, patient recall, signposting/referral to preventive services) by dental professionals in primary care dental settings. Method: The study involves a systematic review and evidence appraisal. We will search for clinical guidelines and systematic reviews from the following databases: Cochrane Library, Ovid MEDLINE, EMBASE, Web of Science, PsychINFO, PubMed, TRIP and Google Scholar. We will also search websites of professional organisations/agencies and bibliographies/reference lists of selected papers. Quality will be assessed with the AGREE II (Appraisal of Guidelines for Research & Evaluation II) instrument for included clinical guidelines and the AMSTAR (A Measurement Tool to Assess Systematic Reviews) and ROBIS instruments for included systematic reviews. The best practice evidence will be assessed via a narrative synthesis of extracted data, considering publication quality. Discussion: This systematic review will synthesise evidence on the best practice for oral cancer risk factor assessment and prevention and evaluate the relationship between available clinical guidelines and the review evidence base. This collation of evidence will be useful for making recommendations for future intervention, research and guideline development

Embedding Information Literacy Skills in the Psychology Curriculum: Supporting Students in their Transition to Independent Researchers

The first year university experience is a time of substantial transition and adjustment which can be difficult for students who move from a supported school/college environment to HE which requires them to be independent and autonomous (Beaumont, Doherty, Shannon, 2014). Whilst incoming students report that they expect to work independently they are often slow to develop appropriate study skills and can find the experience disorientating (e.g. Rowley, Hartley, & Larkin, 2008). Many universities rely on central services to support students in developing appropriate skills such as in information literacy. However, Wingate (2006) argues that bolt-on study skill courses merely encourage shallow learning approaches. Kitching and Hulme (2013), therefore, argue that support is best embedded within the curriculum. Here we report on a new initiative which aims to support first year psychology undergraduates in developing their information literacy skills. These skills were taught in a small-group tutorial setting with tutor guidance and peer-supported activities. Learning activities were explicitly linked to coursework. Utilising a mixed-methods approach, combining questionnaires and focus groups, this research investigated information skills development in first year psychology students. Student data pre-and post-intervention was collected from 280 students. The questionnaires collected information on students’ development as independent learners through the use of an autonomy measure and also their development of research self-efficacy. Further, experience based questions investigated their thoughts on the tutorial as a whole and its perceived usefulness to skills development in psychology and other subject areas. This was complemented by focus groups with 20 students. This paper will discuss the key findings which have emerged and will focus on the development of students through the process. This concept of teaching information literacy as an integrated part of the tutorial course is novel but could have significant practical implications for higher education

Sairaanhoitajien kokemuksia dialyysissä käyvien potilaiden henkisen tuen tarpeesta

Dialyysi on elintärkeä potilaalle, jonka munuaisten toiminta on selvästi heikentynyt ja jonka elimistöön alkaa kertymään kuona-aineita. Hoitona dialyysi on hyvin sitovaa, ja potilaan on omistettava suuri osa elämästään sille. Potilaan henkinen jaksaminen joutuu koetukselle rankkojen ja pitkien hoitojen takia. Potilas tarvitsee tukea hoitajalta fyysiseen ja psyykkiseen jaksamiseen. Tämän opinnäytetyön tarkoituksena oli selvittää ja kuvailla teemoitetun esseemuotoisen verkkokyselyn avulla, miten potilaiden henkinen tuki otetaan huomioon. Opinnäytetyön tavoitteena oli kehittää dialyysiosastolla tapahtuvaa hoitotyötä etsimällä ratkaisuja tutkimuksen keinoin. Kohde organisaationa toimi Etelä-Pohjanmaan sairaanhoitopiirin dialyysiosasto. Opinnäytetyön aineisto kerättiin dialyysiosaston 14 sairaanhoitajalta. Opinnäytetyössä pyrittiin vastaamaan seuraaviin kysymyksiin: Miten dialyysissä käyvien potilaiden tuen tarpeet ilmenevät sairaanhoitajan kokemusten mukaan, miten dialyysissä käyvien potilaiden henkinen jaksaminen huomioidaan ja millaista henkistä tukea sairaanhoitaja tarjoaa dialyysissä käyville potilaille? Opinnäytetyön tulosten mukaan sairaanhoitajat kokivat dialyysissä käyvien potilaiden henkisen tuen tarjoamisen tärkeäksi, sillä oireita jaksamattomuudesta ilmeni. Havainnoinnin ja vuorovaikutuksen avulla nousi esiin selviä henkisiä ongelmia, kuten mielenterveysongelmia ja masentuneisuutta. Tuloksissa kävi ilmi, että sairaanhoitajat käyttivät aitoa läsnäoloa ja kuuntelemista tukeakseen potilaan henkistä jaksamista. Dialyysiosaston sairaanhoitajien vastauksista nousi kehittämisehdo-tuksena esille psykiatrisen sairaanhoitajan lisääminen kiinteäksi osaksi dialyysissä käyvien potilaiden hoitopolkua.Dialysis is vital for a patient whose kidney function has clearly weakened and kidney waste products are starting to cumulate into the patient’s body. As a treatment, dialysis is binding and the patients has to dedicate a big part of their lives to dealing with such treatment. Patients’ mental health is challenged because of the tough and long treatments. Patients need support from nurses in order to be able to manage emotionally and physically living with the disease and the treatment. The purpose for this thesis is to find out, using a theme-based online questionnaire, how the mental health of patients in dialysis is noted. The aim was to develop nursing care on dialysis unit by finding solutions with the help of this study. The target organization of this thesis is The Hospital District of South Ostrobothnia and their dialysis unit. The material was collected from 14 nurses working at a dialysis unit. The thesis aimed at answering questions such as: How do mental health needs of patients in dialysis occur according to nurses? How has the mental health of patients in dialysis been taken cared of? What kind of mental health support do nurses provide for patients? The results of this thesis indicate that nurses consider the provision of mental support for patients in dialysis to be important, especially since signs of mental weakness appeared. By observation and interaction, nurses realized mental health problems and depression. The results showed that nurses’ presence and listening to patients supports patients’ mental health. Development suggestions for nurses on dialysis unit would be adding a psychiatric nurse as part of the treatment path of patients in dialysis

Three spacecraft formation control by means of electrostatic forces

This paper focuses on electrostatic orbital control in formation flying by using switching strategies for charge distribution. Natural and artificial charging effects are taken into account, and limits in charging technology and in power requirements are also considered. The case of three spacecraft formation, which is intrinsically different and more difficult than the two spacecraft problem often analyzed in literature, has been investigated. A Lyapunov based global control strategy is presented and applied to perform formation acquisition and maintenance maneuvers, producing as output the required overall charge. Then, a selective and optimized charge distribution process among the satellites is discussed for avoiding charge breakdowns to surrounding plasma, for reducing the power requirements and the number of charge switches. The results of numerical simulations show the advantages and drawbacks of the selected control technique

Additional file 5: of Assessment and prevention of behavioural and social risk factors associated with oral cancer: protocol for a systematic review of clinical guidelines and systematic reviews to inform Primary Care dental professionals

Data extraction form- details of information to be extracted from systematic reviews and clinical guidelines has been uploaded. (DOCX 20.7 kb

Additional file 2: of How lay health workers tailor in effective health behaviour change interventions: a protocol for a systematic review

Inclusion and exclusion criteria used for assessing relevance of studies to be included in the review. (DOC 40 kb

Additional file 1:

The PRISMA-P 2015 checklist for systematic review protocols has been completed and uploaded. (DOC 83 kb