Governance and information governance: some ethical considerations within an expanding information society

Governance and information governance ought to be an integral part of any government or organisations information and business strategy. More than ever before information and knowledge can be produced, exchanged, shared and communicated through many different mediums. Whilst sharing information and knowledge provides many benefits it also provides many challenges and risks to governments, global organisations and the individual citizen. Information governance is one element of a governance and compliance programme, but an increasingly important one, because many regulations apply to how information is managed and protected from theft and abuse, much of which resides with external agencies usually outside the control of the individual citizen. This paper explores some of the compliance and quality issues within governance and information governance including those ethical concerns as related to individual citizens and multiple stakeholders engaged directly or indirectly in the governance process

The ammonolysis of esters in liquid ammonia

The rates of ammonolysis of alkyl benzoate and phenylacetate esters in liquid ammonia increase with the acidity of the leaving group alcohol and show relatively large Brønsted βlg values of −1.18 and −1.34, respectively, when plotted against the aqueous pKa of the alcohol. The Brønsted βlg obtained using the pKa of the leaving group alcohol in liquid ammonia is significantly reduced to ~ −0.7, which indicates that the rate-limiting step involves a reaction of the tetrahedral intermediate with little C–OR bond fission in the transition state. The solvolysis reaction is subject to significant catalysis by ammonium ion, which, surprisingly, generates a similar Brønsted βlg indicating little interaction between the ammonium ion and the leaving group. It is concluded that the rate-limiting step for the ammonium-ion-catalysed solvolysis of alkyl esters in liquid ammonia is the diffusion-controlled protonation of the zwitterionic tetrahedral intermediate T+- to give T+, which is rapidly deprotonated to give T0 which is compatible with the rate-limiting step for the uncatalysed reaction being the formation of the neutral T0 by a ‘proton switc

Alien Registration- Atherton, John A.,Jr. (Dover-Foxcroft, Piscataquis County)

https://digitalmaine.com/alien_docs/10520/thumbnail.jp

The Practices of Happiness

There is growing evidence that rising levels of prosperity in Western economies since 1945 have not been matched by greater incidences of reported well-being and happiness. Indeed, material affluence is often accompanied instead by greater social and individual distress. A growing literature within the humanities and social sciences is increasingly concerned to chart not only the underlying trends in recorded levels of happiness, but to consider what factors, if any, contribute to positive and sustainable experiences of well-being and quality of life. Increasingly, such research is focusing on the importance of values and beliefs in human satisfaction or quality of life; but the specific contribution of religion to these trends is relatively under-examined. This unique collection of essays seeks to rectify that omission, by identifying the nature and role of the religious contribution to wellbeing. A unique collection of nineteen leading scholars from the field of economics, psychology, public theology and social policy have been brought together in this volume to explore the religious contribution to the debate about happiness and well-being. These essays explore the religious dimensions to a number of key features of well-being, including marriage, crime and rehabilitation, work, inequality, mental health, environment, participation, institutional theory, business and trade. They engage particularly closely with current trends in economics in identifying alternative models of economic growth which focus on its qualitative as well as quantitative dimensions. This distinctive volume brings to public notice the nature and role of religion’s contribution to wellbeing, including new ways of measurement and evaluation. As such, it represents a valuable and unprecedented resource for the development of a broad-based religious contribution to the field. It will be of particular relevance for those who are concerned about the continuing debate about personal and societal well-being, as well as those who are interested in the continuing significance of religion for the future of public policy. Introductory essay: developing an overview as context and future John Atherton Part 1: Political Economy 1. Economic theory and happiness Ian Steedman 2. Happiness, welfare and capabilities Carl-Henric Grenholm 3. Happiness through thrift: The contribution of business to human wellbeing Peter Heslam 4. Happiness, work and Christian theology Peter Sedgwick 5. Happiness isn't working, but it should be Malcolm Brown 6. Challenging inequality in a post-scarcity era: Christian contributions to egalitarian trends John Atherton 7. Fair trade and human wellbeing Michael Northcott Part 2: Contributions to Other Social Sciences 8. Religion and happiness: perspectives from the psychology of religion, positive psychology and empirical theology Leslie Francis 9. Ethnographic insights into happiness Jonathan Miles-Watson 10. Institutions, organisations and wellbeing Tony Berry 11. Religion, family form and the question of happiness Adrian Thatcher 12. Mental health, spirituality and religion Peter Gilbert 13. The ‘one in the morning’ knock: exploring the connections between faith, participation and wellbeing Christopher Baker 14. Crime, wellbeing and society: Reflections on social, 'anti-social' and 'restorative' capital Christopher Jones 15. Supporting offenders: A faith based initiative Charlotte Lorimer Part 3: Reflections on Foundations 16. Human happiness as a common good: clarifying the issues Patrick Riordan 17. Being well in creation John Rodwell 18.The ‘virtuous circle’: Religion and the practices of happiness Elaine Graham 19 Well being – or resilience? Blurred encounters between theory and practice John Reade

Hierarchical layered double hydroxide nanocomposites: structure, synthesis and applications

Layered double hydroxide (LDH)-based nanocomposites, constructed by interacting LDH nanoparticles with other nanomaterials (e.g. silica nanoparticles and magnetic nanoparticles) or polymeric molecules (e.g. proteins), are an emerging yet active area in healthcare, environmental remediation, energy conversion and storage. Combining advantages of each component in the structure and functions, hierarchical LDH-based nanocomposites have shown great potential in biomedicine, water purification, and energy storage and conversion. This feature article summarises the recent advances in LDH-based nanocomposites, focusing on their synthesis, structure, and application in drug delivery, bio-imaging, water purification, supercapacitors, and catalysis. This journal i

Characteristics of patients with haematological and breast cancer (1996–2009) who died of heart failure-related causes after cancer therapy

Aims: To describe the characteristics and time to death of patients with breast or haematological cancer who died of heart failure (HF) after cancer therapy. Patients with an index admission for HF who died of HF-related causes (IAHF) and those with no index admission for HF who died of HF-related causes (NIAHF) were compared. Methods and results: We performed a linked data analysis of cancer registry, death registry, and hospital administration records (n = 15 987). Index HF admission must have occurred after cancer diagnosis. Of the 4894 patients who were deceased (30.6% of cohort), 734 died of HF-related causes (50.1% female) of which 279 (38.0%) had at least one IAHF (41.9% female) post-cancer diagnosis. Median age was 71 years [interquartile range (IQR) 62–78] for IAHF and 66 years (IQR 56–74) for NIAHF. There were fewer chemotherapy separations for IAHF patients (median = 4, IQR 2–9) compared with NIAHF patients (median = 6, IQR 2–12). Of the IAHF patients, 71% had died within 1 year of the index HF admission. There was no significant difference in HF-related mortality in IAHF patients compared with NIAHF (HR, 1.10, 95% CI, 0.94–1.29, P = 0.225). Conclusions: The profile of IAHF patients who died of HF-related causes after cancer treatment matched the current profile of HF in the general population (over half were aged ≥70 years). However, NIAHF were younger (62% were aged ≤69 years), female patients with breast cancer that died of HF-related causes before hospital admission for HF-related causes—a group that may have been undiagnosed or undertreated until death

Changes in the serum proteome in canine lymphoma

One dimensional (1D) serum protein gel electrophoresis (SPE) on agarose gels is a frequently used diagnostic tool for canine diseases; however, little is known regarding the precise composition of the different protein fractions in normal or diseased animals. To analyse the canine serum proteome in more detail we combined conventional 1D SPE with second dimension (2D) polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) and followed by tandem mass spectrometry (MS). One dimensional SPE was performed on the sera of 17 healthy dogs to establish normal reference ranges for the albumin and globulin sub-fractions. Two representative serum samples from the healthy dogs were further separated using a novel method of 2D PAGE, leading to the generation of 26 distinct bands across the six main sub-fractions, which were subjected to MS analysis. Thirty-two individual proteins were identified, most of which were found in both dogs. Twenty proteins belonged specifically to the species Canis lupus familiaris, with the remaining 12 proteins belonging to other mammalian species, likely reflecting incomplete sequencing knowledge of canine proteins. Two dimensional electrophoresis and MS allowed identification of canine serum albumin precursor, serpin peptidase inhibitor, kininogen-1, vitamin D binding protein, hemopexin, complement C4 and a variety of immunoglobulin class molecules and their localisation within their respective serum protein subfractions for the first time. Sera from twenty-one dogs with high grade multicentric lymphoma underwent identical analysis and had significantly elevated α2 globulins on 1D SPE. Further separation of the serum proteins was performed on three patients using a 2D PAGE system. Thirty-eight separate protein bands were submitted for MS and 36 different proteins were identified. Most of the proteins were the same as those previously identified in the serum of healthy dogs, showing reproducibility of this novel proteomic technique. Haptoglobin was found in all three of the lymphoma dogs, having not previously been identified in any of the healthy samples, and could account for the increased α2 globulins. Several other proteins, including α-2 HS glycoprotein, α2 macroglobulin, α1 antichymotrypsin and inter-α-trypsin inhibitor were also present in dogs suffering from lymphoma. Clusterin, an anti-apoptotic protein, was identified for the first time in the serum of one dog suffering from lymphoma. Kininogen, which is present in the serum of healthy dogs, was absent in all three dogs with lymphoma. This 2D electrophoresis technique has identified numerous changes in the serum proteome of dogs suffering from lymphoma and suggests a significant inflammatory component to the pathogenesis of this disease

Exploring fixation patterns and social cognition after traumatic brain injury

Objectives: Social cognition (SC) impairments after traumatic brain injury (TBI) are pervasive. The movie for the assessment of social cognition (MASC) measures different facets of social interactions over the three stages of SC; social perception, social knowledge retrieval and response selection. The mechanisms underpinning SC deficits after TBI are poorly understood but aberrant eye fixation patterns could play a role. The present research explored fixations across social interactions to determine group differences and correlations between eye tracking and behavioural data. Design: Group differences in response selection during the MASC and fixation duration/count to areas of interest (eyes, nose and mouth) were examined. Methods: 18 TBI participants were recruited from the NHS and age/gender matched controls were recruited using stratified opportunity sampling. The MASC allows for quantification of incorrect answers; excessive theory of mind (ToM), reduced ToM and absence of ToM errors. The MASC was presented on a Tobii T120 eye tracker monitor. Results: TBI participants had significantly lower correct scores on the MASC and higher excessive/reduced errors compared to controls. There was no significant interaction between automated optical inspection (AOI) and group. However, significant main effects of group for fixation duration/count indicated that if AOI was ignored, controls displayed longer/more fixations overall suggesting a difference in visual scanning patterns between TBI and control groups. No significant correlations were established. Conclusions: TBI and controls exhibited disparate visual strategies during the MASC and this effect could underpin some SC impairments displayed by TBI participants. TBI participants also displayed insufficient and over-interpretative mental state reasoning compared to controls but it is unclear why. The present research outlines the multifaceted nature of SC impairments after TBI and highlights potential areas for SC intervention post-TB

Development and feasibility testing of an education program to improve knowledge and self-care among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients with heart failure

INTRODUCTION: There is a 70% higher age-adjusted incidence of heart failure (HF) among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, three times more hospitalisations and twice as many deaths as among non-Aboriginal people. There is a need to develop holistic yet individualised approaches in accord with the values of Aboriginal community health care to support patient education and self-care. The aim of this study was to re-design an existing HF educational resource (Fluid Watchers-Pacific Rim) to be culturally safe for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, working in collaboration with the local community, and to conduct feasibility testing.  METHODS: This study was conducted in two phases and utilised a mixed-methods approach (qualitative and quantitative). Phase 1 used action research methods to develop a culturally safe electronic resource to be provided to Aboriginal HF patients via a tablet computer. An HF expert panel adapted the existing resource to ensure it was evidence-based and contained appropriate language and images that reflects Aboriginal culture. A stakeholder group (which included Aboriginal workers and HF patients, as well as researchers and clinicians) then reviewed the resources, and changes were made accordingly. In Phase 2, the new resource was tested on a sample of Aboriginal HF patients to assess feasibility and acceptability. Patient knowledge, satisfaction and self-care behaviours were measured using a before and after design with validated questionnaires. As this was a pilot test to determine feasibility, no statistical comparisons were made.  RESULTS: Phase 1: Throughout the process of resource development, two main themes emerged from the stakeholder consultation. These were the importance of identity, meaning that it was important to ensure that the resource accurately reflected the local community, with the appropriate clothing, skin tone and voice. The resource was adapted to reflect this, and members of the local community voiced the recordings for the resource. The other theme was comprehension; images were important and all text was converted to the first person and used plain language. Phase 2: Five Aboriginal participants, mean age 61.6±10.0 years, with NYHA Class III and IV heart failure were enrolled. Participants reported a high level of satisfaction with the resource (83.0%). HF knowledge (percentage of correct responses) increased from 48.0±6.7% to 58.0±9.7%, a 20.8% increase, and results of the self-care index indicated that the biggest change was in patient confidence for self-care, with a 95% increase in confidence score (46.7±16.0 to 91.1±11.5). Changes in management and maintenance scores varied between patients.  CONCLUSIONS: By working in collaboration with HF experts, Aboriginal researchers and patients, a culturally safe HF resource has been developed for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients. Engaging Aboriginal researchers, capacity-building, and being responsive to local systems and structures enabled this pilot study to be successfully completed with the Aboriginal community and positive participant feedback demonstrated that the methodology used in this study was appropriate and acceptable; participants were able to engage with willingness and confidence

Alternatives to the face-to-face consultation in general practice: Focused ethnographic case study

© British Journal of General Practice. Background NHS policy encourages general practices to introduce alternatives to the face-to-face consultation, such as telephone, email, e-consultation systems, or internet video. Most have been slow to adopt these, citing concerns about workload. This project builds on previous research by focusing on the experiences of patients and practitioners who have used one or more of these alternatives. Aim To understand how, under what conditions, for which patients, and in what ways, alternatives to face-to-face consultations present benefits and challenges to patients and practitioners in general practice. Design and setting Focused ethnographic case studies took place in eight UK general practices between June 2015 and March 2016. Method Non-participant observation, informal conversations with staff, and semi-structured interviews with staff and patients were conducted. Practice documents and protocols were reviewed. Data were analysed through charting and the 'one sheet of paper' mind-map method to identify the line of argument in each thematic report. Results Case study practices had different rationales for offering alternatives to the face-to-face consultation. Beliefs varied about which patients and health issues were suitable. Co-workers were often unaware of each other's practice; for example, practice policies for use of e-consultations systems with patients were not known about or followed. Patients reported benefits including convenience and access. Staff and some patients regarded the face-toface consultation as the ideal. Conclusion Experience of implementing alternatives to the face-to-face consultation suggests that changes in patient access and staff workload may be both modest and gradual. Practices planning to implement them should consider carefully their reasons for doing so and involve the whole practice team