Keele University

About: Keele University is a education organization based out in Newcastle-under-Lyme, United Kingdom. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Stars. The organization has 11318 authors who have published 26323 publications receiving 894671 citations. The organization is also known as: Keele University.

Meta-analysis using individual participant data: one-stage and two-stage approaches, and why they may differ.

Abstract: Meta-analysis using individual participant data (IPD) obtains and synthesises the raw, participant-level data from a set of relevant studies. The IPD approach is becoming an increasingly popular tool as an alternative to traditional aggregate data meta-analysis, especially as it avoids reliance on published results and provides an opportunity to investigate individual-level interactions, such as treatment-effect modifiers. There are two statistical approaches for conducting an IPD meta-analysis: one-stage and two-stage. The one-stage approach analyses the IPD from all studies simultaneously, for example, in a hierarchical regression model with random effects. The two-stage approach derives aggregate data (such as effect estimates) in each study separately and then combines these in a traditional meta-analysis model. There have been numerous comparisons of the one-stage and two-stage approaches via theoretical consideration, simulation and empirical examples, yet there remains confusion regarding when each approach should be adopted, and indeed why they may differ. In this tutorial paper, we outline the key statistical methods for one-stage and two-stage IPD meta-analyses, and provide 10 key reasons why they may produce different summary results. We explain that most differences arise because of different modelling assumptions, rather than the choice of one-stage or two-stage itself. We illustrate the concepts with recently published IPD meta-analyses, summarise key statistical software and provide recommendations for future IPD meta-analyses. © 2016 The Authors. Statistics in Medicine published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Teachers' views on bullying : definitions, attitudes and ability to cope

Abstract: Background Teachers play a crucial role in preventing and managing the widespread problem of bullying Despite this, scant attention has been paid to their views on this type of problem Aims To determine (i) what behaviours teachers regard as bullying; (ii) teachers' attitudes towards bullying, bullies and victims; (iii) teachers' self-beliefs about their ability to deal with bullying and their need for training; (iv) teachers' views of their responsibility for bullying in various locations; (v) the impact of length of service on attitudes and perceived ability to cope with bullying Sample Pre-, infant, junior, and secondary school teachers (N=138) from schools selected on a convenience basis Age range 19 to 57 years (mean = 358), length of teaching experience range one to 38 years (mean = 122 years) Methods Standardised questionnaire completed and returned within a one-week period Results Teachers viewed a wide range of behaviours as bullying, but significantly more agreed that some items (eg, ‘Threatening people verbally’) were bullying than agreed others were (eg, ‘Leaving people out’) Teachers expressed generally negative attitudes towards bullying and bullies, and were generally sympathetic towards victims, although sympathy diminished with increasing length of service Teachers, regardless of length of service, were not confident in their ability to deal with bullying and 87 per cent wanted more training Significantly more teachers felt responsible for preventing bullying in the classroom and playground than outside of school Conclusion School psychologists must consider teachers' views about many aspects of the problem of bullying if they are to devise optimum strategies for tackling it

Reviewing the literature on interactive whiteboards

Abstract: The aims of this article are to review the existing literature on the introduction and use of interactive whiteboards (IWBs) in schools and to summarise the key issues arising from this analysis in order to provide a context for the articles which follow in this special issue of Learning, Media and Technology. The article reviews the evidence about the initial adoption of the technology in classrooms, the existing empirical evidence of its impact on teaching and learning in schools as well as presenting an analysis of some of the underlying theoretical and conceptual issues.

Management of Tendinopathy

Abstract: Overuse disorders of tendons, or tendinopathies, present a challenge to sports physicians, surgeons, and other health care professionals dealing with athletes. The Achilles, patellar, and supraspinatus tendons are particularly vulnerable to injury and often difficult to manage successfully. Inflammation was believed central to the pathologic process, but histopathologic evidence has confirmed the failed healing response nature of these conditions. Excessive or inappropriate loading of the musculotendinous unit is believed to be central to the disease process, although the exact mechanism by which this occurs remains uncertain. Additionally, the location of the lesion (for example, the midtendon or osteotendinous junction) has become increasingly recognized as influencing both the pathologic process and subsequent management. The mechanical, vascular, neural, and other theories that seek to explain the pathologic process are explored in this article. Recent developments in the nonoperative management of chronic tendon disorders are reviewed, as is the rationale for surgical intervention. Recent surgical advances, including minimally invasive tendon surgery, are reviewed. Potential future management strategies, such as stem cell therapy, growth factor treatment, and gene transfer, are also discussed.

A sensitive high-resolution record of late Holocene climatic change from a raised bog in northern England:

Abstract: Proxy-climatic data in the form of plant macrofossils have been analysed from a 5 m core from Bolton Fell Moss, Cumbria, UK. Detailed analysis of peat from the upper 50 cm of this core is used to demonstrate a strong correlation between changes in the relative proportion of taxa and known climatic changes over the last 1000 years. The record of changes in bog vegetation contained within the peat profile is used to reconstruct changes in bog-surface wetness for the latter half of the Holocene. As bog- surface wetness is directly controlled by the prevailing climatic conditions, this reconstruction can be viewed as a proxy-climate record. Twelve radiocarbon age estimates on the 5m core suggest that between 50 and 500 cm peat accumulated at a relatively constant rate of 12.4 yr cm-1 . The regular sampling intervals thus provide a time series of past bog-surface wetness; spectral analyses of this series indicates that wetness changes are cyclic, with a ca. 800 year periodicity.