scholarly journals Exploring the farming and waste disposal nexus in the UK: Towards a typology of 'Environmental Criminals'

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 65-81
Author(s):  
Robert Smith

The farming Industry and rural locations are increasingly being targeted by predatory environmental criminals but as will be demonstrated there is also an insider element to environmental crimes. Such criminal activities pose an environmental challenge and require creative solutions. Indeed, the notion of the farmer as an environmental criminal is a contentious addition to the typology of rural criminals. Traditionally, environmental crime was an overlooked and under researched category of criminology, primarily because 'farmers' as a genre were treated with an elevated level of societal respect in line with their 'idyllic' portrayal. They do not fit accepted social constructs and stereotypes of the urban based criminal fraternity. Consequentially, we heard little of the stereotype of the 'bad' farmer. Recent years have seen a rise in public interest and concern relating to ethical aspects of farming leading to a raising of public awareness. Farmers are no longer immune from criticism, nor prosecution. Using documentary research methods this study reports on several high-profile cases at the nexus and reveals an updated typology of rural environmental crimes and criminals.

2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 203-214 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ingrida Kelpšienė

OVERVIEWMOLA (Museum of London Archaeology) is one of the leading archaeological companies in the UK. It provides professional archaeological services and implements award-winning community engagement programs with a high-profile online presence. Its Facebook page is an important communication channel, serving the organization in raising public awareness, reaching the widest audiences, and engaging with the community. MOLA has developed a strategic approach to its archaeological communication on Facebook by ensuring regular updates of its research and by providing rich archaeological content aligned with media campaigns of the most notable archaeological excavations. This strategy helps the organization build a steady and engaged community of interest. The use of social networks for public engagement, the possibilities of rapid dissemination, and the challenges of ensuring sustainable online participation via social networks resonate with major concerns discussed by different researchers in the field. This review explores MOLA's Facebook page, seeking to showcase how the archaeological organization communicates through Facebook on a day-to-day basis and to reveal how Facebook users react to different kinds of archaeological content through measurable metrics.


Eye ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sana Hamid ◽  
Parul Desai ◽  
Pirro Hysi ◽  
Jennifer M. Burr ◽  
Anthony P. Khawaja

AbstractEffective population screening for glaucoma would enable earlier diagnosis and prevention of irreversible vision loss. The UK National Screening Committee (NSC) recently published a review that examined the viability, effectiveness and appropriateness of a population-based screening programme for primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG). In our article, we summarise the results of the review and discuss some future directions that may enable effective population screening for glaucoma in the future. Two key questions were addressed by the UK NSC review; is there a valid, accurate screening test for POAG, and does evidence exist that screening reduces morbidity from POAG compared with standard care. Six new studies were identified since the previous 2015 review. The review concluded that screening for glaucoma in adults is not recommended because there is no clear evidence for a sufficiently accurate screening test or for better outcomes with screening compared to current care. The next UK NSC review is due to be conducted in 2023. One challenge for POAG screening is that the relatively low disease prevalence results in too many false-positive referrals, even with an accurate test. In the future, targeted screening of a population subset with a higher prevalence of glaucoma may be effective. Recent developments in POAG polygenic risk prediction and deep learning image analysis offer potential avenues to identifying glaucoma-enriched sub-populations. Until such time, opportunistic case finding through General Ophthalmic Services remains the primary route for identification of glaucoma in the UK and greater public awareness of the service would be of benefit.


Author(s):  
MORITZ OSNABRÜGGE ◽  
SARA B. HOBOLT ◽  
TONI RODON

Research has shown that emotions matter in politics, but we know less about when and why politicians use emotive rhetoric in the legislative arena. This article argues that emotive rhetoric is one of the tools politicians can use strategically to appeal to voters. Consequently, we expect that legislators are more likely to use emotive rhetoric in debates that have a large general audience. Our analysis covers two million parliamentary speeches held in the UK House of Commons and the Irish Parliament. We use a dictionary-based method to measure emotive rhetoric, combining the Affective Norms for English Words dictionary with word-embedding techniques to create a domain-specific dictionary. We show that emotive rhetoric is more pronounced in high-profile legislative debates, such as Prime Minister’s Questions. These findings contribute to the study of legislative speech and political representation by suggesting that emotive rhetoric is used by legislators to appeal directly to voters.


2021 ◽  
Vol 80 (Suppl 1) ◽  
pp. 235.3-236
Author(s):  
D. Webb ◽  
K. Gaffney ◽  
R. Sengupta ◽  
S. S. Zhao ◽  
L. Swingler

Background:In the UK, the average time to diagnosis of axial SpA is 8.5 years (1). There is little evidence this has improved, despite the acceptance of MRI use in diagnosis (2). A recent review identified significant clinical, economic and humanistic burden from delayed diagnosis (3). Urgent action is needed to ensure delayed diagnosis is not normalized.Objectives:We created a proposal for a Gold Standard time to diagnosis for axial SpA and a national implementation plan (4) through consensus development with patients, healthcare professionals and professional bodies.Methods:A.A scoping literature review identifying where delays occur, from first symptom onset to diagnosis by a rheumatologist, and potential solutions. From this, a summary report / draft plan was produced for consultationB.A national consultation survey to elicit views on the proposals from clinicians, healthcare professionals, professional societies and patientsC.Structured feedback to written proposals via e-consultation with clinicians and patientsD.A consensus development workshop to finalise the Gold Standard and implementation plan.Results:The literature review identified four delays:1. People do not know axial SpA may be a cause of their chronic back pain2. Primary care practitioners may not recognise features of axial SpA3. People may be referred to non-rheumatologists who may not recognise axial SpA promptly4. Rheumatology and radiology teams may not optimally request or interpret investigations.202 participants responded to the summary report (74% patients, 21% healthcare professsionals, 5% professional societies). All supported the principles behind the gold standard time to diagnosis. Qualitive analysis confirmed agreement with the proposed solutions, underscoring the importance of education and visibility for axial SpA within primary care and increased public awareness. Additional proposals were suggested, including a tool in primary care to run audits on IT systems.40 clinicians contributed to the e-consultation and 55 clinicians, policy makers, social marketing experts, health journalists and patients attended the consensus workshop. Consensus was reached on a gold standard time to diagnosis of one year, and the principles, key components and phasing of the implemention plan. This included: public awareness about axial SpA symptoms; a primary care clinical champions programme; creating a referral pathway from primary care direct to rheumatology; a secondary care service educational programme.Conclusion:There is consensus from UK axial SpA clinicians, patients and professional societies on the need for a Gold Standard time to diagnosis of axial SpA of one year, so that patients can live happy, healthy and productive lives.References:[1]Hamilton L, Gilbert A, Skerett J, et al. Services for people with ankylosing spondylitis in the UK - a survey of rheumatologists and patients. Rheumatology 2011:50:1991[2]Sykes MP, Doll H, R Sengupta, Gaffney, K. Delay to diagnosis in axial spondyloarthritis: are we improving in the UK? Rheumatology, July 2015[3]Yi E, Ahuja A, Rajput T, et al. Clinical, Economic, and Humanistic Burden Associated With Delayed Diagnosis of Axial Spondyloarthritis: A Systematic Review. Rheumatol Ther. 2020 Mar;7(1):65–87.[4]Webb D, Zhao S, Whalley S, et al. Gold Standard Time to Diagnosis in axial Spondyloarthritis: Consultation Document. 2020, NASS.Disclosure of Interests:Dale Webb Speakers bureau: Janssen, Novartis, Grant/research support from: NASS receives grants from AbbVie, Biogen, Eli Lilly, Novartis and UCB, Karl Gaffney Speakers bureau: Abbvie, Lilly, Novartis, UCB, Consultant of: Abbvie, Celltrion, Lilly, Grant/research support from: Abbvie, Pfizer, Lilly, UCB, Raj Sengupta Speakers bureau: Abbvie, Biogen, Celgene, Novartis, Roche, UCB, Consultant of: Advisory boards for Abbvie, Biogen, Novartis, UCB, Grant/research support from: Abbvie, Celgene, Novartis, Sizheng Steven Zhao: None declared, Lisa Swingler Grant/research support from: NASS receives grants from AbbVie, Biogen, Eli Lilly, Novartis and UCB.


1998 ◽  
Vol 1998 ◽  
pp. 202-202
Author(s):  
R J Mansbridge ◽  
J S Blake

High yielding cows require high quality diets to sustain milk yields and to minimise weight loss, metabolic disorders and fertility problems. Traditionally, these diets have contained fishmeal and soyabean meal, both widely regarded as good sources of high quality, digestible undegraded protein (DUP). However, there is increasing concern over the sustainability of world fish stocks and the BSE scare has increased public awareness to the extent that feeding animal protein to herbivores may become unacceptable in me future. This in turn has driven up the price of high quality imported vegetable proteins, such as soyabean meal. The aim of this study was to investigate whether fishmeal and soyabean meal could be replaced in the diet of high yielding cows, with protein sources grown in the UKIn a 12 week randomised block design experiment, 60 muciparous Holstein cows, on average 28 days calved at the start of the study, were fed total mixed rations based on grass silage and one of five protein mixtures. These were either 0.5 kg DM fishmeal + 0.7 kg DM soya + 2.5 kg DM rapeseed (PC), 1.3 kg DM soyabean + 2.3 kg DM rapeseed (PI), 3.8 kg DM lupins + 2.3 kg DM heat treated rapeseed (P2), 3.6 kg DM linseed + 1.4 kg DM rapeseed (P3) or 5.8 kg DM rapeseed (P4). Each diet was formulated to supply sufficient energy and metabolisable protein for maintenance + 43 litres and 0.75kg/d weight loss and to contain similiar levels of DUP (AFRC, 1993).


1997 ◽  
Vol 3 (4) ◽  
pp. 179-187 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ben Stanberry

This paper reviews the principle of confidentiality and the rights of access by patients to their medical records. Confidentiality has been germane to the ethics of medical practice since the time of Hippocrates but the nature of the legal obligation of confidence does not have such a clear pedigree. The introduction of crossborder telemedical consultations presents a very real danger to maintaining the confidentiality of medical data. While both the common law and statute law can be used to prevent the unauthorized interception and disclosure of medical data and protect the patient's rights of access and ownership in the UK, it is the harmonization regime of the European Union that will bring comprehensive regulation and legal clarity to the protection of patients' rights within an increasingly international medical super-specialty'.


2018 ◽  
Vol 18 (6) ◽  
pp. 465-471 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rhys H Thomas ◽  
Mark O Cunningham

Click here to listen to the PodcastThe one-third of people who do not gain seizure control through current treatment options need a revolution in epilepsy therapeutics. The general population appears to be showing a fundamental and rapid shift in its opinion regarding cannabis and cannabis-related drugs. It is quite possible that cannabidiol, licensed in the USA for treating rare genetic epilepsies, may open the door for the widespread legalisation of recreational cannabis. It is important that neurologists understand the difference between artisanal cannabidiol products available legally on the high street and the cannabidiol medications that have strong trial evidence. In the UK in 2018 there are multiple high-profile reports of the response of children taking cannabis-derived medication, meaning that neurologists are commonly asked questions about these treatments in clinic. We address what an adult neurologist needs to know now, ahead of the likely licensing of Epidiolex in the UK in 2019.


2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 75
Author(s):  
Stephen Trinder

As a master’s and Ph.D. student at Anglia Ruskin University in 2011, I recall the central message in lectures given by my eventual Ph.D. supervisor Professor Guido Rings was that we cannot underestimate the enduring strength of the legacy of colonialism in Europe and its influence on shaping contemporary attitudes towards immigration. Indeed, as I was completing my studies, I became increasingly aware of the negative rhetoric towards migrants in politics and right-wing press. In an attempt to placate the far-right of his party and address a growing threat from the UK Independence Party (UKIP), a discourse of ‘othernising’ migrants on the basis of their supposed rejection of ‘Britishness’ from former UK Prime Minister David Cameron in particular caught my attention. The result of this was tightening of immigration regulations, which culminated of course in the now-infamous Brexit vote of 2016. Almost a decade after my graduation, Professor Rings is currently Vice Chair for the Research Executive Agency of the European Commission and continues to work at Anglia Ruskin University at the level of Ph.D. supervisor. He still publishes widely in the field of Migration Studies and his recent high-profile book The Other in Contemporary Migrant Cinema (Routledge, 2016) and editorships in the fields of culture and identity (iMex Interdisciplinario Mexico) argue for increased intercultural solidarity in Europe as well as a strengthening of supranational organizations like the EU and the UN to offset growing nationalism. I got in touch with Professor Rings to find out where he feels Europe stands today with regard to migration and get his comments on the continued rise of nationalism on the continent.


2009 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
pp. 283-303 ◽  
Author(s):  
LAURA FENTON ◽  
BRIAN SALTER

AbstractThis article explores the development of two policies for the governance of medical performance in the UK: the Department of Health's (DH) clinical governance policy and the medical profession's revalidation policy. After discussing the institutional context in which each of these policies emerged, we examine how and why they were constructed. While the clinical governance policy was in large part a swift reaction to high-profile cases of medical misconduct in the late 1990s, revalidation was the profession's response to the politicisation of its self-regulatory apparatus. The profession took notably longer than the DH to piece together its policy as a result of internal disagreements about the role clinical standards should play in the evaluation of a doctor's fitness to practice. Following the Fifth Report of the Shipman Inquiry in late 2004, the government stepped in and eventually introduced legislation that modifies the profession's policy. With clinical governance, the state – via arms-length regulatory organisations – has entered the clinic in new ways, strengthening hierarchy-based forms of governance in the governance of medical performance. However, the success of hierarchical forms of governance is likely to be restricted by the lack of a clear system of sanctioning and the state's reliance on a lengthy chain of command in the National Health Service for the implementation of clinical standards.


Significance However, there has been a notable change in the EU’s tone. In July, the European Commission unexpectedly paused legal action against the United Kingdom for an alleged breach of the NIP, and when London announced on September 6 that it was suspending key elements indefinitely, the EU’s response was muted. Impacts France is so deeply aggrieved over AUKUS that any further UK breaches of the Withdrawal Agreement could prompt a bad-tempered response. The possibility of an early assembly election in Northern Ireland would complicate EU-UK attempts to resolve the NIP issue. The exclusion of high profile, pro-EU politicians in the UK cabinet reshuffle shows how important the Brexit agenda remains for London.


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