Towards a working methodology for using total hip and knee joint replacements to support identification

Hip and knee prostheses have occasionally been used to support identification of unknown persons along with other medical devices and implants. This paper looks at the specific issues around using hip and knee implants, suggesting a working methodology for their use in supporting identification during and after a post-mortem. The value of Total Knee Replacements (TKR) and Total Hip Replacements (THR) as a means of identification along with other implants is a very recent area of interest in Forensic Science considering the long history of implants. This together with the recent introduction of Joint Replacement Registries means that using hip and knee implants to support identification is likely to become automatic in the future but is not currently automatic. The paper looks at the accumulative collection of evidence as well as the range of issues including; the types and changes in early prostheses, examination of the body for external indications of implants, radiological recording prior to autopsy for confirmation of identification using matching of features with ante-mortem images, actual harvesting and collection of all parts of the joint replacement including cement and any other components, specific differences between TKR and THR. In developing an approach to the problems associated with identifications using TKRs and THRs a stepwise process and the full recording of all of the features associated with the implant as well as manufacturers details and identification numbers is suggested so that the cumulative nature of these features will help to narrow down possibilities towards a more certain identification and confirmation of that identification

Operating theatre photography for personal injury cases.

Photography, including records taken in theatre, has an important role to play in the legal settlement of personal injury claims. Photographs taken immediately prior to an operation in the anaesthetic room or during the operation provide valuable evidence for civil litigation. The type of operations at which personal injury photographs should be taken range from emergency surgery and minor operations to exploratory or reparative surgery. The value of pre-operative photography is demonstrated in two examples of orthopaedic surgery for personal injury claims

Using research papers: citations, referencing and plagiarism.

As a profession when we look to expand our skills, learn new techniques and expand visual communication in healthcare as an area of knowledge research papers become a valuable resource as references, to support this work. This Learning and CPD worksheet looks at citing, referencing and discusses plagiarism as well as giving advice on how to check references and think about using reference management software

The personal development planning cycle.

This Learning and CPD sheet is designed to pull together into a framework many of the activities that have already been published. It should also help anyone planning to go for audit of their CPD or who have been requested to submit for audit. There are a number of different ways of viewing the Personal Development Planning (PDP) or CPD cycle; the one covered here is just one example and shouldn't be seen as the only way of looking at PDP. For a greater range of activities, look at the book "Skills for Success: The Personal Development Planning Handbook" by Cottrell and the companion website

Understanding Evolutionary Potential in Virtual CPU Instruction Set Architectures

We investigate fundamental decisions in the design of instruction set architectures for linear genetic programs that are used as both model systems in evolutionary biology and underlying solution representations in evolutionary computation. We subjected digital organisms with each tested architecture to seven different computational environments designed to present a range of evolutionary challenges. Our goal was to engineer a general purpose architecture that would be effective under a broad range of evolutionary conditions. We evaluated six different types of architectural features for the virtual CPUs: (1) genetic flexibility: we allowed digital organisms to more precisely modify the function of genetic instructions, (2) memory: we provided an increased number of registers in the virtual CPUs, (3) decoupled sensors and actuators: we separated input and output operations to enable greater control over data flow. We also tested a variety of methods to regulate expression: (4) explicit labels that allow programs to dynamically refer to specific genome positions, (5) position-relative search instructions, and (6) multiple new flow control instructions, including conditionals and jumps. Each of these features also adds complication to the instruction set and risks slowing evolution due to epistatic interactions. Two features (multiple argument specification and separated I/O) demonstrated substantial improvements int the majority of test environments. Some of the remaining tested modifications were detrimental, thought most exhibit no systematic effects on evolutionary potential, highlighting the robustness of digital evolution. Combined, these observations enhance our understanding of how instruction architecture impacts evolutionary potential, enabling the creation of architectures that support more rapid evolution of complex solutions to a broad range of challenges

The Union Wage Premium in the US and the UK

This paper presents evidence of both counter-cyclical and secular decline in the union membership wage premiu m inthe US and the UK over the last couple of decades. The premium has fallen for most groups of workers, the mainexception being public sector workers in the US. By the beginning of the 21st Century the premium remainedsubstantial in the US but there was no premium for many workers in the UK. Industry, state and occupation-levelanalyses for the US identify upward as well as downward movement in the premium characterized by regression tothe mean. Using linked employer-employee data for Britain we show estimates of the membership premium tend tobe upwardly biased where rich employer data are absent and that OLS estimates are higher than those obtained withpropensity score matching.union membership wage premium.

Operating theatre photography for orthopaedics and aesthetic surgery.

The aim of this paper is to examine the author's personal experience and practice in operating theatre photography. The ways of working are personal to the author but hopefully will help others in undertaking this type of work

Union Decline in Britain

This paper investigates the demise of unionisation in British private sector workplaces over the last quarter century. We show that dramatic union decline has occurred across all types of workplace. Although the union wage premium persists it is quite small in 2004. Negative union effects on employment growth and financial performance are largely confined to the 1980s. Managerial perceptions of the climate of relations between managers and workers has deteriorated since the early 1980s across the whole private sector, whether the workplace is unionised or not.trade unions, employment growth, financial performance, industrialrelations