Projected impacts on heat-related mortality from changes in the mean and variability of temperature with climate change

The aim of this paper is to demonstrate the importance of changing temperature variability with climate change in assessments of future heat-related mortality. Previous studies have only considered changes in the mean temperature. Here we present estimates of heat-related mortality resulting from climate change for six cities: Boston, Budapest, Dallas, Lisbon, London and Sydney. They are based on climate change scenarios for the 2080s (2070-2099) and the temperature-mortality (t-m) models constructed and validated in Gosling et al. (2007). We propose a novel methodology for assessing the impacts of climate change on heat-related mortality that considers both changes in the mean and variability of the temperature distribution

Processors (WO 2010/082067 A2)

A processing system comprises a plurality of processors (12) and communication means (20) arranged to carry messages between the processors, wherein each of the processors (12) has an operating instruction memory field (32, 34, 36) arranged to hold stored operating instructions including a re-routing target address. Each processor is arranged to receive a message (38) including operating instructions including a target address. On receipt of the message, each processor is arranged to: check the target address in the message to determine whether it corresponds to an address associated with the processor; if the target address in the message does correspond to an address associated with the processor, to check the operating instructions in the message to determine whether the message is to be re-routed; and, if the message is to be re-routed, to replace operating instructions within the message with the stored operating instructions, and place the message on the communication means for delivery to the re-routing target address

Processors

A patent describing a computer architecture which implements a Perspex instruction

Insights for the development of a functional fish product: drivers and barriers, acceptance, and communication of health benefits

This study aims to explore consumer acceptance of a new functional fish burger using a qualitative approach based on four focus group discussions conducted in selected major Italian cities. Results show that the development of functional fish products may bypass fish consumption barriers, combining convenience and health benefits delivered by functional ingredients. The acceptance of new functional fish products seems to be influenced positively by the enrichment of functional ingredients naturally present in fish, particularly omega-3 fatty acids. Consumer acceptance of this new product is also influenced by the use of different nutritional and health claims. Implications for marketers and policy makers and insights for further research are discussed in the conclusions

A soft systems methodology approach to the improvement of a housing association’s defects management and learning systems

Rapid growth in the production of new homes in the United Kingdom (UK) is putting build quality under pressure as evidenced by rising numbers of defects. Housing Associations (HAs) contribute approximately 20% to the UK’s housing supply. HAs are experiencing challenges of central government funding cuts and rental revenue reductions. Maximising the benefit of learning from defects is recognised as being a key opportunity for HAs to help meet these challenges. This paper explores how a HA is introducing change to improve the way they learn from past defects in an effort to reduce the prevalence of defects in future new homes. Soft systems methodology was used to assist a HA who were intent on making such change, but were unable to identify a clear improvement opportunity. The findings identify a significant mismatch between what the HA’s system should be doing to enable the HA to manage and learn from defects and the current situation. The mismatch has revealed to the HA that a modification to their information system is necessary to improve performance and enhance learning via live data analysis and reporting. This research is ongoing and the HA is currently in the ‘taking action’ stage

Estimation of water storage changes in small endorheic lakes in Northern Kazakhstan

Both climate change and anthropogenic activities contribute to the deterioration of terrestrial water resources and ecosystems worldwide, with Central Asia and its endorheic lakes being among the most severely affected. We used a digital elevation model, bathymetry maps and Landsat images to estimate the areal water cover extent and volumetric storage changes for eleven small terminal lakes in Burabay National Nature Park (BNNP) in Northern Kazakhstan from 1986 to 2016. Based on the analysis of hydrometeorological observations, lake water balance, lake evaporation and Budyko equations, driven by gridded climate and global atmospheric reanalysis datasets, we evaluate the impact of historical climatic conditions on the water balance of the BNNP lake catchments. The total surface water area of the BNNP lakes decreased by around 7% for that period, mainly due to a reduction in the extent of three main lakes. In contrast, for some smaller lakes, the surface area increased. Overall, we attribute the decline of the BNNP lakes’ areal extent and volume to the prolonged periods of water balance deficit when lake evaporation exceeded precipitation. However, during the most recent years (2013-2016) precipitation increased and the BNNP lake levels stabilized

Moving from knowledge hierarchies towards a Knowledge Exchange Partnership in development and Development Studies

What we teach in ‘Global North’ institutions can create the basis for authoritative knowledge in development. We might ‘decolonise our curriculum’ by adding a diversity of writers to our reading lists, but they are still our reading lists. Academics inhabit a closed space of power when designing what we teach but are not the only stakeholders in their design. This has provoked me, as the Programme Director of UoR’s BSc International Development, to ask: Do Development Studies programmes challenge current structural inequalities or reinforce them

Context-Mechanism-Outcome configurations from a realist evaluation exploring digital interventions for children with speech sound disorder [dataset]

The data is comprised of context-mechanism-outcome configurations (CMOs) from a realist evaluation. The CMOs depict what works, for whom, why, in which circumstances when supporting children with speech sound disorder to engage in intensive home-practice using digital health. The CMO data is presented within a table, saved as a PDF document. For each identified CMO, the table columns presents the Context, Mechanism resource, Mechanism response, Outcome, Supporting literature, and Example quotations from participants. These are presented across five programme areas of interest: Intervention Intensity; Partnership and Collaboration; Parent-training; The child, parent/carer and SLT dynamic; Child Participation

Using digital health to support home implemented speech and language therapy [dataset]

This data provides information on Context-Mechanism-Outcome configurations. CMOs are a way of depicting how contexts, mechanisms, and outcomes of an intervention react. CMOs show causal explanations about outcomes of an intervention, to explain what works, for who, how, in what contexts. This dataset uncovers what works, how and in which contexts when using digital health to support parents/carers to implement intensive speech and language therapy at home for children with speech sound disorder. The CMO data is presented within a table, saved as a PDF document. For each identified CMO, the table columns presents the Context, Mechanism resource, Mechanism response, Outcome, Supporting literature, and Example quotations from the literature