Showing papers by "Northampton Community College published in 2008"

Fibre-optic sensor technologies for humidity and moisture measurement

Abstract: A review of the use of fibre-optic sensor technologies for humidity sensing is presented. The paper first provides a brief overview on the basic concept of what is meant by humidity and on conventional detection methods. This is followed by an extensive review on the various fibre-optic techniques reported for humidity sensing, covering both intrinsic and extrinsic sensor configurations.

Computerized Analysis of Retinal Vessel Width and Tortuosity in Premature Infants

Abstract: PURPOSE: To determine, with novel software, the feasibility of measuring the tortuosity and width of retinal veins and arteries from digital retinal images of infants at risk of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP). METHODS: The Computer-Aided Image Analysis of the Retina (CAIAR) program was developed to enable semiautomatic detection of retinal vasculature and measurement of vessel tortuosity and width from digital images. CAIAR was tested for accuracy and reproducibility of tortuosity and width measurements by using computer-generated vessel-like lines of known frequency, amplitude, and width. CAIAR was then tested by using clinical digital retinal images for correlation of vessel tortuosity and width readings compared with expert ophthalmologist grading. RESULTS: When applied to 16 computer-generated sinusoidal vessels, the tortuosity measured by CAIAR correlated very well with the known values. Width measures also increased as expected. When the CAIAR readings were compared with five expert ophthalmologists' grading of 75 vessels on 10 retinal images, moderate correlation was found in 10 of the 14 tortuosity output calculations (Spearman rho = 0.618-0.673). Width was less well correlated (rho = 0.415). CONCLUSIONS: The measures of tortuosity and width in CAIAR were validated using sequential model vessel analysis. On comparison of CAIAR output with assessments made by expert ophthalmologists, CAIAR correlates moderately with tortuosity grades, but less well with width grades. CAIAR offers the opportunity to develop an automated image analysis system for detecting the vascular changes at the posterior pole, which are becoming increasingly important in diagnosing treatable ROP.

Refugees in the UK labour market: The conflict between economic integration and policy-led labour market restriction

Abstract: This article draws on data from a survey of 400 refugees and shows low levels of labour market activity. The minority of refugees who are working are in secondary sector jobs with little opportunity for progression.Moreover, refugees with high levels of skills who are working are not in jobs commensurate with their skills and qualifications. The article examines the human capacity and personal characteristics that have an impact on refugee employment, and finds the greatest difference in employment is between men and women, although English language fluency and training are also very important. Employment is a major part of the refugee integration strategy, and employment initiatives focus on capacity- uilding rather than discrimination or reversing restrictive policies. The article concludes that strategies need to focus on individual employability as well as measures to overcome personal and structural barriers to the labour market.

Parental Report of Infant Language Skills: A Review of the Development and Application of the Communicative Development Inventories

Abstract: The Communicative Development Inventories (CDIs) are parent report measures of vocabulary and other aspects of language development in very young children. They have evolved over the past 20 years to be one of the most well recognised assessments of infant language. Of particular significance is the fact that the CDIs are the first measures of their kind to be widely translated and adapted for use in many different languages. The inventories have served a variety of functions including measuring early language acquisition, deriving normative data on language acquisition, and both identifying and describing children whose early language is significantly delayed. This review describes the development of the CDIs, summarises the volume of research that has been generated in a range of applications of the measures, and evaluates their current standing both as a research tool and as a clinical measure. Issues around the sensitivity and predictive value of the CDIs are also considered. © 2008 Association for Child and Adolescent Mental Health.

The role of language, social cognition, and social skill in the functional social outcomes of young adolescents with and without a history of SLI.

Abstract: Social skill and language are known to relate, not least in the example of those with specific language impairment (SLI). However, most of the research examining this trend has been conducted on young primary school age children and the nature of the relationships is unclear. Furthermore, little is known about which young people in general have social difficulties and whether language, social cognition, and social skills are directly associated at this age. In this study, a large cohort made up of young people with a history of SLI (N = 134) and a typically developing (TD) group (N = 124) of the same age were followed up in their final year of compulsory schooling (aged 16). Language, social cognition, social skills, and functional social outcomes (friendships and levels of social activity) were assessed using tasks and questionnaires. Modest associations were found between social cognition, language, and social behaviours, the strongest being between language and social cognition. Regression analyses showed that as a combined group, the adolescents' functional social outcomes were most associated with expressive language, social skill, and social cognitive ability. However, the patterns differed when the groups were analysed separately, with social cognition playing more of a role for those with SLI. These findings suggest that poor language may play a complex role in adolescents' social development.

Visualization of Latent Fingerprint Corrosion of Metallic Surfaces

Abstract: Chemical reactions between latent fingerprints and a variety of metal surfaces are investigated by heating the metal up to temperatures of approximately 600 degrees C after deposition of the fingerprint. Ionic salts present in the fingerprint residue corrode the metal surface to produce an image of the fingerprint that is both durable and resistant to cleaning of the metal. The degree of fingerprint enhancement appears independent of the elapsed time between deposition and heating but is very dependent on both the composition of the metal and the level of salt secretion by the fingerprint donor. Results are presented that show practical applications for the enhancement to fingerprints deposited in arson crime scenes, contaminated by spray painting, or deposited on brass cartridge cases prior to discharge. The corrosion of the metal surface is further exploited by the demonstration of a novel technique for fingerprint enhancement based on the electrostatic charging of the metal and then the preferential adherence of a metallic powder to the corroded part of the metal surface.

Dose form modification - a common but potentially hazardous practice. A literature review and study of medication administration to older psychiatric inpatients.

Abstract: Background: Many older patients have difficulty in swallowing their tablets and capsules. Dose form modification, by crushing tablets or opening capsules, is often used by nurses to administer such medication.Methods: Electronic searches of five literature databases on tablet crushing and capsule opening were carried out. A review of medication incident reports involving tablet crushing from the U.K. National Reporting and Learning System (NRLS) was also undertaken. An observational study of medication administration on two long-stay wards for older mentally ill inpatients was carried out in a large psychiatric hospital.Results: Only 17 incidents involving tablet crushing were reported to NRLS in 13 months. In the observational study, the administration of 1257 oral doses of medication at 36 medication rounds was observed. Tablets were crushed or capsules opened for 25.5% (266/1045) of solid oral doses. For 44.0% (117/266) of these doses the tablet crushing had not been authorized by the prescriber. For 4.5% (12/266) of doses crushing was specifically contra-indicated by the manufacturer. In 57.5% (153/266) of doses, tablet crushing was avoidable by the correct use of more suitable preparations. Crushing caused contamination, spillage and hygiene problems.Conclusions: Although tablet crushing and capsule opening are common practices, they are rarely reported as causing patient harm. Tablet crushing can often be avoided by the use of more suitable preparations. Crushing tablets and opening capsules are contra-indicated for some preparations. Older patients' medication may benefit from review by a pharmacist in order to optimize safe medication administration. Where tablet crushing is unavoidable, attention to cleanliness, contamination and spillage are necessary.

To link or not to link: a test of the case linkage principles using serial car theft data

Abstract: The purpose of the present study is to test the case linkage principles of behavioural consistency and behavioural distinctiveness using serial vehicle theft data. Data from 386 solved vehicle thefts committed by 193 offenders were analysed using Jaccard's, regression and Receiver Operating Characteristic analyses to determine whether objectively observable aspects of crime scene behaviour could be used to distinguish crimes committed by the same offender from those committed by different offenders. The findings indicate that spatial behaviour, specifically the distance between theft locations and between dump locations, is a highly consistent and distinctive aspect of vehicle theft behaviour; thus, intercrime and interdump distance represent the most useful aspects of vehicle theft for the purpose of case linkage analysis. The findings have theoretical and practical implications for understanding of criminal behaviour and for the development of decision-support tools to assist police investigation and apprehension of serial vehicle theft offenders.

Self-esteem as a predictor of psychological distress after severe acquired brain injury: An exploratory study

Abstract: This study explored the effects of severe acquired brain injury (ABI) on self-esteem. A within-subjects design investigated 22 severe ABI survivors' self-reported responses on measures of self-esteem, mood and awareness of deficit. Data on cognitive ability and awareness of degree of executive impairment were included in the analysis. Self-esteem was measured using Rosenberg's Self-Esteem Scale (Rosenberg) and psychological distress by the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). Self-esteem was found to be consistent over a two-week interval. Participants reported that their self-esteem had suffered following ABI when contrasting their current self-esteem with their retrospective perceptions. Self-esteem was highly correlated with psychological distress. More intact cognitive functioning and awareness of deficit were associated with lower self-esteem. The paradoxical finding that survivors who were more impaired cognitively and/or less aware of their deficits reported higher self-esteem poses an ethical dilemma for clinicians. It is hoped that this finding, along with the consistency of self-esteem ratings sparks further debate about how best to address issues of self-esteem among severe ABI survivors, particularly in the context of psychological distress, during rehabilitation.

Telemedicine screening for retinopathy of prematurity in developing countries using digital retinal images: a feasibility project.

Abstract: Purpose To determine the feasibility in a middle-level human development country of onsite training, image collection, Internet transfer, and remote grading of digital retinal images from babies screened for retinopathy of prematurity (ROP). Methods Two experienced nurses in a neonatal nursery in Lima, Peru, were trained to take posterior pole (30°) digital retinal images. Nurses obtained posterior pole retinal images from babies undergoing routine ROP screening and selected images for uploading via Internet for remote evaluation by five masked ROP experts. Results of gradings were compared with same-day clinical diagnostic examinations by an experienced ophthalmologist. Success rates for image acquisition and transfer for grading by expert readers were calculated. Results Serial image sets from 26 of the 28 babies enrolled in this study were obtained; two babies were too unstable for imaging. Fifty-six of 58 (96.6%) imaging sessions were successful in obtaining retinal images. Three hundred thirty of 336 (98.2%) images obtained were successfully uploaded to an interactive database. Remote graders judged 93.6% to 97.3% of image sets suitable for ROP grading. Preliminary results indicate sensitivities for detection of serious ROP from 45.5% to 95.2% among individual readers, with specificities of 61.7% to 96.2% when images were gradable. Conclusions A telemedicine approach for ROP screening using digital retinal images obtained by nonophthalmologists is feasible in rapidly developing countries that lack ROP-trained ophthalmologists. If remote grading of digital images is validated as an effective method for identifying referral-warranted ROP (RW-ROP), images obtained by nonphysicians may provide a means of identifying babies who require a diagnostic examination by an ophthalmologist.

PRiM: An i * -based process reengineering method for information systems specification

Abstract: Information system development can often be addressed as a business process reengineering practice, either because it automates some human-based processes or because it replaces an existing legacy system. Therefore, observing and analysing current processes can enable analysts to converge on the specification of the new system, generating and evaluating new system alternatives throughout. In this paper, we propose a method to support this reengineering process that analyses the strengths and weaknesses of the current process; considers the strategic needs of the organization; provides guidelines for the prescriptive construction of i^* models; and drives the systematic generation and evaluation of alternative technological and organizational solutions for the new system.

The Value of DNA Material Recovered from Crime Scenes

Abstract: DNA material is now collected routinely from crime scenes for a wide range of offenses and its timely processing is acknowledged as a key element to its success in solving crime An analysis of the processing of approximately 1500 samples of DNA material recovered from the property crime offenses of residential burglary, commercial burglary, and theft of motor vehicle in Northamptonshire, UK during 2006 identified saliva and cigarette ends as the main sources of DNA recovered (approximately 63% of samples) with blood, cellular DNA, and chewing gum accounting for the remainder The conversion of these DNA samples into DNA profiles and then into matches with offender profiles held on the UK National DNA database is considered in terms of the ease with which Crime Scene Examiners can recover DNA rich samples of different sources, the location of the DNA at the crime scene, and its mobility A logistical regression of the DNA material recovered has revealed a number of predictors, other than timeliness, that greatly influence its conversion into a DNA profile The most significant predictor was found to be Crime Scene Examiner accreditation with offense type and DNA sample condition also being relevant A similar logistical regression of DNA samples profiled that produced a match with an offender on the UK National DNA database showed no significance with any of the predictors considered

Classification Systems for Hallux Rigidus : A Review of the Literature

Abstract: Background: Hallux rigidus (HR) is one of the most common causes of forefoot pain. A number of classification systems have been developed to evaluate HR. These systems are based on either radiological parameters alone or a combination of radiological and clinical features. The purpose of this paper is to critically evaluate HR classification systems by undertaking a detailed review using English language medical and paramedical databases. Materials and Methods: The authors identified 18 formal HR classification systems described in the literature, some of which are variations on a theme. Results: No clear consensus on the construction of HR classification systems appears to exist. Different criteria and methods are used which make comparison difficult. Furthermore, it appears that, no serious consideration has been given to their reliability and validity. Criteria used to justify inclusion of these parameters have been based mainly on clinical experience rather than formal research. Conclusion: For such a...

Exploring the Safety and Therapeutic Effects of Deep Pressure Stimulation Using a Weighted Blanket

Abstract: This paper presents the results of a concurrent, nested, mixed methods exploratory study on the safety and effectiveness of the use of a 30 lb weighted blanket with a convenience sample of 32 adult...

Long-term prognosis in infantile spasms: a follow-up report on 112 cases.

Abstract: SUMMAY A long-term follow-up study has been made of 98 children, aged five years or more, with infantile spasms, 58 of whom had been treated with steroids. 18 had died, mostly before the age of four years. Of the 80 survivors only 9 still had spasms, but nearly two-thirds of the patients had other types of fit at some time, and only a third were free from all types of epilepsy at follow-up. Neurological abnormality was present in half the children, being most common in those with a history of perinatal insult. The EEG was normal in 50 per cent of the 68 children examined at follow-up, only 3 showed hypsarrhythmia, and the rest showed bilateral or focal abnormality. Only 13 children appeared to have made a complete recovery. A good prognosis appears to depend more upon the cause than upon the treatment given. RESUME Pronostic ag long terme des spasmes infantiles (Encephalopathie myoclonique infantile). Etude prolongee de 112 cas Une etude longitudinale prolongee a ete faite chez 98 enfants âges de 5 ans ou plus avec des spasmes infantiles. 58 d'entre eux avaient ete traites par des steroides. 18 sont morts presque toujours avant 4 ans. Parmi les 80 survivants, 9 d'entre eux presentaient encore des spasmes mais pres des deux tiers des enfants avaient d'autres types de crises a un moment ou a une autre et seulement un tiers etait indemne de toute manifestation epileptique. Des anomalies neurologiques ont ete observees chez la moitie des enfants, surtout ceux qui avaient une histoire d'agression peri-natale. L'EEG etait normal chez 50% des 68 enfants examines au long de l'etude seulement trois montraient des signes d'ipsarythmie, et dans les autres cas on relevait des anomalies bilaterales ou focales. La guerison complete ne semble avoir ete observee que dans 13 cas. Le bon pronostic parait lie bien davantage a la cause de l'affection qu'au traitement entrepris. ZUSAMMENFASSUNG Langzeit-Prognose bei Infant Hen Krampfen: Ein Verlaufsbericht uber 112 Falle Bei 98 Kindern mit funf oder mehr Jahren, die an infantilen Krampfen litten, wurde eine Verlaufsstudie uber lange Zeit durchgefuhrt. 58 dieser Kinder wurden mit Steroiden behandelt. 18 waren meist vor vier Jahren gestorben. Von den 80 Uberlebenden hatten nur 9 noch Krampfe, aber fast zwei Drittel der Patienten hatten gelegentlich andere Arten von Anfallen und nur ein Drittel war im weiteren Verlauf frei von jeder Art von Epilepsie. Neurologische Abnormitaten fanden sich bei der Halfte der Kinder, und zwar meistens bei solchen mit einem perinatalen Insult in der Anamnese. Das EEG war bei 50% der 68 Kinder in der Verlaufsbeobachtung normal, nur drei zeigten eine Hypsarrhythmie und beim Rest fand man bilaterale oder fokale Abnormitaten. Nur 13 Kinder schienen vollig gesund geworden zu sein. Eine gute Prognose scheint mehr von der Ursache der Erkrankung als von der Therapie abzuhangen. RESUMEN Pronostico a largo plazo en los espasmos infantiles. Estudio de 112 casos Se ha realizado un estudio a largo plazo de 98 ninos de 5 anos de edad o mayores con espasmos infantiles. De ellos 58 habian sido tratados con esteroides, mientras que 18 fallecieron, la mayoria antes de los 4 anos de edad. De los 80 supervivientes solo 9 presentaban todavia espasmos, pero casi los 2/3 de los pacientes sufrian en algun momento algun otro tipo de convulsion y solamente 1/3 estaba libre de todo tipo de epilepsia en el momento del estudio. En la mitad de los ninos estaba presente una anomalia neurologica, siendo mas corriente en aquellos casos con historia de agresion perinatal. El EEG era normal en el 50% de los 68 ninos examinados. Solo 3 mostraban hipsarritmia y el resto mostraba anomalias bilaterales o focales. Solamente 13 ninos presentaban una recuperacion completa. Parece que el pronostico bueno depende mas de la causa que del tratamiento.

Evaluation of a mobile information system in context

Abstract: The motivation for this work has been to provide relevant information to the right situation for mobile phone users. We have iteratively developed applications for travellers and tourists to provide a general travel guide with local tourist information. This used a combination of wireless tag technology and information from content service providers. The paper presents our evaluation methodology and how we used it to develop the applications. The methodology is user centred, iterative, and progressive. It combines information retrieval (IR) evaluation methods with human-computer interaction (HCI) development techniques. Two groups of three user studies and a large survey were conducted in context with the studies scaling up to 238 participants and 438 user survey responses. The participants tested the applications in context, including the IR functions. They also filled in a pre and post questionnaire immediately before and after the system use. Some participants were additionally interviewed.

The development of a ‘best practice’ service for women in a medium-secure psychiatric setting: treatment components and evaluation

Abstract: The inadequacy of inpatient facilities for women with severe psychiatric and co-morbid difficulties has been repeatedly documented. The establishment of effective therapeutic programmes for women in medium psychiatric facilities is also in their infancy, and little research has been undertaken. This article describes the development of a 'best practice' psychological treatment programme for women with a dual diagnosis. Emphasis is placed on the need to develop further intensive gender-specific services using an established model for effective therapeutic service development. In addition to a detailed description of the group therapy programme, staff training initiatives, methods for ensuring treatment integrity and a methodology for service evaluation is given.

The St Andrew's Sexual Behaviour Assessment (SASBA): development of a standardised recording instrument for the measurement and assessment of challenging sexual behaviour in people with progressive and acquired neurological impairment

Abstract: Inappropriate sexual behaviour (ISB) as a sequela of neurological impairment is often overlooked in comparison to other challenging behaviours such as agitation and aggression, yet the impact on patients and carers can be equally significant and pervasive. Inconsistencies in terminology and lack of standardised measurement tools for ISB limit the degree to which such behaviour can be objectively and consistently identified, reported and managed within and between services. This paper proposes a new ISB scale, the St Andrew's Sexual Behaviour Assessment (SASBA) based on the Overt Aggression Scale – Modified for Neurorehabilitation (OAS-MNR: Alderman, Knight, & Morgan, 1997). The validity and reliability of the SASBA for use with people who have both progressive neurological conditions and acquired brain injury admitted to in-patient services is explored. This scale allows continuous observations of four categories of ISB, each of which has four levels of severity, that were developed with reference to rele...

Managing money in new heterosexual forms of intimate relationships

Abstract: Drawing on British data from the 1994 and 2002 International Social Survey Programme modules on “Family and Changing Gender Roles,” this paper attempts to analyse the ways in which different subcategories of cohabiting couples organise money and to compare them with their married counterparts in the same age range and family situations. The results indicate that while young cohabiting parents tend to see their relationships as similar or equivalent to marriage and organise money in very similar ways to married parents, young childless and older post-marital cohabiting couples are overwhelmingly likely to keep money partly or completely separate, especially when one partner earns more than the other.

Association of cognitive distortions with problem and pathological gambling in adult male twins.

Abstract: Treatment studies suggest that gambling-related irrational beliefs and attitudes (i.e., cognitive distortions (CDs)) contribute to the risk for problem gambling behavior. In a community sample of men, we investigated the associations among lifetime gambling-related CDs, psychiatric disorders other than pathological gambling , and problem gambling severity. Subjects were 1354 members of the Vietnam Era Twin Registry. Problem gambling and gambling-related CDs were derived from a 2002 interview using the National Opinion Research Center DSM-IV Screen for Gambling Problems (NODS). Exploratory factor analysis was performed with the 12 CD items to identify an underlying construct. Generalized linear models were computed to test for associations among CDs, psychiatric disorders other than pathological gambling, and gambling problem severity. Co-twin control analyses of monozygotic twin pairs discordant for problem gambling severity adjusted for genetic and shared environmental influences. Twelve CD items related to one underlying CD construct. After adjustment for lifetime psychiatric disorders, pathological gambling symptoms were positively associated with higher CD scores. Pathological gambling symptoms remained significantly associated with CD scores after controlling for genetic and shared environmental influence. These results provide empirical support for an association between gambling-related CDs and gambling problem severity, even after controlling for genetic and shared environmental influences and non-pathological gambling psychiatric disorders. Public health messages and therapeutic interventions that reinforce the randomness of gambling and draw attention to distorted thinking may prevent the development of problem gambling and improve treatment outcomes.

Comparative analysis of cervical arthroplasty using mobi-c(r) and anterior cervical discectomy and fusion using the solis(r) -cage.

Abstract: Objective Although anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) is the standard treatment for degenerative cervical disc disease, concerns regarding adjacent level degeneration and loss of motion have suggested that arthroplasty may be a better alternative. We have compared clinical and radiological results in patients with cervical disc herniations treated with arthroplasty and ACDF.