University of Bedfordshire

About: University of Bedfordshire is a education organization based out in Luton, Bedford, United Kingdom. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Context (language use). The organization has 3860 authors who have published 6079 publications receiving 143448 citations. The organization is also known as: University of Luton.

A Meal Enriched with Soy Isoflavones Increases Nitric Oxide-Mediated Vasodilation in Healthy Postmenopausal Women

Abstract: Evidence from infusion studies suggests that soy isoflavones influence nitric oxide-dependent vasorelaxation. It is uncertain whether orally consumed isoflavones have similar effects. Healthy postmenopausal women (n = 22) consumed 2 low-fat test meals in random order 1 wk apart, with 80 mg isoflavones (ISO) or without isoflavones (CON). Endothelium-dependent vasodilation, assessed by brachial artery flow-mediated dilatation (FMD), was measured in fasting subjects, and 4 and 6 h following the test meal, in addition to blood pressure and pulse wave analysis to derive the peripheral augmentation index (pAIx). Blood samples were taken after fasting, and 5 and 7 h following the test meal for serum isoflavone, plasma 8-isoprostane F(2alpha), nitric oxide metabolites (NOx), glucose, and triacylglycerol analysis. Serum genistein and daidzein concentrations (geometric mean, 95% CI) reached 1.49 (1.20-1.84) micromol/L and 0.95 (0.70-1.30) micromol/L, respectively, following ISO (7 h). FMD and plasma NOx concentrations were greater following ISO compared with CON, indicating better postprandial endothelial function. FMD values (%, mean +/- SD) were: CON, 5.49 +/- 2.32, 4.35 +/- 2.32, 4.40 +/- 2.26; ISO, 5.38 +/- 1.91, 5.08 +/- 1.74, 6.11 +/- 2.60, at baseline, 4 h, and 6 h, respectively (P < 0.01). Plasma NOx concentrations (micromol/L, mean +/- SD) were: CON, 20.0 +/- 5.1, 16.8 +/- 5.1, 23.1 +/- 6.0; ISO, 18.6 +/- 6.3, 19.5 +/- 5.1, 21.3 +/- 10.1, at baseline, 5 h, and 7 h, respectively (P < 0.005). Treatment did not affect pAIx, blood pressure, or plasma 8-isoprostane F(2alpha) concentrations. In conclusion, consuming an isoflavone-enriched low-fat meal acutely increases endothelium-dependent vasodilation in postmenopausal women. Regular consumption of soy isoflavones may protect against endothelial dysfunction.

What happens in child and family social work supervision

Abstract: Supervision is fundamental to the social work profession. However, increasing concern has been expressed over the managerial capture of local authority social work and the use of supervision as a way of enabling management oversight (or surveillance) of practice. Despite the importance of supervision, we have little evidence about what happens when managers and child and family social workers meet to discuss casework and less about how supervision influences practice. In this study, 34 supervision case discussions were recorded. Detailed descriptions are given of what happens in supervision. Overall, case discussions operated primarily as a mechanism for management oversight and provided limited opportunity for reflection, emotional support or critical thinking. With reference to organizational context, it is suggested that these deficits result from a system that focuses too much on ‘what and when’ things happen and not enough on ‘how and why’.

Understanding Complexity: the Curvilinear Relationship Between Environmental Performance and Firm Performance

Abstract: The nature of the relationship between environmental performance (EP) and firm performance (FP) of corporations is a long standing and contentious issue in the literature. This study is intended to advance this debate by arguing for the existence of curvilinear relationship and empirically testing the same using survey data on UK manufacturing firms. FP is captured in terms of growth in sales and market share. Our results show evidence for a quadratic relationship—as firms improve their EP, they seem to achieve much higher levels of FP. These results are consistent with the resource-based view of a firm; as firms engage in EP activities, they are able to gain inimitable knowledge that helps in further learning to further improve performance. Based on our results, we suggest that new studies focus on strategies to extend the period of increasing returns and maximizing the benefits of the positive association between EP and FP.