Measuring passers-by engagement with AmPost: a printed interactive audio poster

This paper presents AmPost, a prototype of an interactive audio poster, which integrates ink-jet printed sonic and tactile elements along with textual and graphical information. This enables users to directly interact and engage with the poster. To achieve a seamless paper-based interactive poster that includes printed interactive elements, we implement a printed speaker and audio feedback system directly into the paper-based medium, which plays a short tune when someone walks by. Engaging passers-by with this new interface becomes a challenge as posters, in general, are non-interactive. This paper also presents an initial empirical evaluation of AmPost that captures and analyses the frequency and length of user engagement, and evaluates whether user engagement improves with the integration of interactive features, in comparison to the traditional non-interactive poster. This study facilitates in building the generic approach to measure engagement that applies to any kind of posters.

Occupational health services in higher education : third annual report

Occupational health services can make a valuable contribution to the performance of HEIs, yet a pilot study in 1999 suggested that occupational health provision in the HE sector lags behind other sectors, with some noticeable gaps. This project will:

* survey all UK HEIs to establish a baseline and identify examples of good practice in occupational health provision
* disseminate benchmarking information and case studies
* establish a collaborative network to encourage the development, sharing and implementation of recognised good practice and ensure the sustainability of improvements resulting from the project
* evaluate the outcomes of the above work.

Annual phytoplankton and nutrient fluctuations in the Hopkins Estuary, South-West Victoria, Australia

The Hopkins River drains grazing farmland for most of its length. Nutrients and phytoplankton populations in the Hopkins Estuary are strongly affected by the hydrodynamic cycle. The findings of this research show that nutrient and chlorophyll a levels in the Hopkins Estuary are high enough to indicate that future algal problems may occur and that management of nutrients entering its catchment and improvement of river banks are of high importance.

Evaluation of a knowledge translation and exchange platform to advance non-communicable disease prevention

Coordinated systems are required to ensure evidence-informed practice and evaluation of community-based interventions (CBIs). Knowledge translation and exchange (KTE) strategies show promise, but these require evaluation. This paper describes implementation and evaluation of COOPS, a national KTE platform to support best practice in obesity prevention CBIs. A logic model guides KTE activities including knowledge brokering, networking, tailored communications, training, and needs assessments. A mixed-methods evaluation includes communications data, knowledge brokering database, annual survey of CBIs, pre- and post-event questionnaires, interviews, social network analysis, and case studies. This evaluation will contribute to understanding the process of implementing a KTE platform with CBIs and its reach, quality and effectiveness.

The role of social support in protecting mental health when employed and unemployed: a longitudinal fixed-effects analysis using 12 annual waves of the HILDA cohort

Perceived social support is associated with overall better mental health. There is also evidence that unemployed workers with higher social support cope better psychologically than those without such support. However, there has been limited research about the effect of social support among people who have experienced both unemployment and employment. We assessed this topic using 12 years of annually collected cohort data. The sample included 3190 people who had experienced both unemployment and employment. We used longitudinal fixed-effects modelling to investigate within-person changes in mental health comparing the role of social support when a person was unemployed to when they were employed. Compared to when a person reported low social support, a change to medium (6.35, 95% 5.66 to 7.04, p < 0.001) or high social support (11.58, 95%, 95% CI 10.81 to 12.36, p < 0.001) was associated with a large increase in mental health (measured on an 100 point scale, with higher scores representing better mental health). When a person was unemployed but had high levels of social support, their mental health was 2.89 points (95% CI 1.67 to 4.11, p < 0.001) higher than when they were employed but had lower social support. The buffering effect of social support was confirmed in stratified analysis. There was a strong direct effect of social support on mental health. The magnitude of these differences could be considered clinically meaningful. Our results also suggest that social support has a significant buffering effect on mental health when a person is unemployed.

The effect of board capital and CEO power on corporate social responsibility disclosures

This study examines the effect of directors’ human and social capital (i.e. board capital) on the level of corporate social responsibility (CSR) disclosures by drawing on insights from a resource-based view. It also investigates the effect of chief executive officer (CEO) power on this relationship. Data were obtained from annual reports of companies listed on the Dhaka Stock Exchange in Bangladesh from 2005 to 2013. We employ outside directors’ experiences and expertise as a proxy for board capital and measure CEO power using a ‘power index’ that comprises CEO duality, ownership, tenure and family CEO status. Results show that board capital is positively associated with CSR disclosure levels; however, CEO power is negatively associated with CSR disclosures and reduces the effect of board capital on CSR disclosures. Thus, we conclude that although board capital can improve CSR practices, CEO power can also inhibit these practices.

Changes in behaviour drive inter-annual variability in the at-sea distribution of northern gannets

The at-sea distribution of seabirds primarily depends on the distance from their breeding colony, and the abundance, distribution and predictability of their prey, which are subject to strong spatial and temporal variation. Many seabirds have developed flexible foraging strategies to deal with this variation, such as increasing their foraging effort or switching to more predictable, less energy dense, prey, in poor conditions. These responses may vary both within and between individuals, and understanding this variability is vital to predict the population-level impacts of spatially explicit environmental disturbances, such as offshore windfarms. We conducted a multi-year tracking study in order to investigate the inter-annual variation in the foraging behaviour and location of a population of northern gannets breeding on Alderney in the English Channel. To do so, we investigated the link between individual-level behaviour and population-level behaviour. We found that a sample of gannets tracked in 2015 had longer trip durations, travelled further from the colony and had larger core foraging areas and home range areas than gannets tracked in previous years. This inter-annual variation may be associated with oceanographic conditions indexed by the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO). Our findings suggest that this inter-annual variation was driven by individuals visiting larger areas in all of their trips rather than individuals diversifying to visit more, distinct areas. These findings suggest that, for gannets at least, if prey becomes less abundant or more widely distributed, more individuals may be required to forage further from the colony, thus increasing their likelihood of encountering pressures from spatially explicit anthropogenic disturbances.

Age and gender differences in the influence of social support on mental health : a longitudinal fixed-effects analysis using 13 annual waves of the HILDA cohort

OBJECTIVES: Perceived social support is associated with better mental health. There has been limited attention to how these relationships are modified by age and gender. We assessed this topic using 13 years of cohort data. STUDY DESIGN: Prospective cohort study. METHODS: The outcome was the Mental Health Inventory-5 (MHI-5), a reliable and valid screening instrument for mood disorders. The main exposure was a social support scale composed of 10 items. We used longitudinal fixed-effects regression modelling to investigate within-person changes in mental health. Analytic models controlled for within-person sources of bias. We controlled for time-related factors by including them into regression modelling. RESULTS: The provision of higher levels of social support was associated with greater improvements in mental health for people aged under 30 years than for older age groups. The mental health of females appeared to benefit slightly more from higher levels of social support than males. Improvements in the MHI-5 were on a scale that could be considered clinically significant. CONCLUSIONS: The benefits of social support for young people may be connected to age-related transitions in self-identity and peer friendship networks. Results for females may reflect their tendency to place greater emphasis on social networks than males.

International contact lens prescribing in 2015 : our 15th annual report in CLS provides information about 23,000 fits in 34 markets

We have been collecting data on worldwide contact lens prescribing habits for almost 20 years. Over this time period, we have amassed prospective information about 315,000 contact lens fits in 59 countries. This article marks our 15th report in Contact Lens Spectrum and features a breakdown of more than 23,000 contact lens fits in 34 markets.As in previous years, our international network of coordinators distributed survey forms to eyecare practitioners in their market who then recorded generic information about the first 10 patients fit with contact lenses after receipt. Information is gathered about patient age and gender; whether the contact lenses are prescribed as a new fit or a refit; contact lens material, design, and replacement frequency; number of intended days per week of use; wearing modality; and care system. Contact lens fits are weighted to reflect the number of fits undertaken by each eyecare practitioner. The study data were entered and processed at the University of Manchester and at the University of Waterloo.

Sand temperatures for nesting sea turtles in the Caribbean: Implications for hatchling sex ratios in the face of climate change

A 200-year time series of incubation temperatures and primary sex ratios for green (Chelonia mydas), hawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricata) and leatherback (Dermochelys coriacea) sea turtles nesting in St. Eustatius (North East Caribbean) was created by combining sand temperature measurements with historical and current environmental data and climate projections. Rainfall and spring tides were important because they cooled the sand and lowered incubation temperatures. Mean annual sand temperatures are currently 31.0. °C (SD. =. 1.6) at the nesting beach but show seasonality, with lower temperatures (29.1-29.6. °C) during January-March and warmer temperatures (31.9-33.3. °C) in June-August. Results suggest that all three species have had female-biased hatchling production for the past decades with less than 15.5%, 36.0%, and 23.7% males produced every year for greens, hawksbills and leatherbacks respectively since the late nineteenth century. Global warming will exacerbate this female-skew. For example, projections indicate that only 2.4% of green turtle hatchlings will be males by 2030, 1.0% by 2060, and 0.4% by 2090. On the other hand, future changes to nesting phenology have the potential to mitigate the extent of feminisation. In the absence of such phenological changes, management strategies to artificially lower incubation temperatures by shading nests or relocating nest clutches to deeper depths may be the only way to prevent the localised extinction of these turtle populations.

The role of middle class in economic development: what do cross-country data show?

This paper investigates the channels through which the middle class may matter for consumption growth. Using several different middle-class measures and a panel of 105 developing countries spanning the period 1985-2013, we find that a larger middle class influences consumption growth primarily through higher levels of human capital accumulation. There is also a significant direct effect of middle-class size on consumption growth, which is more pronounced in the latter half of the sample, the 2000-2013 period.

What do participants of the Crohn's and Colitis UK (CCUK) Annual York Walk think of their Inflammatory bowel disease care? A short report on a survey

There has been a growing interest in a patient-centered model of care in inflammatory bowel disease; however, no relevant study using a mixed methodology has been conducted to date. Thus, our multidisciplinary group aimed to explore the issue of patient involvement in care among the inflammatory bowel disease community. A mixed-methods anonymous survey was conducted during the Crohn's and Colitis UK annual event. Summary statistics were used to describe the sample, and a simple thematic analysis identified key themes in qualitative responses. There were 64 survey respondents, representing 73% of the total family/friend groups participating (N = 87). Overall, 75% of respondents answered that they had the opportunity to discuss their care with their inflammatory bowel disease practitioner and 81% felt their opinions were taken on board and valued. A clear majority (84%) had at some point been treated by a gastroenterologist. In contrast, less than half (44%) had the opportunity for a dietician consultation and only 28% had the opportunity for a psychologist/counselor consultation. Although satisfaction with inflammatory bowel disease care was high, access to specialty services was concerning. Efforts should be made to provide access to mental health practitioners for those with clinically significant anxiety and/or depression.

Three molecular markers show no evidence of population genetic structure in the gouldian finch (Erythrura gouldiae)

Assessment of genetic diversity and connectivity between regions can inform conservation managers about risk of inbreeding, potential for adaptation and where population boundaries lie. The Gouldian finch (Erythrura gouldiae) is a threatened species in northern Australia, occupying the savannah woodlands of the biogeographically complex monsoon tropics. We present the most comprehensive population genetic analysis of diversity and structure the Gouldian finch using 16 microsatellite markers, mitochondrial control region and 3,389 SNPs from genotyping-by-sequencing. Mitochondrial diversity is compared across three related, co-distributed finches with different conservation threat-statuses. There was no evidence of genetic differentiation across the western part of the range in any of the molecular markers, and haplotype diversity but not richness was lower than a common co-distributed species. Individuals within the panmictic population in the west may be highly dispersive within this wide area, and we urge caution when interpreting anecdotal observations of changes to the distribution and/or flock sizes of Gouldian finch populations as evidence of overall changes to the population size of this species.