The retail of welfare-friendly products: A comparative assessment of the nature of the market for welfare-friendly products in six European Countries

This paper attempts to describe the market for welfare-friendly foodstuffs within larger retailing trends in six study countries in Europe (Norway, Sweden, Italy, France, the Netherlands and the UK). This is based on the findings to date from the work carried out by the work package 1.2 whose aims are to study the current and potential market for welfare-friendly foodstuffs. The aims of the current empirical stages of work package 1.2 are focussed on – what do retailers communicate to consumers about animal welfare? How is animal welfare framed? Are welfare-claims used on their own or within broader issues of quality

The experience of falls and balance impairment for people with Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease

People with Charcot Marie Tooth disease (CMT) have impairments of balance and may fall more frequently than those without the condition. This qualitative study aimed to explore the experiences of falling and poor balance through focus group interviews. Participants were recruited through local and national meetings of the CMT United Kingdom support group. Three focus groups took place, including 25 adults with CMT in total. Thematic analysis revealed five main themes: frequent falling; cognitive burden of walking; environmental issues; external support; getting off the floor; perception of others. Participants described the physical issues of poor balance and falling, such as frequency, challenging physical environments and difficulty getting up after a fall. In addition, fear and embarrassment were discussed along with the impact on daily activities and participation. Physical and psychological factors need to be considered when designing falls management interventions for this group

Princess and Pupil: New works by Susan Durant and Victoria, Princess Royal of Prussia

In den Jahren nach dem Tod von Prinz Albert von Sachsen-Coburg und Gotha im Dezember 1861 wurden zahlreiche Künstler und Architekten mit der Gestaltung von Gedenkstätten in Großbritannien und in Deutschland beauftragt, darunter auch zwei Bildhauerinnen, deren Arbeiten heute weniger bekannt sind. Prinzessin Victoria (1840–1901), Kronprinzessin von Preußen, hatte das größte Interesse an den öffentlichen und privaten Gedenkfeiern für ihren Vater und fertigte eine eigene posthume Büste von ihm an, von der bisher angenommen wurde, dass sie nicht erhalten ist. Sie arbeitete mit Susan Durant (1827–1873) eng zusammen an den Porträts der königlichen Familie, die für die Gedächtniskapelle in St Georgeʼs, Schloss Windsor, bestimmt waren. In dieser Zeit schlossen die beiden Freundschaft, und Durant arbeitete auch an dem Denkmal für Prinzessin Victorias Sohn Sigismund (1864–1866). Dieser Artikel beschreibt ihre gemeinsame Arbeit und wirft Licht auf einige vergessene Werke

Vestibular Rehabilitation in Multiple Sclerosis: randomised controlled trial and cost-effectiveness analysis comparing customised with booklet based vestibular rehabilitation for vestibulopathy

Background:Vestibular dysfunction occurs in 30% to 70% of cases with multiple sclerosis (MS).Objective:To compare the clinical and cost-effectiveness of a customized vestibular rehabilitation (VR) program with a generic booklet-based VR intervention in people with MS with clinical signs of vestibulopathy.Methods:People with MS and symptoms of vertigo and/or imbalance were screened for vestibulopathy (n = 73). Seventy recruited participants were randomly allocated to a 12-week generic booklet-based home program with telephone support (n = 35) or a 12-week customized VR program (n = 35, 12 face-to-face sessions and a home exercise program). The primary clinical outcome was the Dizziness Handicap Inventory (DHI) at 26 weeks post-randomization. The primary economic endpoint was quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs). Secondary outcomes included vertigo severity, balance, gait, and perceived impact of physical symptoms in MS.Results:There was no significant between-group difference in the DHI: mean reduction −1.76 (95% confidence interval −10.02, 6.50) at week 26 in favor of the customized group (P = .670). There were significant differences in favor of the customized group for vertigo symptom score, balance confidence, walking, and perceived impact of MS. Primary cost-effectiveness analysis showed customized VR to be less costly and more effective. However, removal of 2 cost outliers in sensitivity analysis resulted in a mean cost-per-QALY of £30 147. Customized VR was also cost-effective from a societal perspective.Discussion:Impairment level improvements did not translate into functional improvements as measured by the DHI perhaps reflecting that vestibular dysfunction is one of several impairments in MS. The findings indicate the potential cost-effectiveness of the customized program.Clinical Trial Registration:ISRCTN27374299

Coupling Non-Gravitational Fields with Simplicial Spacetimes

The inclusion of source terms in discrete gravity is a long-standing problem. Providing a consistent coupling of source to the lattice in Regge Calculus (RC) yields a robust unstructured spacetime mesh applicable to both numerical relativity and quantum gravity. RC provides a particularly insightful approach to this problem with its purely geometric representation of spacetime. The simplicial building blocks of RC enable us to represent all matter and fields in a coordinate-free manner. We provide an interpretation of RC as a discrete exterior calculus framework into which non-gravitational fields naturally couple with the simplicial lattice. Using this approach we obtain a consistent mapping of the continuum action for non-gravitational fields to the Regge lattice. In this paper we apply this framework to scalar, vector and tensor fields. In particular we reconstruct the lattice action for (1) the scalar field, (2) Maxwell field tensor and (3) Dirac particles. The straightforward application of our discretization techniques to these three fields demonstrates a universal implementation of coupling source to the lattice in Regge calculus.Comment: 10 pages, no figures, Latex, fixed typos and minor corrections

Measures of Physical Activity in Parkinson’s Disease (MAPD)

Background: Previous research indicates that Physical Activity (PA) can help people with Parkinson’s (PwP) to manage their symptoms but that they are less active than people of the same age and in relation to PA guidelines. Common PA measures include questionnaires or accelerometers. Accelerometers are not routinely used in clinical services. Little research has been conducted on PwP perceived feasibility and utility of using body-worn accelerometers. Objective: This quantitative, observational study assessed the concurrent validity, feasibility and perceived utility of a questionnaire and body-worn accelerometer to capture PA in people with newly diagnosed Parkinson’s. Methods: Twenty-four participants were recruited from a service for newly diagnosed PwP at University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust, UK. The study was conducted remotely by postal, telephone and email correspondence. Participants used a wrist-worn accelerometer (GENEActiv™) for one week, completed the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ-S) about that week’s PA, and completed a Likert-style utility questionnaire on perceived feasibility and utility of using these PA measures. Energy expenditure (metabolic equivalents – METs) calculated from the PA measures were compared using Spearman’s correlation. Descriptive statistics summarised PA levels in relation to WHO guidelines and feasibility of measures based on responses to utility questionnaire. Results: The sample (n=24, 17 males, 7 females; mean age 72.4 years, SD ± 9.7; mean disease duration 1 years) showed a significant moderate correlation between total weekly energy expenditure calculated from the PA measures (rs = 0.55, n = 24, p =.003). Overall, the sample were above guidelines for moderate PA (IPAQ-S mean 453 mins per week, range 0 – 3010, SD ± 718); GENEActiv™ mean 265 mins per week, range 1 - 794, SD ± 217). Participants agreed ‘the PA questionnaire was easy to fill in’ (median response 2 = agree, IQR 2) but disagreed with the statement ‘I would rather fill in a PA questionnaire about the previous week than wear the sensor for a week’ (median response 4 = disagree, IQR 2). Conclusion: Findings suggest it is feasible to introduce a measure of PA to Parkinson’s patients remotely. There was wide variation between the measures when determining levels of moderate PA. Validation of the GENEActiv™ device against gold standard measures of PA intensity in PwP is needed to establish criterion validity. Impact: This work contributes to the understanding of patient experience and preferences in remote monitoring of PA and the use of these measures to plan service provision to support PA

The Atacama Cosmology Telescope: Dusty Star-Forming Galaxies and Active Galactic Nuclei in the Southern Survey

We present a catalog of 191 extragalactic sources detected by the Atacama Cosmology Telescope (ACT) at 148 GHz and/or 218 GHz in the 2008 Southern survey. Flux densities span 14-1700 mJy, and we use source spectral indices derived using ACT-only data to divide our sources into two sub-populations: 167 radio galaxies powered by central active galactic nuclei (AGN), and 24 dusty star-forming galaxies (DSFGs). We cross-identify 97% of our sources (166 of the AGN and 19 of the DSFGs) with those in currently available catalogs. When combined with flux densities from the Australian Telescope 20 GHz survey and follow-up observations with the Australia Telescope Compact Array, the synchrotron-dominated population is seen to exhibit a steepening of the slope of the spectral energy distribution from 20 to 148 GHz, with the trend continuing to 218 GHz. The ACT dust-dominated source population has a median spectral index of 3.7+0.62-0.86, and includes both local galaxies and sources with redshifts as great as 5.6. Dusty sources with no counterpart in existing catalogs likely belong to a recently discovered subpopulation of DSFGs lensed by foreground galaxies or galaxy groups.Comment: 13 pages, 8 figures, 4 table

Post-Movement Beta Synchrony Inhibits Cortical Excitability

Background/Objectives: This study investigates the relationship between movement-related beta synchrony and primary motor cortex (M1) excitability, focusing on the time-dependent inhibition of movement. Voluntary movement induces beta frequency (13–30 Hz) event-related desynchronisation (B-ERD) in M1, followed by post-movement beta rebound (PMBR). Although PMBR is linked to cortical inhibition, its temporal relationship with motor cortical excitability is unclear. This study aims to determine whether PMBR acts as a marker for post-movement inhibition by assessing motor-evoked potentials (MEPs) during distinct phases of the beta synchrony profile. Methods: Twenty-five right-handed participants (mean age: 24 years) were recruited. EMG data were recorded from the first dorsal interosseous muscle, and TMS was applied to the M1 motor hotspot to evoke MEPs. A reaction time task was used to elicit beta oscillations, with TMS delivered at participant-specific time points based on EEG-derived beta power envelopes. MEP amplitudes were compared across four phases: B-ERD, early PMBR, peak PMBR, and late PMBR. Results: Our findings demonstrate that MEP amplitude significantly increased during B-ERD compared to rest, indicating heightened cortical excitability. In contrast, MEPs recorded during peak PMBR were significantly reduced, suggesting cortical inhibition. While all three PMBR phases exhibited reduced cortical excitability, a trend toward amplitude-dependent inhibition was observed. Conclusions: This study confirms that PMBR is linked to reduced cortical excitability, validating its role as a marker of motor cortical inhibition. These results enhance the understanding of beta oscillations in motor control and suggest that further research on altered PMBR could be crucial for understanding neurological and psychiatric disorders

Community-based respiratory health measures in children and young people with cerebral palsy: A scoping review

Aim: To identify, map, and describe outcome measurement domains and instruments used within a community setting to assess respiratory health in children and young people aged 1 to 18 years, diagnosed with cerebral palsy (CP). Method: A scoping review methodology informed structured searches in nine databases, grey literature, and registries, conducted in August 2021 (updated in February 2023). Articles were screened for eligibility by two independent researchers. Any outcome measurement instruments used to assess respiratory health or associated impact were extracted, categorized, and mapped to health and health-related domains of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health. Results: Seventy-six outcome measurement instruments were identified across 78 articles worldwide between 1970 and 2023. These were categorized into ‘Body functions and structures’ (n = 20), ‘Activity and performance’ (n = 22), and ‘Participation and quality of life’ (n = 19), with a further 15 mapped to ‘Health care resources use’. Interpretation: No consensus of ‘what’ to measure and ‘how’ to measure respiratory health in children and young people with CP was found. Moreover, many measures were not replicable in individuals with more severe forms of CP, excluding those at increased risk of respiratory-related morbidity and mortality. Further research is required to agree important outcome domains and associated measures in research and clinical practice