Teesside University

About: Teesside University is a education organization based out in Middlesbrough, Middlesbrough, United Kingdom. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Context (language use). The organization has 2155 authors who have published 5540 publications receiving 118373 citations. The organization is also known as: University of Teesside.

Violence, teenage pregnancy, and life history : ecological factors and their impact on strategy-driven behavior.

Abstract: Guided by principles of life history strategy development, this study tested the hypothesis that sexual precocity and violence are influenced by sensitivities to local environmental conditions Two models of strategy development were compared: The first is based on indirect perception of ecological cues through family disruption and the second is based on both direct and indirect perception of ecological stressors Results showed a moderate correlation between rates of violence and sexual precocity (r = 059) Although a model incorporating direct and indirect effects provided a better fit than one based on family mediation alone, significant improvements were made by linking some ecological factors directly to behavior independently of strategy development The models support the contention that violence and teenage pregnancy are part of an ecologically determined pattern of strategy development and suggest that while the family unit is critical in affecting behavior, individuals’ direct experiences of the environment are also important

Managing idiopathic frozen shoulder: a survey of health professionals' current practice and research priorities

Abstract: Background We aimed to identify the treatments used by health care professionals in current practice for the management of patients with idiopathic frozen shoulder and the need for further research in this area, specifically a randomized trial. Methods Three hundred and three health care professionals (i.e. general practitioners, physiotherapists and orthopaedic surgeons) completed an online survey about idiopathic frozen shoulder management and research priorities. The results were analyzed using descriptive statistics, chi-square statistics and thematic analysis of qualitative data. Results Conservative treatment and physical therapy were identified as the most common interventions for treating patients presenting with frozen shoulder in the early ‘painful’ phase. Approximately half of the respondents would recommend surgery for patients with ‘resolution’ phase frozen shoulder, although there was some disagreement about the role of pain as an indicator for surgery. Most respondents (221/251) considered that more research was needed using a randomized trial design, in particular aiming to investigate the effectiveness of physical therapy and surgery. Conclusion Health professionals manage frozen shoulders differently for different phases of the condition. More research is needed to compare different interventions for the management of patients with idiopathic frozen shoulder.

Comprehensive Performance Assessment—Springboard or Dead-Weight?

Abstract: Since its election in 1997, the Labour Government in the UK has emphasised the need to improve the quality of public services. In the case of local government, this emphasis has led to the introduction of Comprehensive Performance Assessment (CPA). This article considers the merits of actual and intended CPA strategy within the wider context of public service performance measurement. The author concludes that the methodology leading to the December 2002 results and the intended way forward raise legitimate questions as to whether CPA can justifiably lay claim to being a comprehensive measure of performance.

Synthesis and characterization of PMMA-cellulose nanocomposites by in situ polymerization technique

Abstract: Cellulose nanoparticles (CNPs) were prepared from jute fiber by acid hydrolysis followed by high-speed homogenization The CNPs were used as fillers in the production of polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) nanocomposites by in situ suspension polymerization technique The suspension polymerization of MMA was carried out in the presence of CNPs, which were dispersed in water medium and in situ PMMA/cellulose nanocomposite granules were formed PMMA polymer, without any filler, was also prepared by similar suspension polymerization technique PMMA and PMMA/cellulose nanocomposite films were prepared by solution casting method Viscosity average molecular weights of neat PMMA and the PMMA extracted from PMMA/cellulose nanocomposite granules were determined by viscometric method and average molecular mass of PMMA extracted from PMMA/cellulose nanocomposites was found to be reduced than that of neat PMMA Attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy was performed to find out any chemical interaction between polymer matrix and the CNPs X-ray diffraction study and differential scanning calorimetry were done to investigate the structures of the nanocomposite films and the glass transition temperature was found to be lower in the nanocomposite than that in the virgin polymer Field emission scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy were done to examine the morphology of the films Such an in situ suspension polymerization technique for the preparation of PMMA/cellulose nanocomposites can be very useful to prepare tailor-made materials © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc J Appl Polym Sci, 2012