Enthusiasm Trust and Community Space Challenge: impact evaluation

The aims of research were:- • To build a body of evidence of impact regarding environmental volunteering services on young people, and on the community • To provide an overview of the types of young people who have participated in the past • To document aspects of previous projects that encourage young people to participate and to achieve, and those that discourage young people from participation or from sustained engagement • To identify the key resources that underpinned successful project delivery • To identify specific achievements of young people that are attributable to the programmeEnthusiasm Trus

Career learning journeys of Derby and Derbyshire NEETs

Young people (aged under 25 years) typically represent a third of all unemployed people across Derby and Derbyshire. The numbers of young people aged between 16 and 18 years old who are either not in education, employment or training (known as NEETs) in Derby and Derbyshire is a concern for local communities, businesses, support organisations, and families. In early 2010 changes to support services and structures were being undertaken, whilst at the same time the economic downturn was affecting opportunities for employment and training. The opportunity that arose at this time through the EMIEP project to undertake research both about, and with, the local NEET population was seized upon locally as a way to better understand the realities of being NEET through systematic analysis of the NCCIS database alongside qualitative analysis of interviews with 40 young people who were categorised as NEET. It finds that those young people with multiple disadvantage feel better supported by services than those whose NEET status derived from just one or two disadvantaging factors.East Midlands Improvement and Efficiency Partnershi

Identifying well-connected opinion leaders for informal health promotion: the example of the ASSIST smoking prevention program

Methods used to select opinion leaders for informal behavior change interventions vary, affecting the role they adopt and the outcomes of interventions. The development of successful identification methods requires evidence that these methods achieve their aims. This study explored whether the “whole community” nomination process used in the ASSIST smoking prevention program successfully identified “peer supporters” who were well placed within their school social networks to diffuse an antismoking message to their peers. Data were collected in the United Kingdom during A Stop Smoking in Schools Trial. Behavioral data were provided at baseline and post intervention by all students. Social network data were provided post intervention by students in four control and six intervention schools. Centrality measures calculated using UCINET demonstrate that the ASSIST nomination process successfully identified peer supporters who were more socially connected than others in their year and who had social connections across the entire year group including the program’s target group. The results indicate that three simple questions can identify individuals who are held in high esteem by their year group and who also have the interpersonal networks required of opinion leaders to successfully disseminate smoke-free messages through their social networks. This approach could be used in other informal health promotion initiatives

Investigating causes of mortality in live export cattle

This research project was initiated to provide industry with current, credible, scientific data on causes of death and risk factors for mortality in Australian live export cattle on long-haul voyages. Animal data and necropsy samples were collected from animals that died on 20 research voyages during the study period March 2010 to September 2012. The average voyage mortality percentage was 0.37%. Respiratory disease was the most commonly diagnosed cause of death, accounting for 107/215 (49.8%) of deaths overall, and 107/181 (59.1%) of deaths for which a diagnosis could be made. In addition, pneumonia was identified in 33% of animals for which respiratory disease was not considered the primary cause of death. Other common causes of death included lameness (n = 22/181, 12.2%), ketosis (n = 12, 6.6%), septicemia (n = 11, 6.1%), and enteric disease (n = 10, 5.5%). Quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) assays were developed to detect viruses and bacteria known to be associated with bovine respiratory disease (BRD) in necropsy and nasal swab samples: Bovine coronavirus (BCoV, Betacoronavirus 1), Bovine herpesvirus 1 (BoHV-1), Bovine viral diarrhoea virus (BVDV), Bovine respiratory syncytial virus (BRSV), Bovine parainfluenza virus 3 (BPIV-3), Histophilus somni, Mycoplasma bovis, Mannheimia haemolytica and Pasteurella multocida Two-thirds (130/195) of animals from which lung samples were collected had histological changes and/or positive qPCR results suggestive of infectious lung disease: 93/130 (72%) had evidence of primary bacterial infection, 4 (3%) with primary viral infection, 29 (22%) with concurrent bacterial and viral infections, and for 4 (3%) the causative organism could not be indentified. M. bovis, H. somni, P. multocida, M. haemolytica and BCoV were significantly associated with respiratory disease during voyages. Results from nasal swab and serological samples collected at entry to the pre-export assembly depot indicated that there were significant differences in nasal and seroprevalence between animals sourced from different properties. Combined nasal swab and serum results suggest that BCoV and BVDV are likely to be important infectious agents in the development of BRD in live export cattle while BPIV-3 is unlikely to play a major role. The contribution of BoHV-1, BRSV and bacteria of interest is difficult to determine. Analysis of animal and voyage data collected by industry between January 1995 and December 2012 revealed that while there has been an overall reduction in voyage mortality rates since 2000, there remain significant differences in mortality rate between load and discharge regions. Examination of daily mortality data available for research voyages revealed that peak daily mortality risk occurs at 3-4 weeks post-departure. The development of methods for spatial analyses coupled with data available in the National Livestock Identification System database allowed the description of patterns of animal movement prior to export. This study has improved our understanding of causes of death and risk factors for mortality in Australian live export cattle. We now have baseline data on the prevalence of BRD organisms in live export cattle that could be used to develop strategies for BRD prevention and control prior to loading and during voyages

A Preliminary Annotated Checklist of the Foliose and Fruticose Lichens of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park

While much of the flora of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park has been extensively studied, the lichens have been somewhat neglected. Degelius\u27 Lichen Flora of the Great Smoky Mountains (1941) is the first, and until now the only extensive study of the lichens of this area. Sharp (1930) mentions Gyrophora dillenii (=Umbilicaria mammulata) from Mt. LeConte. Cain (1935), Mozingo (1954), Sierk (1958), and Hale (1961) mention several species from the Smokies. Mozingo (1961) gives keys to the genus Cladonia both in Eastern Tennessee and in the Great Smoky Mountains. The descriptions and keys in this study have been compiled from personal examination of lichen specimens from the Smokies and from the following sources in the literature: Hale (1961), Howard (1950), Llano (1950), Sierk (1958), and Thomson (1950 and 1963). These keys are strictly preliminary as they are based on a limited amount of material from a limited area and do not include species reported by others, which the author has not seen. For this reason they probably are not adequate for other areas. If further collecting is done other species may possibly be added. The substrates given for each species following the descriptions are those most frequently observed by the author in the Smokies. Some species are occasionally found on other materials. The algae reported in the descriptions were not identified by the investigator but are those reported in the literature. Where color tests have been used in the keys or descriptions the reagents used are: P = paraphenylenedimine K = KOH (potassium hydroxide) C = chlorine bleach The reactions of a lichen to color tests are recorded as positive (+) or negative (-). In a positive test there is a color change while in a negative test there is no color change. These color tests are made on the cortex or medulla of the thallus. Color tests are useful in distinguishing between some genera and some species. All specimens examined are from the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. They include specimens which were already in the Herbarium of The University of Tennessee as well as recent collections by the investigator which are now on deposit in the Herbarium of The University of Tennessee. A map of collection areas is included in the appendix together with a list of the species observed and a list of the species reported by others but not seen in the present study

All things being equal? Equality and diversity in careers education,information, advice and guidance

In its education chapter, the Commission’s first Triennial Review of evidence on inequality, How Fair is Britain? Equality, Human Rights and Good Relations in 2010, found that educational attainment has been transformed in recent years. Around half of young people are now getting good qualifications at 16 (5+ A*-C GCSEs or equivalent including English and Maths) and, in 2008/09, 2.4 million students enrolled in higher education in the UK – a considerable change from a time when educational opportunities were only available to a minority of young people. However, the evidence shows that educational attainment continues to be strongly associated with socio-economic background. Stereotypical information and guidance can limit young people’s options and aspirations at an early age. Careers advice often reinforces traditional choices and young people have limited information on the pay advantages of nontraditional routes. Nearly one in four young people say that they have not had enough information to make choices for their future. This rises to just under a quarter of disabled young people

Career ambitions of teenage mothers: customer insight research

Teenage pregnancy is more common in some areas and among some groups of young women. Rates of teenage pregnancy in socially deprived areas are higher than the national average. Because of its association with deprivation, in 1999 the Social Exclusion Unit set out targets to Local Authorities to reduce the numbers of conceptions and increase the participation of young mothers in education, training and employment. Progress towards reducing conceptions has been steady but slow as the figure below from Nottinghamshire shows. It remains concentrated in geographic ‘hot spots’ in both the City and the County. Similarly fewer than 30% of young mothers in the City or the County are in education, employment or training. This research sought to find out more about these young women. Through interviews and data analysis the research explored the motivations and factors that influence when or whether a young mother will return to the labour market.East Midlands Improvement and Efficiency Partnershi

Changes in child exposure to secondhand smoke after implementation of smoke-free legislation in Wales: a repeated cross-sectional study.

Background: Smoke-free legislation was introduced in Wales in April 2007. In response to concerns regarding potential displacement of smoking into the home following legislation, this study assessed changes in secondhand smoke (SHS) exposure amongst non-smoking children. Methods: Approximately 1,750 year 6 (aged 10-11) children from 75 Welsh primary schools were included in cross-sectional surveys immediately pre-legislation and one year later. Participants completed self-report questionnaires and provided saliva samples for cotinine assay. Regression analyses assessed the impact of legislation on children's SHS exposure at the population level, and amongst subgroups defined by parental figures who smoke within the home. Results: Geometric mean salivary cotinine concentrations were 0.17 ng/ml (95% CI 0.15,0.20) pre-legislation and 0.15 ng/ml (95% CI 0.13,0.17), post-legislation, although this change was not statistically significant. Significant movement was however observed from the middle (0.10-0.50 ng/ml) to lower tertile, though not from the higher end (>0.51 ng/ml) to the middle. Reported exposure to SHS was greatest within the home. Home-based exposure did not change significantly post-legislation. Reported exposure in cafés or restaurants, buses and trains, and indoor leisure facilities fell significantly. The proportion of children reporting that parent figures smoked in the home declined (P = 0.03), with children with no parent figures who smoke in the home significantly more likely to provide saliva with cotinine concentrations of <0.10 ng/ml post-legislation. Amongst children with no parent figures who smoke in the home, the likelihood of 'not knowing' or 'never' being in a place where people were smoking increased post-legislation. Conclusion: Smoke-free legislation in Wales did not increase SHS exposure in homes of children aged 10-11. Reported SHS exposure in public places fell significantly. The home remained the main source of children's SHS exposure. The legislation was associated with an unexpected reduction in cotinine levels among children with lower SHS exposure pre-legislation. The findings indicate positive rather than harmful effects of legislation on children's SHS exposure, but highlight the need for further action to protect those children most exposed to SHS

Development of an observational instrument for measuring role behavior in social work groups.

Thesis (M.S.)--Boston Universit