"I'm a better manager":A biographic narrative study of the impact of personal trauma on the professional lives of managers in the UK

This doctoral study aims to understand how experiences of critical illness or bereavement affect the way managers view and approach their work and their relationships at work. This is an interpretative phenomenological study examining the subjective meanings of personal experience and is underpinned by biographic narratives from four participants and interviews with their nominated workplace witnesses (i.e. colleagues who worked alongside the individual at the time of their trauma). As a consequence of the findings that have emerged across this study, three contributions to theory are presented. All four participants described their traumas as a professional growth experience for themselves as managers, which resulted in self-reported and observed behaviour change at work. Consequently, the first area of theoretical contribution is a suggested extension to the post-traumatic growth (PTG) framework (Calhoun & Tedeschi, 2006) with the addition of a new behavioural dimension called ‘managerial growth’, when applied to the context of ‘ordinary’ organizations. The second area of theoretical contribution arose through the reflexive process that was created during data collection where participants and their witnesses remembered episodes of compassion interaction at work. The second area of contribution thus seeks to extend the existing model of compassion at work (Dutton, Worline, Frost and Lilius, 2006), by conceptualising compassion as a dyadic process between a compassion ‘giver’ and a compassion ‘receiver’ in which the compassion receiver ‘trusts or ‘mistrusts’; ‘discloses’ or ‘withholds’; ‘connects’ or ‘disconnects’ with the compassion giver. The third area of contribution is a new conceptualisation of reflexivity, ‘three-dimensional reflexivity’ (3DR) (Armstrong, Butler and Shaw, 2013). 3DR brings together three of the elements that have been missing from critically reflexive management research; by working with multiple variants of reflexivity in the same study; surfacing different reflexive voices to guard against the researcher’s (potentially) solipsistic own; and remaining sensitive to the concept of reflexive time. In doing so, 3DR not only provides a deeper understanding of individual lived experience; it is also a vehicle in which self-insight is gained. Furthermore, by engaging in its practice, those involved in this study have developed both personally and professionally as a result.

The impact of flash intensity on retinal vessel oxygen saturation measurements using dual wavelength oximetry

PURPOSE. To establish the optimal flash settings for retinal vessel oxygen saturation parameters using dual-wavelength imaging in a multiethnic group. METHODS. Twelve healthy young subjects (mean age 32 years [SD 7]; three Mediterranean, two South Asian, and seven Caucasian individuals) underwent retinal vessel oxygen saturation measurements using dual-wavelength oximetry, noncontact tonometry, and manual sphygmomanometry. In order to evaluate the impact of flash intensity, we obtained three images (fundus camera angle 30°, ONH centered) per flash setting. Flash settings of the fundus camera were increased in steps of 2 (initial setting of 6 and the final of 22), which reflect logarithmic increasing intensities from 13.5 to 214 Watt seconds (Ws). RESULTS. Flash settings below 27 Ws were too low to obtain saturation measurements, whereas flash settings of more than 214 Ws resulted in overexposed images. Retinal arteriolar and venular oxygen saturation was comparable at flash settings of 27 to 76 Ws (arterioles' range: 85%-92%; venules' range: 45%-53%). Higher flash settings lead to increased saturation measurements in both retinal arterioles (up to 110%) and venules (up to 92%), with a more pronounced increase in venules. CONCLUSIONS. Flash intensity has a significant impact on retinal vessel oxygen saturation measurements using dual-wavelength retinal oximetry. High flash intensities lead to supranormal oxygen saturation measurements with a magnified effect in retinal venules compared with arteries. In addition to even retinal illumination, the correct flash setting is of paramount importance for clinical acquisition of images in retinal oximetry. We recommend flash settings between 27 to 76 Ws. © 2013 The Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology, Inc.

Impact of driver behaviour on availability of electric vehicle stored energy for STOR

As take up of low carbon vehicles increase, there is interest in using the energy stored in the vehicles to help maintain system frequency through ancillary services on the electricity grid system. Research into this area is generally classed as vehicle-to-grid research. In theory, the energy available from electric vehicles could be directly correlated to the vehicle's state of charge (SoC) and battery capacity during the time the car is parked and plugged in. However, not all the energy in the vehicle may be used, as some capacity is required by the driver for their next journey. As such, this paper uses data captured as part of a large scale electric vehicle trial to investigate the effect of three different types of driver routine on vehicle-to-grid availability. Each driver's behaviour is analysed to assess the energy that is available for STOR, with follow on journey requirements also considered.

On the impact of Cu dispersion on CO2 photoreduction over Cu/TiO2

A family of Cu/TiO2 catalysts was prepared using a refined sol–gel method, and tested in the photocatalytic reduction of CO2 by H2O to CH4 using a stirred batch, annular reactor. The resulting photoactivity was benchmarked against pure TiO2 nanoparticles (synthesised by an identical sol–gel route). CO2 photoreduction exhibited a strong volcano dependence on Cu loading, reflecting the transition from 2-dimensional CuOx nanostructures to 3-dimensional crystallites, with optimum CH4 production observed for 0.03 wt.% Cu/TiO2.

The impact of statin use on fetal development:a meta-analysis

INTRODUCTION: Statin use inadvertently during pregnancy and proposed use of statins for the treatment of preeclampsia, led us to question the evidence behind their current contraindicated status. Several studies have evaluated the relationship between statin use in pregnancy with fetal outcome but their results have not been quantitatively assessed by meta-analysis. Our objective was to undertake a systematic review of all published clinical evidence to assess the effects of statin use in pregnancy on subsequent fetal wellbeing. METHODS: A comprehensive search strategy was performed of all electronic databases and the Merck reporting database for studies published from 1966 to 2014. Two reviewers independently screened citations and undertook study quality assessment and data extraction. We obtained summary estimates of adverse fetal events that were classified as potentially fatal, clinically significant morbidity or minor adverse event. We identified 602 titles and reviewed 30 articles for inclusion and exclusion criteria. Meta-analysis was performed on seven studies (3 cohort, 3 case-series and 1 case-control). RESULTS: Of the 922 cases of statin exposure in pregnancy, 27 exposures were associated with lethal or clinically significant fetal morbidity and 10 with minor adverse events. Statin exposure was limited to the first trimester in all but two cases. The pooled rate of lethal or clinically significant fetal abnormalities in pregnant women exposed to statins was 0.01 (95% CI 0.00-0.04), less than the European rate of 0.026 (95% CI 2.54- 2.57)EUROCAT. The rate of fetal abnormality for simvastatin was 0.03 (95% CI 0.00-0.08), atorvostatin 0.11 (95% CI 0.00-0.52), pravastatin 0.01 (95% CI 0.00-0.2) and lovastatin use 0.04 (95% CI 0.00-0.28). Systems based anomalies were also calculated, congenital heart disease was 0.8 (95% CI 0.02-0.12) compared with the background rate of 0.79 (95% CI 0.78- 0.80). CONCLUSIONS: The published data suggests that statins may not be teratogenic when given inadvertently during pregnancy and prospective studies such as The StAmP Trial may provide more data

Signal processing techniques for reducing the impact of fiber nonlinearities on system performance

Signal processing techniques for mitigating intra-channel and inter-channel fiber nonlinearities are reviewed. More detailed descriptions of three specific examples highlight the diversity of the electronic and optical approaches that have been investigated.