University Research Networks Research Articles

Decision making capacity assessment in general practice in Ireland.

It has been reported internationally that doctors have a limited understanding of the legal standard that applies to decision making capacity (DMC). No research on this has been conducted in Ireland to date. We sought to assess the understanding of legal principles relating to capacity and consent among Irish general practitioners (GPs), alongside how DMC assessments are conducted. This study utilised a cross-sectional cohort model circulating online questionnaires to Irish GPs associated with a university research network. Data were analysed using SPSS to conduct a variety of statistical tests. There were 64 participants, with 50% aged 35-44 years and 60.9% being female. Of these, 62.5% found DMC assessments time-consuming. Only 10.9% of participants felt extremely confident in their abilities; most participants (59.4%) felt 'somewhat confident' in their ability to assess DMC. Also, 90.6% of GPs routinely engaged with families when assessing capacity. GPs felt their medical training did not prepare them for DMC assessment (undergraduate 90.6%, non-consultant hospital doctor 78.1%, GP training 65.6%). 70.3% felt guidelines relating to DMC would be helpful and 65.6% felt they needed additional training. Most GPs recognise the importance of DMC assessment, and it is not considered a complex or burdensome task. There was limited knowledge of the legal instruments relevant to DMC. GPs felt there should be extra support available to assist them with DMC assessment; specific guidelines for different categories of patients was found to be the most popular resource requested.

University research networks as spaces for collaboration and social capital: The case of REUNI+D

Collaborative networks are considered a critical factor in developing the human species and any living being. Life would not be possible without the dynamic interaction between plants, animals, micro-organisms, non-living beings, and their environment. Nor would human life be possible without considering its physical, social, cultural, and technological environments as a unitary network living within a historical context. In science and academia, the importance of networks has grown exponentially. Based on the experience of a network of excellence with institutional recognition for more than ten years, the purpose of this article is to highlight the value and contributions of this way of working for the advancement of scientific knowledge and public policy. It argues the importance and the necessity of networks and the advantages of network thinking. To illustrate the importance of networks, we analyse the trajectory of the REUNI+D network of excellence, the contributions and tensions of this collaborative structure, the lengthy processes required for its constitution, the social capital that it provides to its members and some conclusions that show the challenges of research networks in universities.

Integrative review protocol for Indigenous youth participation in health equity promotion

IntroductionIndigenous youth participation in decision-making is internationally recognised as a pathway to promote health equity, decolonisation and social inclusion. Hearing Indigenous youth voices and actively involving them in decisions that...

Managing protection and surveillance of health workers during COVID-19: German multi-centre survey

Abstract Background Health workers face a higher risk of infection during the COVID-19 pandemic than the average population, yet we know very little on how protection is managed in daily practice. The aim of this study is to contribute new empirical data on the management of protection in clinical settings with a focus on surveillance, using Germany as case study. Methods We draw on material gathered in multi-centre hospital surveillance online surveys in Germany, which are part of a national COVID-19 University Research Network (project B-FAST). Selected indicators include tools, strategies and access to protection, with a focus on the composition of new surveillance teams; n = 100 responses, comprising n = 33/92% of all university medical centres; n = 67/18% of participating hospitals in two German Federal States in March 2021. Results Three major strategies of protection were identified: expanding services, information and access for all health workers in the clinical setting; establishing novel surveillance teams to protect hospital employees comprising hotline, testing and tracing teams; creating large-scale in-house vaccination programs in accordance with national vaccination prioritisation policy of health workers. The composition of the surveillance teams showed high variation in relation to professional groups/skills and status. In particular, hospital hygienists (often with a professional background in nursing) were included in all teams, but their share varied from only 24% in testing to 60% in hotline and even 95% in tracing teams. Conclusions German hospitals have stepped up efforts to protect health workers primarily through comprehensive surveillance and personal protection including vaccination. Our findings reveal capacity for innovation in the management of protection especially in two areas: improving the skill-mix and leadership of surveillance teams, and strengthening the role of hospital hygienists in surveillance. Key messages The building of interdisciplinary hospital surveillance teams plays an important role in innovating surveillance and strengthening protection. The skill-mix and leadership of the surveillance teams need further research and policy investigation to improve efficiency.

Exploration of GP perspectives on deprescribing antidepressants: a qualitative study

ObjectiveOur aim was to explore general practitioners’ (GPs) perceptions and experiences of discontinuing antidepressants.Study designA qualitative study using semistructured interviews was undertaken between July 2019 and March 2020. The interviews...

Innovation network economic model of new energy automobile industry based on social network perspective

Under the background of economic globalization, market integration, technology cross penetration, industry boundary and enterprise boundary increasingly blurred, the uncertainty of innovation and the limitation of single innovation subject's resource endowment lead to the independent innovation unable to meet the needs of enterprises to obtain sustainable competitive advantage. How to evaluate the industry university research innovation of these industries has become a very necessary research content. According to the social network attribute of the Institute of new energy automobile industry, this paper proposes to analyze and study its innovation network from the perspective of social network. Based on the analysis of the relevant theories and research methods of social network, this paper constructs the evaluation model of the innovation network of the new energy automobile industry, and then validates the model through experiments. The experimental results show that the automobile industry in the north of China has different advantages in the innovation network of the industry, learning and research. The three embeddedness relationships among regions are positively correlated with the production university research network of new energy vehicles, which plays a positive role in promoting the development of innovation network. It is hoped that the research can provide innovation for the industry, learning and research. The development of network provides some reference.

General practitioners\u2019 perceptions of compassionate communities: a qualitative study

BackgroundGeneral Practitioners (GPs) face challenges when providing palliative care, including an ageing, multimorbid population, and falling GP numbers. A ‘public health palliative care’ approach, defined as “working with communities to improve people’s experience of death, dying and bereavement”, is gaining momentum. ‘Compassionate communities’ is one example, with a focus on linking professional health carers with supportive community networks. Primary care is central to the approach, which has been incorporated into United Kingdom GP palliative care guidance. No research to date, however, has investigated GP perspectives of these approaches. Our aim, therefore, was to explore GP perceptions of a public health approach to palliative care, and compassionate communities.MethodsGPs working in the United Kingdom were recruited through university teaching and research networks using snowball sampling. Purposive sampling ensured wide representation of gender, level of experience and practice populations. Semi-structured, digitally audio-recorded interviews were conducted with nine GPs. Interviews were transcribed verbatim, and thematic analysis was undertaken, informed by a qualitative descriptive methodology. Interviews continued until data saturation was reached.ResultsMost participants were unfamiliar with the term ‘compassionate communities’, but recognised examples within their practice. Three major themes with seven subthemes were identified: 1) Perceived potential of compassionate communities, including: ‘maximising use of existing community services’; ‘influencing health outside of healthcare’; and ‘combatting taboo’, 2) Perceived challenges of compassionate communities, including: ‘patient safety’; ‘limited capacity of the community’; ‘limited capacity of general practice’, and ‘applicability of public health to palliative care’, and 3) The role of the GP in compassionate communities.ConclusionsGPs recognised the importance of the wider community in caring for palliative care patients, however most were unfamiliar with the compassionate community approach. Participants held differing views regarding the application of the model, and the position of general practice within this. Further research into the approach’s practical implementation, and exploring the views of other key stakeholders, would help establish the feasibility of compassionate communities in practice, and guide its future application.

The emergence of the publicly engaged research manager

The increasing spread and rising profile of publicly engaged research in the UK has been accompanied by the emergence of a new, specialized professional services role embedded within research project teams. With this in mind, the Public Engagement Professionals in University Research Network convened a survey and workshop in 2017 to critically examine the skills and experiences of individuals in administrative roles in such projects. This paper argues that this is a highly skilled role that blurs boundaries between academic, administrator and engagement professional, but within higher education institutions it is often poorly understood and, therefore, undervalued and unsupported.

Prognosis of patients with apparent treatment-resistant hypertension\u2014a feasibility study

BackgroundMost cases of hypertension can be effectively treated with lifestyle changes together with medications, but within this population lies a group with more difficult to treat hypertension—those with apparent treatment-resistant hypertension (aTRH). The American Heart Association and the UK National Institute for Health and Care Excellence have both highlighted the need for further research into the prognosis of patients with resistant hypertension, both apparent and true.MethodsIn 16 practices affiliated to a university research network, 646 patients had been identified with apparent treatment-resistant hypertension. To inform a planned full cohort study of these patients, we conducted a feasibility study within three practices to determine participation of practices and patients, availability of outcome measures and data collection times.ResultsAll three practices fully participated and 205/210 (98%) patients were followed up for a median of 23 months. Thirty-five outcome events of interest occurred—the most common was the new onset of retinopathy (9 cases). Eight percent (17/210) had the main composite outcome of death or serious incident cardiovascular event. Of the six patients who died, identification of cause of death was possible from practice records in five; the national General Register Office was successfully used for the final patient. There were 123 admissions, both day and overnight, recorded in 94 individual patients. Average manual systolic blood pressure measurements improved from baseline by 5 mmHg to 138 (SD 19) mmHg; diastolic remained the same at 75 (SD 12) mmHg. Average eGFR increased from 58.8 (SD17.4) to 66 (SD19.7) mls/min/1.73m2. The average time for data collection per patient was 12 mins.ConclusionsThis study demonstrates that the proposed methodology for a full cohort study within general practice of patients with apparent treatment hypertension is both acceptable to practices and feasible. An adequately powered subsequent follow-up study of the entire cohort appears possible.

Use of continuous, real‐time observations and model simulations to achieve autonomous, adaptive sampling of microbial processes with a robotic sampler

AbstractThe Columbia River has a dynamic and fast flushing estuary impacted by strong advection and mixing of riverine and oceanic waters, and high but variable loads of suspended particulate matter. Transient, but recurring water and nutrient fluxes from end‐members impart strong spatial and temporal gradients, contributing to microbiological hotspots that play important ecological roles in the estuary. Investigations of corresponding microbiota require precisely timed samples that are contextualized by physical and biogeochemical data. To accomplish this, we embedded a robotic microbial sampler (Environmental Sample Processor, ESP) within the operations of an interdisciplinary observation and prediction system (Science and Technology University Research Network, SATURN; www.stccmop.org/saturn). Autonomous, adaptively sampled water collection by the ESP was implemented based on environmental conditions assessed from SATURN physical and biogeochemical sensors. Water was pumped from multiple depths to sensors and the ESP on dry land. If water met user‐defined parameters, ESP sampling was automatically initiated. This strategy was tested during three deployments in summer 2013, during which operational tools for analysis and visualization were used to formulate well‐constrained mission plans by providing estimates of the intensity and timing of oxygen‐depleted ocean water intrusion and estuarine turbidity maxima. This allowed the effective characterization of the impact of these events on selected estuarine microbiota.

Leveraging the relationship: knowledge processes in school–university research networks of master’s programmes

This study investigated the way developing, sharing and using of research-based knowledge occurred in the school–university research network of a master’s programme for in-service teachers in the Netherlands. Over a 10-month period, a combination of quantitative and qualitative network data was collected. Data were analysed at three network levels: school, pairs of master’s students and research supervisors, and individuals. Overall, results indicate that building knowledge productive relationships in a master’s programme is a complex endeavour. Although individual master’s students and research supervisors aimed for continuing knowledge processes in school and university after student’s graduation, few actually did. The school context and the strategies of research supervisors provided students with too little support for sustaining the knowledge processes. This study shows from a network perspective the complexities, challenges and potential of developing partnership relationships in a master’s programme between schools and universities as well as between master’s students and research supervisors.

Recruiting general practitioners for surveys: reflections on the difficulties and some lessons learned

Surveys of GPs are essential to facilitate future planning and delivery of health services. However, recruitment of GPs into research has been disappointing with response rates declining over recent years. This study identified factors that facilitated or hampered GP recruitment in a recent survey of Australian GPs where a range of strategies were used to improve recruitment following poor initial responses. GP response rates for different stages of the survey were examined and compared with reasons GPs and leaders of university research networks cited for non-participation. Poor initial response rates were improved by including a questionnaire in the mail-out, changing the mail-out source from an unknown research team to locally known network leaders, approaching a group of GPs known to have research and training interests, and offering financial compensation. Response rates increased from below 1% for the first wave to 14.5% in the final wave. Using a known and trusted network of professionals to endorse the survey combined with an explicit compensation payment significantly enhanced GP response rates. To obtain response rates for surveys of GPs that are high enough to sustain external validity requires an approach that persuades GPs and their gatekeepers that it is worth their time to participate.

More than a master: developing, sharing, and using knowledge in school–university research networks

Postgraduate master’s programs for in-service teachers may be a promising new avenue in developing research partnership networks that link schools and university and enable collaborative development, sharing and use of knowledge of teacher research. This study explores the way these knowledge processes originating from master’s students’ research occurs in the school–university network of a master’s program embedded in the K–12 school environment of a Central Management Organization in the US. Questionnaires, interviews, and logs were used to collect quantitative and qualitative data at four time-points over a 10-month period. Data were analyzed at three network levels: school, dyad, and individual. Findings indicate that the school network context provided both master’s students and research advisors with a supportive context for collaboratively engaging in knowledge processes during research as well as after they graduated. However, the network context was not enough to build sustainable and productive relationships in the partnership network.

Always connected, the Umea University campus and city network approach

This paper describes the current network approach at Umea University and how the strategy has changed over the years to meet new challenges. Today, we face two important scenarios that have to be managed within budget limitation and increased user demands. – the rapid growth of mobile devices put pressure on the University Wireless Network, and the Mobile Internet for the PTT´s to deliver accessibility. – the expectation of users, students and staff to be connected all the time and everywhere, on campus, in the city, in cafes and stores, on buses, in airplanes and on trains with enough network performance to use the application they want. Umea University has a large network, connected to Internet via the national university research network Sunet. The university has approx. 25,000 network outlets and 17,000 of them are active, the rest is a reserve for internal moving around. 100 Mbps is standard for a personal workplace but can be upgraded to higher speed for servers and users with high demands. The wireless network has 520 access-points, all scattered sparsely around the campus for maximum coverage. There are three Wlans accessible all over the campus: UmU Wlan – a closed network that can be accessed with your digital university identity, i.e. CAS or AD eduroam – the federated global university network Adm – the federated network from the local community The Umea city open network (SSID: City of Umea) is only available at the Museum of Contemporary Art and Visual Culture. In 2010, the university and the local community agreed to federate their wireless networks to make Internet available in community premises for students and staff. For the university, the major benefit is that students can access the university network from local libraries, schools and other local facilities around the city. The university has an agreement with Telia, the major PTT, for both mobile telephones and mobile internet. The university has been moving on the road to Office Extension and offers staff to close their landline office telephones and move over to mobile telephony only. This approach builds on access to mobile telephony as the cell phone gradually takes over as the only office telephone extension for staffers. During 2013, the +20-year old university switchboard will be replaced by Lync 2013 which is a further extended approach to telecommunication. Office@365 and GoogleApps adds collaboration tools to the workplace and the concept Unified Communication is now being implemented and has currently 600+ users in the first installation phase.

Exploring knowledge processes based on teacher research in a school–university research network of a master’s program

School–university research networks aim at closer integration of research and practice by means of teacher research. Such practice-oriented research can benefit both schools and universities. This paper reports on a multiple-case study of five participants in a school–university research network in a Dutch master’s program. The research question was: In what way is knowledge based on practice-oriented research by master’s students developed, shared, and used in school–university research networks in which education is primarily offered within a university setting? Twenty interviews were conducted, on the basis of logs, over a period of 10 months. Results show that (1) for master’s students, the most significant motive for developing, sharing or using knowledge was that the content knowledge about their research topic could be useful to school practice and colleagues; (2) research supervisors reported more than master’s students about the procedural knowledge that they had developed and shared. This knowledge focused on the collaborative process of supporting research and knowledge processes in school and university; (3) activities of knowledge sharing and use appeared to depend to a significant extent on individual purposes and leadership initiatives of master’s students and their supervisors; and (4) in the school–university research network, master’s students and research supervisors continued—to a limited extent—knowledge processes based on master’s students research after their graduation. Outcomes indicate that use of existing network structures in master’s programs is complex, but could be a promising avenue for creating successful school–university research networks.

Aspects of school–university research networks that play a role in developing, sharing and using knowledge based on teacher research

School–university research networks aim at closer integration of research and practice by means of teacher research. Such practice-oriented research can enhance teachers’ professional knowledge development, and can benefit both schools and university. This paper reports on 21 participants of a school–university research network embedded in a Master’s program. The main question was: which aspects of a school–university research network play a role in processes of developing, sharing and using knowledge based on research by Master’s students? Fifteen network aspects were distinguished, which together provide a useful framework for better understanding and further study of knowledge processes in school–university research networks.

Social capital and individual innovativeness in university research networks

Many studies have examined the relations between individuals and organizations and their influence on innovativeness. Some have looked at networks that improve innovative activity at an organizational, departmental and individual level, using in the latter case the individual’s egonet. This study explores the way in which an individual’s social capital and each of its three dimensions affect innovativeness. Having assessed the entire network of a university department and calculated the social capital of its members, their innovativeness was compared on the basis of their scientific production. The results show that the positions of researchers in the network structure and network quality are less important than the resources that they are able to access through their relations.

Transforming Higher Education in Whose Image? Exploring the Concept of the ‘World-Class’ University in Europe and Asia

In order to enhance their global competitiveness, governments in Europe and Asia have started to conduct comprehensive reviews of and implement plans to restructure their higher education systems, with attempts to transform their higher education systems in the image of ‘world-class’ university. With strong intentions to perform well in the Global University Ranking, universities in Europe and Asia have adopted different reform measures to enhance their research performance. Central to the quest for the world-class status, we have witnessed the emerging global model (EGM) of the research university in the 21st century, a description of the top stratum of research universities worldwide. It is against this particular context that different forms of university research networks, university alliance or international research consortia have evolved to promote international collaboration aiming at higher ranking in the global university league. The principal goal of this article aims at critically examining the notions and practices of what it means to be a world-class university in the context of Europe and Asia, especially attempting to examine the impacts of the quest for the world-class status on higher education in Europe and Asia.

“It can always happen”: The impact of urinary incontinence on elderly men and women

Objective. To determine the impact of urinary incontinence (UI) on the quality of life of the elderly in the general population and to identify factors with the greatest effect. Design. Qualitative and quantitative analyses of interview data. Setting. Patients from the nine family practices of the Nijmegen University Research Network. Subjects. Independently living patients aged 60 and over. Main outcome measures. All independently living patients aged 60 and over with uncomplicated UI were interviewed at home using the Incontinence Impact Questionnaire and open-ended questions. Results. In total, 56 men and 314 women were interviewed. A majority do not have such an impact. In the Incontinence Impact Questionnaire (IIQ) emotional well-being was most affected. Half to one-third of the patients felt nervous, embarrassed, or frustrated because of their incontinence. In the social domain “clothing” and “fear of odour” scored the highest impact. The most affected practical consequence in the IIQ was “going to places where you are not sure about the availability of a toilet” followed by “travelling longer than 20 minutes” and “entertainment”. Men reported higher impact scores than women, despite the fact that incontinence was less severe in men. The most important effect of incontinence reported in men was “being out of control” while most women considered “feeling impelled to take several precautions” to be the most important consequence of UI. Conclusion. UI affects nearly half of patients, particularly as regards their emotional well-being and in public activities. Men experienced more impact compared with women and experienced loss of control more often than women.

Physician Follow-Up Care of Children With ADHD

Follow-up care received by children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ÅDHD) by primary care clinicians (PCCs) was evaluated by questionnaires completed by parents at an index visit and at six months, in a study at Ohio State University, Columbus, OH and several research networks.