Why people attend science festivals : interests, motivations and self-reported benefits of public engagement with research

As a form of public engagement, science festivals have rapidly expanded in size and number over recent years. However, as with other domains of informal public engagement that are not linked to policy outcomes, existing research does not fully address science festivals’ impacts and popularity.This study adduces evidence from surveys and focus groups to elucidate the perspectives of visitors at a large UK science festival. Results show that visitors value the opportunities science festivals afford to interact with scientific researchers and to encounter different types of science engagement aimed at adults, children and families. The most significant self-reported impact of attending a science festival was the development of increased interest and curiosity about new areas of scientific knowledge within a socially stimulating and enjoyable setting

EFSA Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies (NDA); Scientific Opinion on the substantiation of health claims related to a combination of Lactobacillus acidophilus BCCM/LMG P-18806, Lactobacillus delbrueckii BCCM/LMG P-18805 and Streptococcus thermophilus BCCM/LMG P-18807 and reduction of gastro-intestinal discomfort (ID 2946, 2951, 2974), decreasing potentially pathogenic gastro-intestinal microorganisms (ID 2946, 2951, 2974), improved lactose digestion (ID 2946, 2951, 2974), and reduction in numbers of circulating CD34+ cells (ID 2947, 2952, 2975) (further assessment) pursuant to Article 13(1) of Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006

<p>Following a request from the European Commission, the Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies (NDA) was asked to provide a scientific opinion on health claims pursuant to Article 13 of Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006 in the framework of further assessment related to a combination of <em>Lactobacillus acidophilus </em>BCCM/LMG P-18806, <em>Lactobacillus delbrueckii </em>BCCM/LMG P-18805 and <em>Streptococcus thermophilus</em> BCCM/LMG P-18807 and reduction of gastro-intestinal discomfort, decreasing potentially pathogenic gastro-intestinal microorganisms, improved lactose digestion, and reduction in numbers of circulating CD34<sup>+</sup> cells. The food constituent that is the subject of the health claim, a combination of <em>L. acidophilus </em>BCCM/LMG P-18806, <em>L. delbrueckii </em>BCCM/LMG P-18805 and <em>S. thermophilus</em> BCCM/LMG P-18807, is sufficiently characterised. The evidence provided did not establish that the proposed claimed effect, reduction in numbers of circulating CD34<sup>+</sup> cells, is a beneficial physiological effect. The claimed effect, reduction of gastro-intestinal discomfort, is a beneficial physiological effect for the general population. The claimed effect, a decrease in potentially pathogenic gastro-intestinal microorganisms, might be a beneficial physiological effect for the general population. The claimed effect, improved lactose digestion, is a beneficial physiological effect for individuals with lactose maldigestion. No human intervention studies were provided from which conclusions could be drawn for the scientific substantiation of the above-mentioned claims. On the basis of the data provided, the Panel concludes that a cause and effect relationship has not been established between the consumption of a combination of <em>L. acidophilus </em>BCCM/LMG P-18806, <em>L. delbrueckii </em>BCCM/LMG P-18805 and <em>S. thermophilus</em> BCCM/LMG P-18807 and reduction of gastro-intestinal discomfort, decreasing potentially pathogenic gastro-intestinal microorganisms, and improved lactose digestion.</p&gt

X-ray Diffraction Analysis of γ2 (Sn-Hg) Phase in High Copper Amalgams of Varying Mercury Content

Microstructures of high copper commercial amalgams containing varying amounts of mercury, ranging from 20% above to 25% below recommended values, were primarily investigated by x-ray diffraction. Mechanisms relating to the absence or presence of γ2 (Sn-Hg) phase in these amalgams were discussed in relation to the presence of copper and tin elements in their original alloys. The optimum mercury concentration in some amalgams was determined in order to keep them free of the γ2 (Sn-Hg) phase.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/66731/2/10.1177_00220345810600021001.pd

The organizational social context of mental health services and clinician attitudes toward evidence-based practice: a United States national study.

UnlabelledABSTBACKGROUND: Evidence-based practices have not been routinely adopted in community mental health organizations despite the support of scientific evidence and in some cases even legislative or regulatory action. We examined the association of clinician attitudes toward evidence-based practice with organizational culture, climate, and other characteristics in a nationally representative sample of mental health organizations in the United States.MethodsIn-person, group-administered surveys were conducted with a sample of 1,112 mental health service providers in a nationwide sample of 100 mental health service institutions in 26 states in the United States. The study examines these associations with a two-level Hierarchical Linear Modeling (HLM) analysis of responses to the Evidence-Based Practice Attitude Scale (EBPAS) at the individual clinician level as a function of the Organizational Social Context (OSC) measure at the organizational level, controlling for other organization and clinician characteristics.ResultsWe found that more proficient organizational cultures and more engaged and less stressful organizational climates were associated with positive clinician attitudes toward adopting evidence-based practice.ConclusionsThe findings suggest that organizational intervention strategies for improving the organizational social context of mental health services may contribute to the success of evidence-based practice dissemination and implementation efforts by influencing clinician attitudes

Getting real about food prices

The 2008 price spike in world grain prices had serious impacts on food security and poverty but analysts have consistently described these real food prices as low in historical terms. The inconsistency between the severity of the food crisis and low real prices results from the use of advanced and global economy price indices to calculate real prices. This ignores the high share of food in poor people’s expenditures and indirect effects of income growth on expenditure patterns of rich and poor consumers. Poor consumers have not experienced the same falls in real food prices as those with growing incomes and are more vulnerable to price shocks. As high and fluctuating international grain prices appear to be a feature of the current world economy, food price and policy analysis must recognise this, and develop and use different price indices that take account of differences between consumer groups

A review of farm-scale nutrient budgets for organic farms as a tool for management of soil fertility

On organic farms, where the importation of materials to build/maintain soil fertility is restricted, it is important that a balance between inputs and outputs of nutrients is achieved to ensure both short-term productivity and long-term sustainability. This paper considers different approaches to nutrient budgeting on organic farms and evaluates the sources of bias in the measurements and/or estimates of the nutrient inputs and outputs. The paper collates 88 nutrient budgets compiled at the farm scale in 9 temperate countries. All the nitrogen (N) budgets showed an N surplus (average 83.2 kg N ha-1 year-1). The efficiency of N use, defined as outputs/inputs, was highest (0.9) and lowest (0.2) in arable and beef systems respectively. The phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) budgets showed both surpluses and deficits (average 3.6 kg P ha-1 year-1, 14.2 kg K ha-1 year-1) with horticultural systems showing large surpluses resulting from purchased manure. The estimation of N fixation and quantities of nutrients in purchased manures may introduce significant errors in nutrient budgets. Overall, the data illustrate the diversity of management systems in place on organic farms, and suggest that used together with soil analysis, nutrient budgets are a useful tool for improving the long-term sustainability of organic systems

Characterization of water and wildlife strains as a subgroup of Campylobacter jejuni using DNA microarrays.

Campylobacter jejuni is the leading cause of human bacterial gastroenteritis worldwide, but source attribution of the organism is difficult. Previously, DNA microarrays were used to investigate isolate source, which suggested a non-livestock source of infection. In this study we analysed the genome content of 162 clinical, livestock and water and wildlife (WW) associated isolates combined with the previous study. Isolates were grouped by genotypes into nine clusters (C1 to C9). Multilocus sequence typing (MLST) data demonstrated that livestock associated clonal complexes dominated clusters C1-C6. The majority of WW isolates were present in the C9 cluster. Analysis of previously reported genomic variable regions demonstrated that these regions were linked to specific clusters. Two novel variable regions were identified. A six gene multiplex PCR (mPCR) assay, designed to effectively differentiated strains into clusters, was validated with 30 isolates. A further five WW isolates were tested by mPCR and were assigned to the C7-C9 group of clusters. The predictive mPCR test could be used to indicate if a clinical case has come from domesticated or WW sources. Our findings provide further evidence that WW C. jejuni subtypes show niche adaptation and may be important in causing human infection

A late Quaternary climate reconstruction based on borehole heat flux data, borehole temperature data, and the instrumental record

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/95180/1/grl24686.pd