Political parties need to take greater responsibility for Pakistani and Bangladeshi clan politicking in order to protect our democracy

Recent controversies in local elections in Tower Hamlets and the General Election in Bradford West have highlighted the issue of voter fraud and the behaviour of ‘biraderi’ (Pakistani and Bangladeshi ‘clan’) networks. Eleanor Hill argues that political parties have a responsibility to act in order the prevent potential future controversies

A study in the metaphysical poetry of the seventeenth century

Thesis (M.A.)--Boston Universit

DNA Authentication of St John’s Wort (Hypericum perforatum L.) Commercial Products Targeting the ITS Region

open access articleThere is considerable potential for the use of DNA barcoding methods to authenticate raw medicinal plant materials, but their application to testing commercial products has been controversial. A simple PCR test targeting species-specific sequences within the nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region was adapted to screen commercial products for the presence of Hypericum perforatum L. material. DNA differing widely in amount and extent of fragmentation was detected in a number of product types. Two assays were designed to further analyse this DNA using a curated database of selected Hypericum ITS sequences: A qPCR assay based on a species-specific primer pair spanning the ITS1 and ITS2 regions, using synthetic DNA reference standards for DNA quantitation and a Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) assay separately targeting the ITS1 and ITS2 regions. The ability of the assays to detect H. perforatum DNA sequences in processed medicines was investigated. Out of twenty different matrices tested, both assays detected H. perforatum DNA in five samples with more than 103 ITS copies µL−1 DNA extract, whilst the qPCR assay was also able to detect lower levels of DNA in two further samples. The NGS assay confirmed that H. perforatum was the major species in all five positive samples, though trace contaminants were also detected

Trial feasibility and process evaluation of a motivationally-embellished group peer led walking intervention in retirement villages using the RE- AIM framework: the residents in action trial (RiAT)

Objective: The Residents in Action Trial (RiAT; ACTRN12616001177448) was a 16-week motivationally-embellished peer-led walking intervention designed to increase walking, reduce sitting, and improve mental health and well-being in insufficiently active residents in retirement villages. In this paper we report on 1) trial feasibility and acceptability, and 2) evaluate the processes involved in the implementation of the intervention using the RE- AIM framework. Method: A mixed methods design was employed, consisting of data from accelerometers, surveys, (individual, pair-based and focus group) interviews, and participant logbooks. Participants included 116 walkers (M(SD) age=78.37(8.30); 92% female), 8 peer leaders (i.e. ambassadors) and 3 retirement village managers from 14 retirement villages. Descriptives and linear mixed modelling were used to analyse the quantitative data and inductive thematic analyses were employed to analyse the interview data. Results: The intended cluster randomised controlled design became quasi-experimental due to insufficient numbers of recruited ambassadors. The perceived burden of the number and frequency of research assessments was a frequently mentioned reason for a poor recruitment. Facilitators to walking maintenance were the use of self-monitoring, goal setting, social support, and having a routine. Reach was modest (about 14% of eligible participants were recruited from each village), but retention was excellent (92%). The motivational strategies taught appeared to have been implemented, at least in part, by the ambassadors. The walkers in the main experimental condition increased marginally their step counts, but there were no group differences on mental health and well-being outcomes, partly because of low statistical power. Conclusions: Walkers and ambassadors who did take part in the study suggested that they enjoyed the programme and found it useful in terms of becoming more active and making social connections. However, the group format was not appealing to some participants, hence, other delivery options should be explored in the future

Education Reform for the Digital Era

Will the digital-learning movement repeat the mistakes of the charter-school movement? How much more successful might today's charter universe look if yesterday's proponents had focused on the policies and practices needed to ensure its quality, freedom, and resources over the long term? What mistakes might have been avoided? Damaging scandals forestalled? Missed opportunities seized

What makes you not a Sikh? : a preliminary mapping of values

This study sets out to establish which Sikh values contrasted with or were shared by non-Sikh adolescents. A survey of attitude toward a variety of Sikh values was fielded in a sample of 364 non-Sikh schoolchildren aged between 13 and 15 in London. Values where attitudes were least positive concerned Sikh duties/code of conduct, festivals, rituals, prayer Gurdwara attendance, listening to scripture recitation, the amrit initiation. Sikh values empathized with by non-Sikhs concerned family pride, charity, easy access to ordination and Gurdwaras, maintaining the five Ks, seeing God in all things, abstaining from meat and alcohol and belief in the stories of Guru Nanak. Further significant differences of attitude toward Sikhism were found in comparisons by sex, age and religious affiliation. Findings are applied to teaching Sikhism to pupils of no faith adherence. The study recommends the extension of values mapping to specifically Sikh populations