Showing papers by "Northumbria University published in 2011"
TL;DR: This review assesses the current evidence for the efficacy of a range of readily available plant-based extracts and chemicals that may improve brain function and which have attracted sufficient research in this regard to reach a conclusion as to their potential effectiveness as nootropics.
563 citations
381 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, a participatory art project with young people of African and British heritage in northeast England is described, focusing on the materiality of art (the tools) within participatory practices (the doing of it) in contributing to a space where interactions might take place.
Abstract: Recent debates around urban encounter, integration cosmopolitanism, and renewed engagement with contact theory have raised questions about the spaces of interaction that may enable meaningful encounters between different social groups. Reflecting on a participatory art project with young people of African and British heritage in northeast England, we argue that discussion and practice around participatory action research, including the deployment of contact zones as theory and method, can cast some light on what fosters transformative spaces. Through analysis of two different approaches to community art used in the project, we show how elements of each enabled and disabled meaningful interaction between young people. We draw attention to the materiality of art (the tools) within participatory practices (the doing of it) in contributing to a space where interactions might take place, emphasising a complex interplay across/between actors, materials, and space that frames encounters as emergent, transitory, fragile, and yet hopeful. We examine the potential of a focus on the material in thinking beyond moments of encounter to how transformative social relations may be `scaled up' before considering the implications for research and policy.
289 citations
TL;DR: Results suggest that mental practice with motor imagery does not enhance motor recovery in patients early post-stroke, and it remains to be seen whether mental practicewith motor imagery is a valid rehabilitation technique in its own right.
Abstract: This randomized controlled trial evaluated the therapeutic benefit of mental practice with motor imagery in stroke patients with persistent upper limb motor weakness. There is evidence to suggest that mental rehearsal of movement can produce effects normally attributed to practising the actual movements. Imagining hand movements could stimulate restitution and redistribution of brain activity, which accompanies recovery of hand function, thus resulting in a reduced motor deficit. Current efficacy evidence for mental practice with motor imagery in stroke is insufficient due to methodological limitations. This randomized controlled sequential cohort study included 121 stroke patients with a residual upper limb weakness within 6 months following stroke (on average <3 months post-stroke). Randomization was performed using an automated statistical minimizing procedure. The primary outcome measure was a blinded rating on the Action Research Arm test. The study analysed the outcome of 39 patients involved in 4 weeks of mental rehearsal of upper limb movements during 45-min supervised sessions three times a week and structured independent sessions twice a week, compared to 31 patients who performed equally intensive non-motor mental rehearsal, and 32 patients receiving normal care without additional training. No differences between the treatment groups were found at baseline or outcome on the Action Research Arm Test (ANCOVA statistical P=0.77, and effect size partial η2=0.005) or any of the secondary outcome measures. Results suggest that mental practice with motor imagery does not enhance motor recovery in patients early post-stroke. In light of the evidence, it remains to be seen whether mental practice with motor imagery is a valid rehabilitation technique in its own right.
271 citations
TL;DR: This paper investigated the relationship between conspiracy theory beliefs, paranormal belief, paranoid ideation, and schizotypy, in a study involving 60 females and 60 males aged 18-50.
262 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors examined whether carbon footprinting and labeling food products, borne from an overarching policy imperative to decarbonise food systems, is a tool that will actively facilitate consumers to make ‘greener’ purchasing decisions and whether this is a sensible way of trying to achieve to a low carbon future.
256 citations
TL;DR: The data contradict the suggestion that mind wandering is associated with distraction problems or specific deficits in task-relevant processes and are consistent with the decoupling hypothesis: that TUT dampens the processing of sensory information irrespective of that information’s task relevance.
Abstract: This study used event-related potentials to explore whether mind wandering (task-unrelated thought, or TUT) emerges through general problems in distraction, deficits of task-relevant processing (the executive-function view), or a general reduction in attention to external events regardless of their relevance (the decoupling hypothesis). Twenty-five participants performed a visual oddball task, in which they were required to differentiate between a rare target stimulus (to measure task-relevant processes), a rare novel stimulus (to measure distractor processing), and a frequent nontarget stimulus. TUT was measured immediately following task performance using a validated retrospective measure. High levels of TUT were associated with a reduction in cortical processing of task-relevant events and distractor stimuli. These data contradict the suggestion that mind wandering is associated with distraction problems or specific deficits in task-relevant processes. Instead, the data are consistent with the decoupling hypothesis: that TUT dampens the processing of sensory information irrespective of that information's task relevance.
237 citations
TL;DR: The authors examine the ways in which international volunteering seems to both exemplify neoliberal ideas of individual autonomy, improvement and responsibility and at the same time allies itself to notions of collective global citizenship, solidarity, development and activism.
Abstract: International volunteering occupies a popular place in contemporary UK public imaginations. It is supported by a range of stakeholders, including the state, the corporate sector and non-government organisations (NGOs), which increasingly share a narrative emphasising international volunteering’s capacity to develop volunteers whose impacts on global equity or their professional identities emerge on their return as much as during their stay overseas. This paper explores discourses and practices of citizenship, professionalisation and partnership as they produce and are produced through contemporary international volunteering. We do this through interrogating the overlapping genealogies of international volunteering and development. Our analysis explores the ways in which international volunteering seems to both exemplify neoliberal ideas of individual autonomy, improvement and responsibility and at the same time allies itself to notions of collective global citizenship, solidarity, development and activism. To illustrate our argument we examine two sets of volunteering partnerships, those that support the Department for International Development’s £10 million, 3-year programme focused on sending young, British disadvantaged people as international volunteers, and the corporate citizenship volunteer programmes supported by VSO and the international consulting firm, Accenture. Interrogating contemporary state, corporate and civil society promotion of international volunteering allows us to examine how notions of professionalisation and global and neoliberal citizenship are produced through development imaginaries, and are negotiated and constructed among and by new volunteering populations and sectors at a moment when, particularly due to the credit crunch, economic and career futures are fragile and uncertain.
205 citations
TL;DR: Two newly prepared oligothienylpyridines bind to platinum(II) and iridium(III) as N∧C-coordinating ligands, cyclometallating at position C(4) in the thiophene ring adjacent to the pyridine, leaving a chain of either one or two pendent thiophenes.
Abstract: Two newly prepared oligothienylpyridines, 5-(2-pyridyl)-5'-dodecyl-2,2'-bithiophene, HL(2), and 5-(2-pyridyl)-5''-dodecyl-2,2':5',2''-ter-thiophene, HL(3), bind to platinum(II) and iridium(III) as N∧C-coordinating ligands, cyclometallating at position C(4) in the thiophene ring adjacent to the pyridine, leaving a chain of either one or two pendent thiophenes. The synthesis of complexes of the form [PtL(n)(acac)] and [Ir(L(n))(2)(acac)] (n = 2 or 3) is described. The absorption and luminescence properties of these four new complexes are compared with the behavior of the known complexes [PtL(1)(acac)] and [Ir(L(1))(2)(acac)] {HL(1) = 2-(2-thienyl)pyridine}, and the profound differences in behavior are interpreted with the aid of time-dependent density functional theory (TD-DFT) calculations. Whereas [PtL(1)(acac)] displays solely intense phosphorescence from a triplet state of mixed ππ*/MLCT character, the phosphorescence of [PtL(2)(acac)] and [PtL(3)(acac)] is weak, strongly red shifted, and accompanied by higher-energy fluorescence. TD-DFT reveals that this difference is probably due to the metal character in the lowest-energy excited states being strongly attenuated upon introduction of the additional thienyl rings, such that the spin-orbit coupling effect of the metal in promoting intersystem crossing is reduced. A similar pattern of behavior is observed for the iridium complexes, except that the changeover to dual emission is delayed to the terthiophene complex [Ir(L(3))(2)(acac)], reflecting the higher degree of metal character in the frontier orbitals of the iridium complexes than their platinum counterparts.
189 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors propose an understanding of impact based on the co-production of knowledge between universities and communities, modelled in research practice in participatory geographies, making us socially accountable rather than driven by economic accountancy.
Abstract: In this paper we offer a critique and an alternative to current proposals to include the economic and social impacts of research in the next UK audit of academic research. In contrast to most responses from UK academics, our argument is for impact; while the growing marketisation of knowledge is to be deplored, resources and activities within universities do have a vital role to play in progressive social change. The problem is that the current proposals will produce and retrench an elite model of power/knowledge relationships. We propose an understanding of impact based on the co-production of knowledge between universities and communities, modelled in research practice in participatory geographies. This is more likely to result in more equitable and radically transformative impacts of knowledge, making us socially accountable rather than driven by economic accountancy.
176 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, Bowman and Ambrosini's theoretical framework and the work of DeSarbo, Jedidi and Sinha are extended to model the firm's value offering.
Abstract: The primary pursuit of any business is to understand what customers value and to create that value for them. While customers are the final arbiter of value, it is the firm's role to explore, interpret and deliver value based on what they believe customers are seeking. Based on this premise we adopt the firm's perspective on value creation to extend both Bowman and Ambrosini's theoretical framework and the work of DeSarbo, Jedidi and Sinha and focus on two issues. The first is the strategic emphasis firms place on the design and delivery of their value offering. The second is the extent the firm's value offering explains performance differentials at the customer-centric performance level. We present a conceptual model of how firms gain positional advantage via their value offering and the realized outcomes they achieve. We present two approaches to modelling the firm's value offering (type II and type IV models) and articulate the theoretical underpinnings and results for these models. Our results validate the conceptualization of the firm's value offering and suggest that creating superior value offerings enables firms to achieve superiority in customer-centric performance.
TL;DR: In this paper, a review is presented of academic literature regarding urban wind speeds for building mounted wind turbines, and scaling factors may prove to be a practical solution, provided the accuracy of their use is well understood.
TL;DR: For the Tortonian age of the Miocene Epoch (11.6-7.25 Ma) as discussed by the authors presented a global palaeobotanical and palaeoecologically-based vegetation dataset, combined with a best-fit Late Miocene climate-vegetation model experiment to create an advanced global data-model hybrid biome reconstruction.
TL;DR: An EMRAN RBF NN is chosen for modelling purposes due to its ability to adapt well to nonlinear environments while maintaining high computational speeds and a nonlinear UAV model is used for demonstration, where decoupled longitudinal motion is considered.
TL;DR: The analysis of three case studies provides evidence to support the value of conceptualising the process of knowledge transfer between universities and industry as one of learning taking place within communities in which the development of mutual engagement, joint enterprise and shared repertoires play important roles facilitating successful collaborations.
Abstract: Purpose – This article seeks to explore the micro‐dimensions of knowledge transfer partnerships (KTPs) with the aim of developing an appreciation of the personal interactions that facilitate the success of these university‐industry collaborations.Design/methodology/approach – Empirical evidence concerning the operation of three KTPs, collected through interviews with the key partners and the review of relevant documentary material, is analysed through the lens of the communities of practice approach to situated learning.Findings – The analysis of three case studies provides evidence to support the value of conceptualising the process of knowledge transfer between universities and industry as one of learning taking place within communities in which the development of mutual engagement, joint enterprise and shared repertoires play important roles facilitating successful collaborations. Moreover, the analysis highlights the significance of the boundary spanning roles of the KTP partners in facilitating the k...
TL;DR: An increased understanding of the impacts of management practices on free-living N fixers could allow modifications in soil management practices to optimize the activity of these organisms.
Abstract: Agricultural soils are heterogeneous environments in which conditions affecting microbial growth and diversity fluctuate widely in space and time. In this study, the molecular ecology of the total bacterial and free-living nitrogen-fixing communities in soils from the Nafferton Factorial Systems Comparison (NFSC) study in northeast England were examined. The field experiment was factorial in design, with organic versus conventional crop rotation, crop protection, and fertility management factors. Soils were sampled on three dates (March, June, and September) in 2007. Total RNA was extracted from all soil samples and reverse transcribed. Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) and quantitative PCR (qPCR) were used to analyze nifH and 16S rRNA genes in order to study free-living diazotrophs and the total bacterial community, respectively. Crop rotation was shown to have a significant effect on total bacterial diversity (and that of free-living N fixers) (P ≤ 0.001). On all three dates, nifH activity was higher in the conventional crop rotation. In contrast, qPCR analysis of free-living N fixers indicated significantly higher levels of activity in conventionally fertilized plots in June (P = 0.0324) and in plots with organic crop protection in September (P = 0.0143). To our knowledge, the effects of organic and conventional farming systems on free-living diazotrophs have never been studied. An increased understanding of the impacts of management practices on free-living N fixers could allow modifications in soil management practices to optimize the activity of these organisms.
TL;DR: In this article, the authors explore the performance of UK hotels, in terms of various service attributes, and whether it influences customers' intention to stay again, based on data collected from online customer ratings of 664 hotels in the UK.
Abstract: Purpose – This paper seeks to explore the performance of UK hotels, in terms of various service attributes, and whether it influences customers' intention to stay again.Design/methodology/approach – Data are used from online customer ratings of 664 hotels in the UK for the purpose. The approach is based on an interesting use of statistical regression reported in the literature that attempted to classify different cues in hotels as critical, satisfier, dissatisfier, etc. In this study, six prominent attributes are considered, namely: customer service, cleanliness, room quality, value for money, quality of food, and family friendliness, rated by guests, based on their experiences of staying in hotels.Findings – The findings reveal that “Value for money” is a critical attribute, while “Customer service”, “Room quality” and “Quality of food” are dissatisfiers. Business guests, and guests of independent hotels, exhibit similar behavior, but for leisure guests, and guests of chain hotels, “Value for money” is a...
TL;DR: The results suggest that pre-operative education is a safe and effective method of reducing length of stay for knee arthroplasty patients.
Abstract: INTRODUCTIONThe aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of a pre-operative education programme on length of hospital stay after surgery for primary and revision knee arthroplasty patients. The programme was introduced at our hospital in October 2006 to encourage patients to play an active role in their recovery process after surgery. PATIENTS AND METHODSA multidisciplinary team educated knee arthroplasty patients about their care pathway, knee surgery, pain management, expected discharge goals, in-patient and out-patient arthroplasty rehabilitation. Prospective data were collected from 472 consecutive patients who underwent (primary or revision) knee arthroplasty in the period between January 2006 and November 2007. Patients were separated into two groups, one that received conventional pre-operative treatment (n = 150; Conventional group) and another that received the pre-operative education (n = 322; Education group). Length of hospital stay was compare using the Mann Whitney U test. In-patient com...
TL;DR: It will be suggested that glucose is a possible mechanism underlying the phenomenon that enhanced memory performance is typically observed for emotionally laden stimuli.
TL;DR: The Pliocene Epoch, 5.33-2.58 million years ago (Ma), was a generally warmer and wetter interval with atmospheric CO2-concentrations at or slightly above modern levels.
TL;DR: In this article, the similarities, differences, and overlaps between the illegal wildlife trade and the illegal drug trade were explored using original and literature-based research from the Russian Far East and Western Europe, respectively.
Abstract: This article is an exploratory study into the similarities, differences, and overlaps between the illegal wildlife trade and the illegal drug trade, using original and literature-based research from the Russian Far East and Western Europe, respectively. The purpose of such a comparison is to gain further insight into the illegal wildlife trade through the examination of the more thoroughly studied illegal drug trade. We first examine the global size of these markets and then detail and compare actors and smuggling operations found in each. This leads to a possible typology of features that the trades have in common and to discussion of the direct linkages between these two illicit markets.
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors used a paired comparison test based on weight loss and final compressive strength of recycled aggregate concrete and found that it was of at least equal durability to concrete manufactured with virgin aggregates.
TL;DR: Walking, sedentary and transitory behaviours are distinct from each other, and together explain daily function, and further research on a larger sample is indicated to explore the characteristics that explain these behaviours.
Abstract: BACKGROUND: recent evidence suggests that the interaction between periods of sedentary and activity behaviour is important for health; providing distinctive information to assessment of activity alone. This study quantified activity and sedentary behaviour in older, community-dwelling adults. METHODS: fifty-six community-dwelling older adults with an average age 79 (SD) years wore an ActivPAL accelerometer for 7 days and were assessed for a range of motor, cognitive and affective characteristics. Seven variables derived from accelerometry considered to represent four characteristics of habitual behaviour (volume, frequency, intensity and variability) were submitted to principal components factor analysis (PCA). Factor scores were retained and used as dependent variables in regression analysis. RESULTS: three significant orthogonal factors emerged from the PCA, accounting for 80% of the variance in test scores: 'walking behaviour' which accounted for 39% of variance in the model; 'sedentary behaviour' explaining 24.3% of total variance; and 'postural transitions' which accounted for 16.7% of total variance. For the regression analysis, younger age and lower body mass index (BMI) emerged as significant predictors of physical behaviour, explaining 36% of the total variance. For postural transitions, lower BMI was the unique contributor, explaining 15% of total variance. Significant predictors of sedentary behaviours were not identified. CONCLUSIONS: walking, sedentary and transitory behaviours are distinct from each other, and together explain daily function. Further research on a larger sample is indicated to explore the characteristics that explain these behaviours, in particular the interplay between sedentary behaviour and periods of physical activity. Language: en
TL;DR: The health profile of pre-registration nurses is relatively poor, and that those who are sedentary engage in other negative lifestyle behaviours also, indicating a need for timely intervention to establish healthy lifestyle behaviours amongst nurses early in their career.
Abstract: Aim: Promoting healthy lifestyles plays a key role in professional nursing yet nurses do not always practice what they preach. Efforts are currently being made to improve the health of NHS staff, y...
TL;DR: There is no evidence of 2D:4D better predicting aggression at different levels of risk nor do the authors find evidence for a relationship between 2D-4D and aggression in females, and there is no indication that either hand would predict aggression better than the other.
TL;DR: Different characteristics explain the two measures of gait variability, pointing to different control mechanisms.
Abstract: Gait variability has potential utility as a predictive measure of dysfunction in Parkinson’s disease (PD). Current understanding implicates non-dopaminergic pathways. This study investigated the explanatory characteristics of gait variability in PD on and off medication under single and dual task conditions. Fifty people with PD were assessed twice at home (on and off l-dopa) whilst walking under single and dual task conditions, and variability (coefficient of variation, CV) was calculated for stride time and double limb support (DLS) time. Hierarchical regression analysis was used to identify predictors. The first block of variables included age, gait speed, depression (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale) and fatigue (Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory), and the second block included motor severity (UPDRS III), executive function (Hayling and Brixton) and attention (Test of Everyday Attention). Motor severity predicted stride time variability and DLS time variability independent of l-dopa during single task gait. Dual task gait yielded a more complex picture. Depression made a unique contribution of 9.0% on medication and 5.0% off medication to stride time variability, and visual attention and younger age contributed to DLS variability on medication, explaining 3% and 2%, respectively. Motor severity predicted DLS variability off medication, explaining 74% of variance. Different characteristics explain the two measures of gait variability, pointing to different control mechanisms.
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors report an ongoing investigation of library use at Huddersfield University that has identified a historical correlation between library usage and degree classification, finding that students who read more, measured in terms of borrowing books and accessing electronic resources, achieve better grades.
Abstract: Purpose – This paper aims to report an ongoing investigation of library use at Huddersfield University that has identified a historical correlation between library usage and degree classificationDesign/methodology/approach – Three sets of data – use of electronic resources, book loans, and visits to the library – when represented graphically show consistent amounts of no and low use at campus, academic school, degree‐type and course level Combining these findings with data showing academic achievement raises the question: is there a positive correlation between library use and attainment?Findings – Understandably, library usage varies between academic schools and there are often pedagogic reasons for low usage, but it would appear that, in some subjects, students who “read” more, measured in terms of borrowing books and accessing electronic resources, achieve better gradesResearch limitations/implications – Further work will focus on undergraduate, fulltime students at the main university campusPracti
TL;DR: It is put forward an argument that to ensure successful diffusion of innovation, a balance must be maintained between the amount of effort expended in the design of ICT and social factors such as language and traditional life.
Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to critically examine how social augmented parameters impact on the effective adoption of information and communication technology (ICT) by small‐scale agribusinesses operating in Southeast Nigeria. The relevance of incorporating social imperatives in scholarship focused on technology adoption is due to its role in sustaining the process of adoption and diffusion.Design/methodology/approach – Data were gathered from a focus group made up of 27 agribusiness proprietors affiliated with a state cooperative based in the south‐eastern Nigerian state of Ebonyi.Findings – This paper puts forward an argument that to ensure successful diffusion of innovation, a balance must be maintained between the amount of effort expended in the design of ICT and social factors such as language and traditional life. The paper finds that a willingness of indigenous ICT users is particularly influenced by the recognition and incorporation of visible social imperatives during the adoption pro...
TL;DR: Findings indicate that affected people may especially benefit from a combination of individual stress reducing interventions and psychosocial interventions that foster cognitive social capital.
Abstract: Background: Despite national and international policies to develop social capital in disaster-affected communities, empiric evidence on the association between social capital and disaster mental health is limited and ambiguous. Objective: The study explores the relationship between social capital and disaster mental health outcomes (PTSD, anxiety, and depression) in combination with individual factors (appraisal, coping behavior, and social support). Design: This is a community-based cross-sectional study in a flood-affected town in northern England. The study is part of the MICRODIS multi-country research project that examines the impact of natural disasters. It included 232 flood-affected respondents. Results: The findings showed that a considerable part of the association between cognitive and structural social capital and mental health is exerted through individual appraisal processes (i.e. property loss, primary and secondary appraisal), social support, and coping behavior. These individual factors were contingent on social capital. After the inclusion of individual characteristics, cognitive social capital was negatively related to lower mental health problems and structural social capital was positively associated to experiencing anxiety but not to PTSD or depression. Depression and anxiety showed a different pattern of association with both components of social capital. Conclusions: Individual oriented stress reducing interventions that use appraisal processes, social support, and coping as starting points could be more effective by taking into account the subjective experience of the social context in terms of trust and feelings of mutual support and reciprocity in a community. Findings indicate that affected people may especially benefit from a combination of individual stress reducing interventions and psychosocial interventions that foster cognitive social capital. Keywords: social capital; PTSD; depression; anxiety; disaster; social support; coping (Published: 15 June 2011) Citation: Global Health Action 2011, 4 : 6351 - DOI: 10.3402/gha.v4i0.6351 This paper is part of the cluster Health and health systems impact of natural disasters - more papers from this cluster can be found here .
TL;DR: In this paper, a conceptual framework and a standard set of metrics to evaluate the performance of SCC is proposed based on supply chain literature and practice, and two case studies are discussed to validate the proposed model.
Abstract: Purpose – Successful implementation of supply chain collaboration (SCC) by Wal‐Mart has encouraged many manufacturing companies, such as Procter & Gamble, Hewlett‐Packard Co, and West Marine Products Inc., to initiate collaboration. Subsequently, collaboration between suppliers and retailers has become a common practice in many recent supply chains. However, measuring the benefits of collaboration is still a big challenge. Based on supply chain literature and practice, this paper aims to propose a conceptual framework and a standard set of metrics to evaluate the performance of SCC.Design/methodology/approach – The authors discuss two case studies to validate the proposed model. The case study discussions are appropriate to understand the usage of different performance metrics in initial and advanced stages of collaboration.Findings – From the case study it is recognized that the collaborating members in the supply chain are not able to visualise all possible benefits of collaboration. To surmount this is...