Application of the Observational Method on Crossrail projects

This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from the Federation of Piling Specialists via http://www.fps.org.uk/fps/news/Crossrail%20Programme%20of%20Proceedings%20FINAL.pdfThis paper describes the use of the Observsational Method (OM) on three Crossrail station excavations. Firstly, at Tottenham Court Road, Western Ticket Hall excavation where a code compliant design was started. By the third excavation stage, it was realised that movements were less than predicted and an OM was introduced. This enabled the lowest level of strutting to be eliminated, leading to savings in both programme and costs. Secondly, at Canary Wharf Crossrail Station, an OM approach was envisaged before the start of construction, but was only designed during the final excavation stage when time was available for back-analysis. A saving in costs and programme was achieved. Thirdly, at Moorgate shaft (part of Liverpool St Station) where construction commenced with a standard codecompliant design. A client-led redesign was carried out after installation of the diaphragm wall with an innovative verification process using a proactive OM approach to enable programme savings. When unusual deflection were observed from the shaft east wall due to structural uncertainties and construction activities, the OM and verification process provided a flexible framework within which to reassess ongoing movements and effects on an adjacent tunnel to ensure construction could proceed safely. The case histories described demonstrate the benefit of adopting the OM for excavations in order to achieve savings in time and cost, and to react to unexpected movements during construction. These case histories fit well within a new framework for OM applications developed as part of the CIRIA C760.ARUP, CSI

Measuring the impact of COVID-19 on the quality of life of the survivors, partners and family members: a cross-sectional international online survey

Objective: This study aimed to measure the impact of COVID-19 on the quality of life (QoL) of survivors and their partners and family members. Design and setting: A prospective cross-sectional global online survey using social media. Participants: Patients with COVID-19 and partners or family members (age ≥18 years). Intervention: Online survey from June to August 2020. Main outcome measure: The EuroQol group five dimensions three level (EQ-5D-3L) to measure the QoL of survivors of COVID-19, and the Family Reported Outcome Measure (FROM-16) to assess the impact on their partner/family member’s QoL. Results: The survey was completed by 735 COVID-19 survivors (mean age=48 years; females=563) at a mean of 12.8 weeks after diagnosis and by 571 partners and 164 family members (n=735; mean age=47 years; females=246) from Europe (50.6%), North America (38.5%) and rest of the world (10.9%). The EQ-5D mean score for COVID-19 survivors was 8.65 (SD=1.9, median=9; range=6–14). 81.1% (596/735) reported pain and discomfort, 79.5% (584/735) problems with usual activities, 68.7% (505/735) anxiety and depression and 56.2% (413/735) problems with mobility. Hospitalised survivors (20.1%, n=148) and survivors with existing health conditions (30.9%, n=227) reported significantly more problems with mobility and usual activities (pPeer reviewedFinal Published versio

18th-Century Blues: Exploring the Melancholy Mind

'Before Depression' is a three-year research project by the English departments of the Universities of Northumbria and Sunderland and funded by the Leverhulme Trust. This exhibition brings together a range of artists who treated 'the blues' in their work. They include the influential Albrecht Durer, William Hogarth, Joshua Reynolds, George Romney, Joseph Wright, Thomas Rowlandson, William Blake, Maria Cosway, Thomas Jones, Jacob van Ruisdael, Caspar David Friedrich, Charles Le Brun, Johann Caspar Lavater, John Constable, John Martin and local artist Luke Clennell. Some were themselves depressive, some were interested in medical matters connected with the condition, some painted melancholy scenes, some even made fun of 'depression' for satirical purposes, and some painted friends and well-known figures who we know suffered from periodic low spirits. 18th-Century Blues offers a sometimes lively, sometimes sombre but, we hope, always thought-provoking insight into how people dealt with a common human experience two hundred years ago. Works are kindly loaned by The National Gallery, London; Tate; The National Portrait Gallery; The British Museum, London; The Wellcome Library, London; The Whitworth Art Gallery, University of Manchester; Derby Museums and Art Gallery; The Laing Art Gallery, Newcastle upon Tyne (Tyne and Wear Museums); The Hatton Gallery, Newcastle University and Petworth House, The Egremont Collection (acquired in lieu of tax by HM Treasury in 1957 and subsequently transferred to The National Trust)

Meaning of Family Reported Outcome Measure (FROM-16) severity score bands: a cross-sectional online study in the UK

© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2023. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/Objective: To assign clinical meanings to the Family Reported Outcome Measure (FROM-16) scores through the development of score bands using the anchor-based approach. Design and setting: A cross-sectional online study recruited participants through UK-based patient support groups, research support platforms (HealthWise Wales, Autism Research Centre-Cambridge University database, Join Dementia Research) and through social service departments in Wales. Participants: Family members/partners (aged ≥18 years) of patients with different health conditions. Intervention: Family members/partners of patients completed the FROM-16 questionnaire and a Global Question (GQ). Main outcome measure: Various FROM-16 band sets were devised as a result of mapping of mean, median and mode of the GQ scores to FROM-16 total score, and receiver operating characteristic-area under the curve cut-off values. The band set with the best agreement with GQ based on weighted kappa was selected. Results: A total of 4413 family members/partners (male=1533, 34.7%; female=2858, 64.8%; Prefer not to say=16, 0.4%; other=6, 0.14%) of people with a health condition (male=1994, 45.2%; female=2400, 54.4%; Prefer not to say=12, 0.3%; other=7, 0.16%) completed the online survey: mean FROM-16 score=15.02 (range 0–32, SD=8.08), mean GQ score=2.32 (range 0–4, SD=1.08). The proposed FROM-16 score bandings are: 0–1=no effect on the quality of life of family member; 2–8=small effect on family member; 9–16=moderate effect on family member; 17–25=very large effect on family member; 26–32=extremely large effect on family member (weighted kappa=0.60). Conclusion: The FROM-16 score descriptor bands provide new information to clinicians about interpreting scores and score changes, allowing better-informed treatment decisions for patients and their families. The score banding of FROM-16, along with a short administration time, demonstrates its potential to support holistic clinical practice.Peer reviewe