How an online questionnaire can explore leadership teaching in an undergraduate curriculum.

OBJECTIVES: To design a tool to explore current leadership teaching in an undergraduate curriculum, using the medical leadership competency framework (MLCF) DESIGN: An online questionnaire was designed based on the MLCF competences and sent to all course leads at Imperial College, London in Autumn 2011 SETTING: Imperial College, London PARTICIPANTS: Sixty-nine course leads were invited to participate in the questionnaire study MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Course leads were asked whether they teach each MLCF competence, which teaching methods they use, and how long they spend teaching each competency RESULTS: Overall there was a 78% questionnaire response rate (54/69). From the questionnaires received it was possible to extrapolate results across the remaining courses to achieve a 100% response rate. We were then able to produce a map of current leadership teaching showing that all MLCF competences are taught to varying degrees across the curriculum. The tool does not however provide information on the quality of teaching provided, or what students learn CONCLUSIONS: There is a strong emphasis on the development of teaching leadership skills to undergraduates in Tomorrow's Doctors 2009 (TD09). It is difficult to know what teaching occurs across the curriculum of a large medical school. The design of a simple, electronic questionnaire will enable medical schools to map their current leadership teaching to the TD09 outcomes. This will help to inform further curriculum development and integration as well as signposting of learning opportunities

Strategic Analysis of the U.S. Quarter Horse Industry, Emphasizing California

The American Quarter Horse is the most popular breed of horse in California, as well as nationwide. This breed has shaped agricultural history and has had a major impact on the agricultural economy because. The objective of this report is to provide strategic information about the U.S. quarter horse industry, with an emphasis on California. This report provides information on the following topics: statistics of the industry, quarter horse associations, trends in the industry, prevailing marketing practices, innovative/successful marketing practices, success factors for horse businesses, and characterization of related and supporting industries. The primary contribution of the report is a diagram and description of the horse industry supply chain. The varying levels of entry barriers and varying degrees of attractiveness to potential entrants are given for many types of businesses in the horse industry.American Quarter Horse, associations, breeder, California, entry barriers, equine, horse industry, industry trends, livestock, marketing practices, registry, related and supporting industries, supply chain, success factors, trainer, Agribusiness, Livestock Production/Industries,

Multi-epoch Sub-arcsecond [Fe II] Spectroimaging of the DG Tau Outflows with NIFS. II. On the Nature of the Bipolar Outflow Asymmetry

The origin of bipolar outflow asymmetry in young stellar objects (YSOs) remains poorly understood. It may be due to an intrinsically asymmetric outflow launch mechanism, or it may be caused by the effects of the ambient medium surrounding the YSO. Answering this question is an important step in understanding outflow launching. We have investigated the bipolar outflows driven by the T Tauri star DG Tauri on scales of hundreds of AU, using the Near-infrared Integral Field Spectrograph (NIFS) on Gemini North. The approaching outflow consists of a well-collimated jet, nested within a lower-velocity disc wind. The receding outflow is composed of a single-component bubble-like structure. We analyse the kinemat- ics of the receding outflow using kinetic models, and determine that it is a quasi-stationary bubble with an expanding internal velocity field. We propose that this bubble forms because the receding counterjet from DG Tau is obstructed by a clumpy ambient medium above the circumstellar disc surface, based on similarities between this structure and those found in the modeling of active galactic nuclei outflows. We find evidence of interaction between the obscured counterjet and clumpy ambient material, which we attribute to the large molecular envelope around the DG Tau system. An analytical model of a momentum-driven bubble is shown to be consistent with our interpretation. We conclude that the bipolar outflow from DG Tau is intrinsically symmetric, and the observed asymmetries are due to environmental effects. This mechanism can potentially be used to explain the observed bipolar asymmetries in other YSO outflows.Comment: 16 pages, 10 figures, accepted for publication in MNRA

The pulsed air gust generator Final report

Wind tunnel simulation of jet pulsing apparatus for controlled gust

The fish fauna of the Iwokrama Forest

Fishes were collected from the rivers in and around the Iwokrama Forest during January-February and November-December 1997. Four hundred species of fish were recorded from forty families in ten orders. Many of these fishes are newly recorded from Guyana and several are thought to be endemic. The number of species recorded for the area is surprising given the low level of effort and suggests that this area may be particularly important from a fish diversity perspective. This paper focuses on species of particular interest from a management perspective including those considered economically important, rare or endangered. The paper is also the basis for developing fisheries management systems in the Iwokrama Forest and Rupununi Wetlands

Turbulent mixing layers in supersonic protostellar outflows, with application to DG Tauri

Turbulent entrainment processes may play an important role in the outflows from young stellar objects at all stages of their evolution. In particular, lateral entrainment of ambient material by high-velocity, well-collimated protostellar jets may be the cause of the multiple emission-line velocity components observed in the microjet-scale outflows driven by classical T Tauri stars. Intermediate-velocity outflow components may be emitted by a turbulent, shock- excited mixing layer along the boundaries of the jet. We present a formalism for describing such a mixing layer based on Reynolds decomposition of quantities measuring fundamental properties of the gas. In this model, the molecular wind from large disc radii provides a continual supply of material for entrainment. We calculate the total stress profile in the mixing layer, which allows us to estimate the dissipation of turbulent energy, and hence the luminosity of the layer. We utilize MAPPINGS IV shock models to determine the fraction of total emission that occurs in [Fe II] 1.644 {\mu}m line emission in order to facilitate comparison to previous observations of the young stellar object DG Tauri. Our model accurately estimates the luminosity and changes in mass outflow rate of the intermediate-velocity component of the DG Tau approaching outflow. Therefore, we propose that this component represents a turbulent mixing layer surrounding the well-collimated jet in this object. Finally, we compare and contrast our model to previous work in the field.Comment: 18 pages, 13 figures, accepted for publication in MNRA

Systematic review of the development and effectiveness of digital health information interventions, compared with usual care, in supporting patient preparation for paediatric hospital care, and the impact on their health outcomes

Background and aim: Elective surgery can be overwhelming for children, leading to pre-operative anxiety, which is associated with adverse clinical and behavioural outcomes. Evidence shows that paediatric preparation digital health interventions (DHIs) can contribute to reduced pre-operative anxiety and negative behavioural changes. However, this evidence does not consider their design and development in the context of behavioural science. This systematic review used the Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF) to evaluate the design and development of DHIs used to support children up to 14 years of age and their parents, prepare for hospital procedures, and determine any correlation to health outcomes. It also considered whether any behavioural frameworks and co-production were utilised in their design. Methods: A search of the MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, and HMIC databases was carried out, looking for original, empirical research using digital paediatric preparation technologies to reduce pre-operative anxiety and behavioural changes. Limitations for the period (2000–2022), English language, and age applied. Results: Seventeen studies were included, sixteen randomised control trials and one before and after evaluation study. The results suggest that paediatric preparation DHIs that score highly against the TDF are (1) associated with improved health outcomes, (2) incorporate the use of co-production and behavioural science in their design, (3) are interactive, and (4) are used at home in advance of the planned procedure. Conclusion: Paediatric preparation DHIs that are co-produced and designed in the context of behavioural science are associated with reduced pre-operative anxiety and improved health outcomes and may be more cost-effective than other interventions. Systematic Review Registration: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/, identifier: CRD42022274182

Numerical wave optics and the lensing of gravitational waves by globular clusters

We consider the possible effects of gravitational lensing by globular clusters on gravitational waves from asymmetric neutron stars in our galaxy. In the lensing of gravitational waves, the long wavelength, compared with the usual case of optical lensing, can lead to the geometrical optics approximation being invalid, in which case a wave optical solution is necessary. In general, wave optical solutions can only be obtained numerically. We describe a computational method that is particularly well suited to numerical wave optics. This method enables us to compare the properties of several lens models for globular clusters without ever calling upon the geometrical optics approximation, though that approximation would sometimes have been valid. Finally, we estimate the probability that lensing by a globular cluster will significantly affect the detection, by ground-based laser interferometer detectors such as LIGO, of gravitational waves from an asymmetric neutron star in our galaxy, finding that the probability is insignificantly small.Comment: To appear in: Proceedings of the Eleventh Marcel Grossmann Meetin

Perceived ethical acceptability of financial incentives to improve diabetic eye screening attendance

To test the ethical acceptability of using financial incentives to increase diabetic retinopathy screening attendance.Financial incentives could be an effective way to increase attendance at screening for diabetic retinopathy, although there can be ethical concerns about this approach.Survey of people with diabetes in North West London. Those who were due to attend a screening appointment were invited to complete a questionnaire. Key demographic variables included age, gender, and deprivation.A questionnaire was issued to those invited to attend screening in North West London and those who run the screening service. The questionnaire captured views on aspects of the ethical problem and different incentive types.It captured views on the different dimensions of the ethical problem and different types of incentive. In order to understand how views might vary within a population, demographic variables were used to analyze the results.Vouchers were found to be the most acceptable form of incentive, significantly more so than cash payments. Most rejected the notion of targeting those who need incentivizing, preferring equality. Age was an important factor, with those aged between 40 and 64 the most optimistic about the potential benefits. Higher levels of deprivation were linked to increased acceptability scores. While some ethical concerns are strongly held among certain groups, there is also much support for the principle of incentivizing positive behaviors. This paves the way for future research into the effectiveness of incentivizing diabetic retinopathy screening attendance