BU Research Blog

January 6, 2015

Ben Hicks of BUDI attends the Technology and Alzheimer’s Disease seminar held at Fondation Mederic Alzheimer, Paris

Recently, I was fortunate enough to represent BUDI at a one day expert group in Paris for the Fondation Mederic Alzheimer. The foundation was set up in 1999 to promote research into dementia care. The title of this seminar was ‘Technology and Alzheimer’s Disease’ with a focus on Information and Communication Technology (ICT) as a means to support the independent living and well-being of people with dementia and their care partners. A group of experts from a broad range of academic disciplines including psychology, sociology, engineering and robotics were assembled to discuss the topic and outline ways to advance the area..

As expected, when bringing together a group of experts from different academic fields, the discussions were lively and thought provoking. As a PhD student undertaking research on commercial technology and dementia from a sociologist perspective, it was incredibly valuable to hear the train of thought of other academics in differing disciplines. Being part of the event and having the chance to contribute to research along with other esteemed academics (many of whom I have referenced extensively throughout my PhD thesis) was a great privilege and the links made at the event will certainly be beneficial as I finish my PhD and begin my journey as an early career researcher (The food was also incredible- The French can certainly ‘do’ food!). The seminar was recorded and the information provided will be written up for publication in a journal. For those who are interested in reading about the informative and lively discussions, I will post a link on the blog to the paper once it has been published.

January 5, 2015

New Scientist Yawns! – Dr Simon Thompson

BU research, EU, Fusion, Global engagement, Grants Academy, Public engagement, Research assessment, Research Ethics, Research Integritiy, Research news Simon Thompson

Why do we yawn? Dogs and cats make us yawn. We even yawn in the womb.

The first yawn of the day is usually when we awake to stretch our intercostal muscles surrounding our lungs to bring in more oxygen. Many of us recognise yawning as a sign of tiredness or boredom yet we also yawn before that important job interview. We contagiously yawn when our pets yawn and because we are empathetic towards another yawning human being. We even yawn in the womb.

As a member of the International Association for Research on Yawning, I have presented at the first international conference of neuroscientists and neurologists on yawning in Paris in 2010. Since then, I have been conducting research into this intriguing area and proposed the Thompson Cortisol Hypothesis (1;2) to explain why the naturally produced stress hormone cortisol is released during yawning – a phenomenon never reported before.

Recently, I was delighted to be invited by the prestigious New Scientist to write a piece about this curiosity that affects all of us (3) and have received so much international interest that it has encouraged me to continue this pursuit with a view to its medical application.

I am also a member of the International Scientific Committee on Research into Multiple Sclerosis (MS) which is particularly relevant to yawning as people with MS often include fatigue and excessive yawning in their reported symptoms. Meeting in Paris recently with international collaborators from Paris X Ouest University and the French Multiple Sclerosis Society, I am conducting research into induced fatigue and MS and how these variables affect cortisol levels.

It is hoped this may point towards the development of a new diagnostic tool for the early diagnosis of MS using cortisol as a biomarker.

References

Thompson SBN. The dawn of the yawn: is yawning a warning? Linking neurological disorders. Medical Hypotheses 2010;75:630-633;doi:10.1016/j.mehy.2010.08.002.
Thompson SBN. 2011. Born to yawn? Cortisol linked to yawning: a new hypothesis. Medical Hypotheses 2011;77:861-862;doi: 10.1016/j.mehy.2011.07.056.
Thompson SBN. This will make you yawn. New Scientist 2014;224(3000/3001):38-39.
Inset photo: Pynq Thompson, aged 28 days old.

Contact: simont@bournemouth.ac.uk

January 3, 2015

Maternity research in Afghanistan

BU research, PG research, Publishing, student research Edwin van Teijlingen

Just after I blogged about the first publication for 2015, I was informed by BU PhD student Rachel Arnold that our article: “Understanding Afghan health care providers: A qualitative study of the culture of care in a Kabul maternity hospital” is included in the first issue of 2015 of the journal BJOG.

BU has provided Open Access funding to make this paper freely available, which is especially important for readers in low-income countries such as Afghanistan or Nepal. The paper can be found at: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1471-0528.13179/pdf

Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen

Centre for Midwifery, Maternal & Perinatal Health , Bournemouth University

Reference

Arnold R, van Teijlingen E, Ryan K, Holloway I. Understanding Afghan healthcare providers: a qualitative study of the culture of care in a Kabul maternity hospital. BJOG 2015; 122: 260-267.

January 3, 2015

First BU publication of 2015

Featured academics, Publishing, Uncategorized Edwin van Teijlingen

Those working in the reproductive health field or in local media will be familiar with the phenomenon of the reporting of the first baby born in the New Year. For example, you may have read a short item of the first baby of 2015 born just after midnight with a lovely picture of the baby with proud parents and/or midwife.

This BU Research Blog is the equivalent of the first publication for 2015. I contributed a chapter called ‘Sociology of Midwifery’ to the edited book Sociology for Midwives published by Polity Press (Jan. 2015) and edited by Ruth Deery, Elaine Denny & Gayle Letherby.

The Polity Press website lists three reviews of the book by eminent academics in the field of midwifery:

“What is the point of sociology for midwives and midwifery? A sociological perspective can give us a different understanding of reproduction and maternity care. It can help us challenge our ‘common sense’ assumptions about how people and the world tick. This new book provides midwives and midwifery students with a readable comprehensive and up to date review of the field of sociology applied to reproduction and maternity care. The editors bring together a very impressive amount of material and present it in an accessible and clear way. Their facility for handling complex theoretical and detailed empirical material is admirable.”

Jane Sandall, King’s College London

“The editors and authors of this fine volume have produced a wonderful introduction to the value of a sociological imagination in the practice of midwifery.”

Barbara Katz Rothman, City University of New York

“The authors set out to ‘stimulate the sociological imagination’ of their readers. The combination of theoretical analysis and application of sociological theory to specific practice situations provides extensive opportunities for this to take place. Readers who are new to the sociology of maternity care will find ample material to excite and engage them. Those who already have dipped into this vast and fascinating field will find new applications, angles and perspectives that can cast a fresh light on why we do what we do in maternity care, and that provide possible routes for positive change in the future.”

Soo Downe, University of Central Lancashire

For more details of Sociology for Midwives, see: http://www.politybooks.com/book.asp?ref=0745662803

Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen

Centre for Midwifery, Maternal & Perinatal Health

Bournemouth University

December 28, 2014

Capacity Building in Health Research is Focus of International Symposium in Nepal

BU research, Featured academics, Knowledge Exchange, Public engagement, Publishing, Research news, Uncategorized Edwin van Teijlingen

On 3 January 2015, a day-long symposium dedicated to research capacity building in Nepal will feature mixed-methods research in health and health care. The event is jointly organised by Manipal College of Medical Sciences, Pokhara, Nepal, two UK universities, namely Bournemouth University (BU) and Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU), and the Confederation of Epidemiological Associations (CEA). The International Symposium on Mixed-Methods Research will promote the use of mixed-methods research designs. International experts from various health and social disciplines will come together to present and discuss best practices in the field.

“We have been working for more than ten years to help Nepal build capacity in health research” said Edwin van Teijlingen, one of the symposium presenters and BU Reproductive Health Research Professor. “The symposium is a great opportunity to learn about mixed-methods research and its potential for research into public health, care provision or health promotion.”

Presenters include Dr. Rose Khatri from LJMU will introduce the background to qualitative and quantitative research. Dr. Bibha Simkhada will illustrate the use of mixed-methods as applied in a largely qualitative maternity care study in rural Nepal. Dr. Brijesh Sathian, editor of the Nepal Journal of Epidemiology, will outline key quantitative issues in a mixed-methods approach. Dr. Padam Simkhada, Professor at Liverpool John Moores University will discuss some of the intricacies of mixed-methods approaches.

Dr. Sharada Prasad Wasti, Monitoring and Evaluation Advisor in Family Health International (FHI 360) Nepal on an HIV/AIDS (a programme funded project by the World Bank) will present some of the practical issues of working in the field of HIV research using mixed methods. BU professor Edwin van Teijlingen will discuss some of the more theoretical issues and offer some advice on writing up and publishing mixed-methods studies.

The symposium presenters have all conducted health research in Nepal and between them have more than one hundred scientific papers and book chapters on the country’s state of health and health care system. Both Prof. Padam Simkhada and Dr. Bibha Simkhada are Visiting Faculty at BU.

Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen

CMMPH

December 23, 2014

FIF Erasmus award – Relationship continues with Leipzig University

Awarded & submitted bids, Fusion, Global engagement, REF Subjects, Uncategorized Tom Watson

Since 2010, Professor Tom Watson of the Faculty of Media & Communication has been developing a productive teaching and research association with Leipzig University in Germany. Following a successful application to the FIF Erasmus fund, he will be making his fourth visit in June 2015.

As Leipzig’s research on communication management is Europe-leading, headed by Professor Dr Ansgar Zerfass, research-based material for teaching to BA (Hons) Public Relations and MA Corporate Communication students will result from the visit. Professor Watson will also gain insights on the teaching of communication management for BU’s new MA Corporate Communication.

Working with Emeritus Professor Dr Günter Bentele on the history of PR in Western Europe will lead to publications and conference papers, and development of new archival resources. The visit will also aid the objectives of the European Public Relations History Network (EPRHN), which was formed by Professor Watson and Professor Dr Bentele and others, through investigation of archives at Leipzig. New research publications which will result from the two researchers’ joint work on the history of European public relations in the three decades after World War II.

This research will also assist preparation of material and lectures for the forthcoming BA (Hons) History. During the visit, Professor Watson’s teaching commitments will include:

Lectures on the history of public relations to BA students
Lectures and seminars on corporate social responsibility, management of communication performance, and quantitative research methods for MA and PhD students.
A seminar for MA students regarding the history of PR is western Europe since WW2

December 19, 2014

Open for registration – Up to £2m funding for feasibility studies available

Business Engagement, Funding opportunities jcodling

Innovate UK has launched a funding competition for feasibility studies with up to two million pounds funding available.

The competition is open only to small and micro companies (click here for eligibility) across the following technology sectors:

Advanced materials
Biosciences
Electronics, Sensors & Photonics
Information & Communications Technology

A briefing event for this competition was held on 25 November. You can view the webinar recording here.

For any queries on this competition, please contact support@innovateuk.org.

December 18, 2014

Building Public Health in Nepal

Awarded & submitted bids, BU research, Public engagement, Publishing, Research Ethics, Research news, Uncategorized Edwin van Teijlingen

It has been a good end of year at BU for Nepal research. Last week we had an ethics paper accepted on ‘Cervical Cancer Screening: Ethical Consideration’ in the journal Medicolegal & Bioethics as well as a research paper on ‘Sexual health knowledge and risky sexual behaviour of Nepalese trekking guides’ which will appear in 2015 in the Journal of Manmohan Memorial Institute of Health Sciences.

We also had an editorial accepted on the importance of mixed-methods research in Nepal by the Nepal Journal of Epidemiology. The latter is linked to our planned Mixed-Methods Symposium on Saturday January 3rd 2015 in the city of Pokhara, Nepal (see our earlier BU Research Blog).

Yesterday we heard that we have been successful in our grant application to THET. Our grant forms part of the Health Partnership Scheme (HPS) that funds health partnerships to carry out training and capacity-building projects in low-income countries. The Scheme is funded by the UK Department for International Development and managed by THET.

Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen

CMMPH

December 18, 2014

BU academics appointed as dual editors-in-chief

BU research, EU, Women's Academic Network Jonathan Parker

Dr Sara Ashencaen Crabtree and Professor Jonathan Parker of the Centre for Social Work, Sociology & Social Policy have been appointed as joint editors-in-chief for a journal published by UK publishing house Whiting & Birch and the Tbilisi SState University in Georgia: Social Policy & Social Work in Transition.

The journal stemmed from an earlier EU-funded Tempus project between Sheffield Hallam University and post-Soviet Eastern European states, including Georgia, Ukraine, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia and has recently negotiated a bipartite arrangement with Whiting & Birch to ensure its sustainability.

The journal aims to provide a platform for developing insight and research into transitions in social policy and social work predominantly in Eastern European countries, and this remains its primary focus. However, the new editors-in-chief will also expand the journal’s reach into Asia, the Asia Pacific region, Africa and the Americas especially in countries moving through complex socio-political, economic, historical and post-colonial transitions.

This important position was confirmed on the basis of the new editors’ international research links and reputations and adds to the strengths of the Centre for Social Work, Sociology and Social Policy at BU. Dr Ashencaen Crabtree and Professor Parker will lead a multinational editorial board assisted by continuing editors Professor Iago Kachkachishvili of Tbilisi State University, Georgia and Dr Tetyana Semigina of National University ‘Kyiv-Mohyla Academy’, Ukraine (current Secretary of the International Association of Schools of Social Work). Outgoing editor, Professor Emeritus Mark Doel, Sheffield Hallam University, will also remain on the board.

The position offers a springboard to further collaborative social science research in Eastern European and Balkan states, something which the journal is committed to developing.

Prof Jonathan Parker & Dr Sara Ashencaen Crabtree

December 17, 2014

BUDI at the Launch of Visions in Advocacy for BME Carers Project in Dorchester

Public engagement Ahmed Romouzy Ali

On 5th December, I went to Dorchester to attend the launch of a new project- “Visions in Advocacy for BME Carers”. It is an advocacy service for Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) Carers across West Dorset, Weymouth and Portland areas. This is a Unity in Vision project– which is a member of the Bournemouth Council for Voluntary Service. Their focus is to bring diverse communities together to share a common goal and celebrate their own diversity. This project is funded by the NHS Dorset Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) and Dorset Council to run an advocacy service for a year. The launch event was attended by delegates from local BME communities, and the Mayor of Dorchester, Councillor Peter Man.

I wore three hats at this event. One as a team member of Bournemouth University Dementia Institute (BUDI); one as the Visions in Advocacy for BME Carers- Project Coordinator and one as the Chair of the BME Community Engagement Panel in Dorset. In my speech I explained the work of BUDI, the goal of the project (which is to ensure that all carers are supported by a system which understands their needs, promotes their wellbeing and assists them in their caring role) and in addition informed the audience about the BME Community Engagement Panel. I welcomed and encouraged all to take part in the panel meetings to help them integrate better. It should be noted that the BME Panel is currently supported by the Access and Equalities Development Team at Dorset HealthCare University Foundation Trust (DHUFT) and Bournemouth University Carer & Service User Partnership.

The Mayor said to me upon his departure- “Thank you for everything you are doing”. I would like to extend his thanks to all staff in BUDI; all the project volunteers; and all the BME Panel members.

If you are interested in any of the above or would like to join the BME Community Engagement panel, please do not hesitate to contact me Dr Ahmed Romouzy Ali on 01202 962788 or email arali@bournemouth.ac.uk

December 15, 2014

The Grange School visits Bournemouth University Dementia Institute

mheward

On 9th December Bournemouth University Dementia Institute (BUDI) were delighted to welcome Year 12 Health and Social Care students from The Grange School in Christchurch. Putting our local partnership working into practice, the students took part in a Dementia Friends session and learnt about some of BUDI’s recent projects, including the Living Well with Dementia video and the BUDI Orchestra. We hope that the student’s learning will translate positively into their future practice, and were pleased to see that their feedback forms stated they will take the following actions as a result of the session:

• “Help people with dementia if I see them struggling”
• “Correct people when they say dementia sufferer”
• ”Help people to understand dementia”
• “Be more patient”

Dementia Friends sessions are part of a national initiative by the Alzheimer’s Society to raise awareness of dementia within our local communities. The sessions are designed to help people learn more about what it’s like to live with dementia so that those affected by the condition can feel included in their local community. BUDI run regular Dementia Friends sessions, if you would like to find out more please look out for further details on the BUDI website in 2015.

Dr Michelle Heward and Dr Ahmed Romouzy Ali

December 15, 2014

Fusion Investment Fund 2014/15: Upskilling the Engineering Workforce

Awarded & submitted bids, Fusion psewell

We were delighted to hear that we have just received funding from the Fusion Investment Fund for a project which we hope will allow us to strengthen strategic partnerships with local/national engineering companies. This will build on the work already carried out within the Department of Design and Engineering to develop an innovate flexible learning MEng Engineering degree for those currently in employment which has attracted over 40 students from local and national industries since its introduction. The numbers entering the degree is expected to accelerate over the next few years with 300 engineering apprentices currently studying at Bournemouth and Poole College coming through the system.

The aim of this project is to collaborate with current BU engineering students, and engineering employers to develop, launch and establish a Professional Registration Mentoring Scheme. The scheme will be developed to enable students who are studying on the flexible learning MEng Engineering degree to achieve professional registration (Incorporated or Chartered Engineer) status and for companies wishing to gain professional registration for a suitable group of their employees.

This scheme is timely as EngineeringUK has recently highlighted the need to double the number of annual graduate recruits into engineering by 2020 to meet demand. The report also highlights it is estimated only 36% of engineers in the UK are registered as professional engineers. However, professional engineers are vital for the growth of the UK economy.

A future goal, once established regionally, is to secure recognition for the scheme from an appropriate professional body. This will then provide the credibility to expand the scheme nationally

Please do feel free to get in touch with us if you would like further information and we look forward to reporting on the outcome once the project is completed at the end of July.

Dr Philip Sewell (Principal Investigator) – Design and Engineering Framework Leader –psewell@bournemouth.ac.uk

Dr Tania Humphries-Smith – Head of Design and Engineering Department – thumphri@bournemouth.ac.uk

December 15, 2014

Symposium Centre of Postgraduate Medical Research and Education on LSE Blog

BU Challenges, BU research, Fusion, Public engagement, Research assessment, Uncategorized Edwin van Teijlingen

The LSE Impact Blog reports a piece by BU’s Zoë Sheppard, Vanora Hundley, Edwin van Teijlingen & Paul Thompson.

The LSE Blog presents the challenges of impact in healthcare recently discussed at a symposium held by the Centre of Postgraduate Medical Research and Education at Bournemouth University. As the results of the Research Excellence Framework 2014 are ut this week, the LSE Blog raises some timely issues on the implementation of impact point to further collaborations needed on the impact agenda in medicine and health care more generally.

The LSE Blog can be found at: http://blogs.lse.ac.uk/impactofsocialsciences/2014/12/15/the-impact-agenda-in-healthcare/

Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen

CMMPH

December 15, 2014

Thank You from the BUDI Orchestra

lreynolds

Last Friday (12/12/14), the BUDI Orchestra celebrated this festive season with a Christmas Carol Concert in the Atrium, Talbot Campus. They performed classics such as, ‘Jingle Bells’, ‘White Christmas’ and a very moving rendition of ‘Winter Wonderland’. The event was a great success and thoroughly enjoyed by both performers and spectators alike.

BUDI would like to extend a huge THANK YOU to everyone that attended the concert, with extra thanks to all of the staff who gave their support so the morning could run so smoothly.

We will be starting a new orchestral group in the New Year. If you know someone living with dementia that might enjoy getting involved with the group, please contact me for further information (lreynolds@bournemouth.ac.uk).

Merry Christmas!

December 14, 2014

Wanted: Book reviewers

BU research, PG research, Publishing, student research Edwin van Teijlingen

Sociological Research Online one of the four BSA journals is constantly looking for new reviewers of books for its section on book reviews. Every issue of Sociological Research Online lists the recently received books from a range of publishers. Please spread this message to (junior) sociology colleagues and Ph.D. students in the discipline. For many social science postgraduate students a book review can be a nice first publication, with the added benefit that reading the book can be helpful in their Ph.D. journey. For the budding book reviewer we have written a short ‘how-to-do-a-book-review piece’ which can be found on the Sociological Research Online webpages: http://www.socresonline.org.uk/info/bookreviews.html

Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen

CMMPH, Bournemouth University

Book review editor Sociological Research Online

December 13, 2014

Masterclass Systematic Reviewing

BU research, Global engagement, Uncategorized Edwin van Teijlingen

We a happy to announce a two-day Masterclass on Systematic Reviewing at Bournemouth University led by Professors Hundley and van Teijlingen. One way of collating and assessing the best possible evidence is through a method called ‘systematic reviewing’. Systematic reviewing is a specific research method whereby a structured, rigorous, and objective approach is used to provide a critical synthesis of the available evidence on a particular topic. This masterclass will examine the rationale for systematic reviews and take participants through the various elements of a systematic review: selecting (electronic) databases; literature searching; data extraction; data synthesis; interpretation and reporting.

The Masterclass will be held in the Executive Business Centre, Holdenhurst Road, Bournemouth on 9-10 February 2015.

Booking price and information:

The price of £200 includes lunch and refreshments and all class materials. Accommodation and travel costs are not included. Book your place online by 1 February 2015.

Find out more and book your place here >>

For more information call 01202 962184 or email us.

Professors Vanora Hundley & Edwin van Teijlingen

Centre for Midwifery, Maternal & Perinatal Health

December 13, 2014

BU collaborates in International Symposium in Nepal on Mixed-Methods Research

BU research, Global engagement, Training, Uncategorized Edwin van Teijlingen

This international symposium introduces researchers and academics in Nepal to the basics of mixed-methods research. The symposium will be held on 3^rd January 2015 at Manipal Medical College in Pokhara, Nepal.

The symposium is jointly organised by Manipal College of Medical Sciences, Pokhara, Nepal, Liverpool John Moores University, UK, Bournemouth University, UK & CEA (Confederation of Epidemiological Associations). Bournemouth University will be represented in Nepal by Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen. Prof. van Teijlingen is a medical sociologist in the Centre for Midwifery, Maternal & Perinatal Health. He has conducted mixed-methods research for over two decades and he has published more than 200 papers and book chapters. Many of his publications are based on research that uses mixed-methods. Two of the other four symposium presenters at the symposium are Visiting Faculty at Bournemouth University (Prof. Padam Simkhada based at Liverpool John Moores University and Dr. Bibha Simkhada).

Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen

Centre for Midwifery, Maternal & Perinatal Health
Faculty of Health & Social Sciences

December 11, 2014

Festival of Learning 2014 not ‘finished’ yet!

BU research, Festival of Learning, Publishing, Uncategorized Edwin van Teijlingen

Whilst the call for 2015 Festival of Learning activities is already out, some of us are still busy with the 2014 one. This past year Prof. Vanora Hundley (Faculty of Health & Social Sciences) led a debate about the impact of the mass media on women’s view of childbirth. The debate was centred around The media is responsible for creating fear in childbirth.

Elizabeth Duff from the NCT and BU Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen affiliated with the Centre for Midwifery, Maternal & Perinatal Health argued in favour of the motion and Joanne Dewberry independent blogger, journalist and successful business woman and Dr. Ann Luce from BU’s Journalism and Communication Academic Group argued against.

The audience were given the opportunity to vote on the motion before and after the debate. The interesting and wide-ranging debate has been written up and it now published in MIDIRS under the title ‘Fear in childbirth: are the media responsible?’

The full reference is: Hundley, V., Duff, E., Dewberry, J., Luce, A., van Teijlingen, E. (2014) Fear in childbirth: are the media responsible? MIDIRS Midwifery Digest 24(4): 444-447.

Professors Edwin van Teijlingen & Vanora Hundley

Centre for Midwifery, Maternal & Perinatal Health

Faculty of Health & Social Sciences

Category / Research themes

Ben Hicks of BUDI attends the Technology and Alzheimer’s Disease seminar held at Fondation Mederic Alzheimer, Paris

New Scientist Yawns! – Dr Simon Thompson

FIF Erasmus award – Relationship continues with Leipzig University

Open for registration – Up to £2m funding for feasibility studies available

BUDI at the Launch of Visions in Advocacy for BME Carers Project in Dorchester

The Grange School visits Bournemouth University Dementia Institute

Fusion Investment Fund 2014/15: Upskilling the Engineering Workforce

Symposium Centre of Postgraduate Medical Research and Education on LSE Blog

Thank You from the BUDI Orchestra

Masterclass Systematic Reviewing

BU collaborates in International Symposium in Nepal on Mixed-Methods Research

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