A UK-wide study, led by Queen’s University Belfast, has shown how a new surveillance pathway for people with stable diabetic eye disease is safe and cost-saving, freeing up ophthalmologists to evaluate and treat people requiring urgent care.
The new health care surveillance pathway may help ophthalmic units across the world to improve their capacity whilst saving patient’s sight. It is already having a positive impact on the re-design of NHS services across the UK, having been implemented successfully in several hospitals.
The research, funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), has been published in leading journals including Ophthalmology, BMJ and NIHR’s Health Technology Assessment.
The EMERALD (the Effectiveness of Multimodal imaging for the Evaluation of Retinal oedemA and new VesseLs in Diabetic retinopathy) diagnostic accuracy study tested a new “ophthalmic grader” pathway. Rather than ophthalmologists, this pathway involves trained graders monitoring people with previously treated and stable complications of diabetic eye disease, namely diabetic macular oedema (DMO) and proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR), based on the reading of images and scans of the back of their eyes.
The grader’s pathway can save £1390 per 100 patients, and the real savings are the ophthalmologist’s time, which can then be redirected to the evaluation of people at high risk of visual loss.
Professor Noemi Lois, lead researcher and Clinical Professor of Ophthalmology from the Wellcome-Wolfson Institute for Experimental Medicine at Queen’s University Belfast, explains: “Diabetic macular oedema and proliferative diabetic retinopathy, the main sight-threatening complications of diabetic retinopathy can cause blindness if left untreated. It is therefore important to diagnose them and to treat them timely.
“NHS hospitals eye units are under significant pressure given the extremely high number of people that need to be examined and treated and given the insufficient number of ophthalmologists in the UK. Currently, ophthalmologists need to evaluate all patients, even those that are stable after treatment and who are doing well.”
In EMERALD, trained ophthalmic graders were found to achieve satisfactory results when compared to standard care (i.e., ophthalmologists evaluating patients in clinic) while releasing ophthalmologist’s time.
Professor Lois added: “EMERALD showed trained ophthalmic graders are able to determine whether patients with diabetic macular oedema or proliferative diabetic retinopathy previously successfully treated remain stable or if on them the disease has reactivated.
“Thus, they would be able to follow people that have been already treated, releasing ophthalmologists’ time. Ophthalmologists could then use this time to treat timely other patients, for example, those who have indeed diabetic macular oedema or active proliferative diabetic retinopathy and who have not yet received treatment saving their sight.”
Dr Clare Bailey, consultant ophthalmologist at the Bristol Eye Hospital, said: “The important data from the EMERALD study has helped us to significantly increase the numbers of people with diabetic retinopathy being seen in ‘imaging/grading’ pathways.
“This has hugely increased our follow-up capacity, whilst allowing ophthalmologists’ time to be directed to the people with diabetic retinopathy who need treatment or further assessment.
“This has helped us to deal with the capacity pressures as a result of Covid -19 as well as the longer-term capacity demands due to the increasing prevalence of diabetic retinopathy.”
Dr Caroline Styles, Consultant Ophthalmologist with NHS Fife, added: “Emerald provided us in NHS Fife with the relevant evidence that allowed us to redesign our pathways for people with diabetic eye disease.
“The involvement of people with diabetes in this study reassures our population that these are safe and appropriate changes, and not just based on cost.”
The EMERALD study was set in 13 National Health Service (NHS) hospitals across the UK and is a large multicentric, UK-wide, National Institute for Health Research (NIHR)-funded diagnostic accuracy study.
The prototype construction phase is over, which means the ESTEEM house is on the way to Dubai!
The NAGOYA EXPRESS is currently carrying our 5 containers. It left London for Dubai on Sunday (12 September).
Alex MacLaren, faculty leader, said: “This sort of experience is transformative. The excitement of playing an instrumental part in a project of this size whilst studying for a degree will stay with these students forever; and inform their ambition and confidence in their future careers.
I have been delighted by the support afforded us by the university and am excited to develop other experiences like this in future years: as a learning experience, but also as an urgent mandate to transform the ‘norm’ in our construction practices. So, who knows – next stop, Solar Decathlon Europe in 2023?”
Sustainability is essential to the future comfort of people on this planet. We’re glad to have been able to work with our partners, university and course leaders to develop, innovate, and now can share that on a global stage.
We have been working on the project for over 2 and a half and with the competition starting in less than a month. We are getting the team ready and trained to showcase the innovative ideas and technologies our ESTEEM house has.
Jessica Haskett, Construction Manager, said: “This prototype experience has been the culmination of over 2 years of collaborative design work. The interdisciplinary working has allowed me to share thoughts and challenges with students that study a variety of subjects and, together, engineer some of the best solutions.
“Being hands-on with construction work is a professional opportunity – I have placed some knowledge given through academia into practicality, in a way that my courses hadn’t done previously.
“Team ESTEEM has connected me with many industry professionals and offered an opportunity that I was not able to get due to my academic placement cancellation. Managing the team on site every day is a challenge but with the support of the student team, we have ensured that nothing is insurmountable, and we continue to celebrate our pride in the project every day”
There were many challenges on the way, but we managed to accomplish the prototype and shipping stage of our project with collaboration and teamwork.
Alex explained further: “Shipping a whole house, in prefabricated components, was always going to be a major challenge.
“We were working with key sponsors and partners who have experience of this, so we used that expertise in every possible way: from advice about import/export and Customs (a very complex area now!) to strategies for container loading and the very significant haulage logistics”
We asked Alex some other questions and this is what she shared with us:
-How was working with students and recent graduates from Heriot Watt University?
This really was an experience of learning alongside the students: the logistics of deconstruction and shipping were new to me as well. There were some very tough times; changes in scheduling and unexpected challenges with freight timetable changes and container availability: and it was being part of the wider Team ESTEEM that helped to keep my spirits up, and my outlook optimistic.
“This is a really ‘can do’ team: and also, a team of hard grafters. There are 78 timber CLT panels and 43 prefabricated insulated cassettes in this build: making each one of those is a combination of focus, precision, manual labor – and of course it gets repetitive and exhausting! But that didn’t stop anyone: and the camaraderie on site was wonderful.
-What was the most exciting thing that happened during the construction?
We have one very large CLT component; it forms the upstand for our south-sloping roof and has a number of window apertures; it’s a really core part of the three-dimensional experience of the house. But it’s a fragile and complicated panel in its own way, and the lifting plan was complicated and required input and advice from structural engineers and the crane operatives. Seeing that panel rise overhead and then be bolted into position was a very big moment for all of us.
There was also something wonderful about seeing the panels squeeze into place in the containers; we’d been rehearsing a three-dimensional virtual jigsaw puzzle in our computer drawings (we called it ‘container jenga’) to ensure that we were making the most efficient packing schedule we could, reducing our carbon footprint and optimizing our operation. It worked: at times only just-!- but it was almost unbelievable to see those little 3d jigsaws in their massive, real-life scale!
-The collaboration with sponsors, logistics and organization.
My list of people ‘without whom we couldn’t have done this’ just grows and grows. This project has been an edifying reminder of how good people are. From our colleagues on site and in the factory to our sponsors overseas and around the country, people pulled out all the stops to get this project ready and get their kit to us for shipping against a very tight deadline. We’ve called in favours from all over the university and from friends and partners beyond the many logos displayed on our webpage. A massive, massive thank you to everyone involved- you know who you are!
Some team members shared their experiences of being on site:
Simon Klekot, head of HR & Recruitment: “Being involved in Construction Site gives me a different perspective of the project than doing my HR and Recruitment job. I learn so many technical aspects of engineering which I even will be able to use in the future in things like my own house refurbishment“
Srivathsan Karunanithi, Health and Safety Officer: “I had an amazing time with the prototype, and I learned a lot. With the house now being off to Dubai I feel really excited and thrilled to see that happening”
Carlos Fitzpatrick, Audiovisual: “I’ve learnt so much on this construction site. From practical skills to theoretical knowledge, simply being a part of the construction has been extremely fruitful for me and the way I think about engineering. Having just finished the first year, being able to learn a lot from older students was a great bonus”
This is the beginning of a new chapter for team ESTEEM, with the competition starting soon we are preparing and finalizing the design, planning and deliverables.
This is the second time Heriot-Watt University has participated in a Solar Decathlon Competition and it might not be the last time that we see HWU students transforming the construction industry!
Record number of Higher and Advanced Higher passes
Scottish school pupils will receive their official grades today. There were more than 200,000 entries for Higher and Advanced Higher courses this year – and this year’s students have achieved new records.
The number of Higher passes is at a record level since the advent of Devolution, and the number of Advanced Higher passes is the highest since their introduction in 2001.
Almost 137,000 learners are receiving Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) results today – the most since 2017.
Pass rates overall remain high, despite the exceptional challenges caused by the COVID-19 crisis, and are significantly higher than the historic picture – up 12.6 percentage points for Highers compared with 2019, but down slightly on last year.
With an exam diet not possible because of the pandemic, this year’s grades for National 5s, Highers and Advanced Highers were based on teachers’ judgement of evidence of attainment.
The results show:
the highest number of Higher passes since at least 1999
the highest number of Advanced Higher passes since the qualifications were introduced in 2001
an increase in the number of entries for National Qualifications compared with 2020
the percentage of grade As awarded at National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher level is at a record high
pass rates at National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher are higher than in 2019, although slightly down on 2020
the poverty-related attainment gap is narrower than in 2019, although slightly wider than in 2020
Education Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said: “This is a strong set of results, achieved under extraordinary circumstances.
“It’s been one of the toughest academic years we’ve ever known, with the pandemic throwing significant challenges at our young people. So to have this many learners receiving certificates and for the number of passes at Higher and Advanced Higher to be so high is incredible.
“These results are testament to the hard work, resilience and determination of learners – and to the dedication of their endlessly supportive teachers and lecturers, who have been with them every step of the way, going above and beyond to make sure pupils got the grades they deserve.
“Learners can be confident that their awards are fair, consistent and credible. Indeed, industry representatives have made it clear how much they value this year’s qualifications.
“As in any year, the results highlight some areas for us to focus attention on. Closing the poverty-related attainment gap and ensuring every young person has the chance to fulfil their potential remains central to our work. We know that the challenges presented by the pandemic mean our efforts to deliver equity in education are more vital than ever, so we are investing a further £1 billion over the course of this Parliament to help close the gap.
“While congratulating those receiving SQA results today, we should also recognise, and celebrate in equal measure, the successes of young people whose achievements are not measured in national qualifications but in other ways. They should be proud of their hard work and resilience during such a difficult year.
“For some young people, today’s results may not be what they would have liked. There is always a next step – and there is a range of support and practical advice available for learners, and their parents and carers, to help in that onward journey, whether it’s staying in education, training, or moving into the workplace.”
Fiona Robertson, SQA Chief Executive and Scotland’s Chief Examining Officer, said yesterday: “Results Day, when learners receive their certificates and find out their grades, is always a significant and important annual date in the calendar.
“This year is very different for lots of reasons, not least because teacher judgement has replaced exams and because learners already know their grades after receiving provisional results before the end of term.
“The 2021 approach to assessment – the alternative certification model (ACM) as it is formally known – has not been without its critics.
“Perhaps that was inevitable given the need to agree and build a new model at pace, but it was the best possible solution in the exceptional circumstances we faced and I have yet to hear a credible alternative put forward.
“As we approach Results Day 2021 tomorrow, it is time to put those criticisms aside and to focus on paying tribute to the tremendous efforts made by Scotland’s young people in what has been a very difficult and challenging time for many.
“It’s also important to recognise the tireless professionalism and commitment of Scotland’s teachers, lecturers and support staff who have gone the extra mile to do their utmost for their learners, whom they know best.
“Following the cancellation of exams by the Deputy First Minister, the education sector came together last autumn to form the National Qualifications 2021 Group, which was tasked with developing and implementing an alternative.
“There was no ‘off the shelf’ solution but we quickly agreed that the ACM had to have evidence of learners’ learning and skills at its heart.
“And so provisional results, decided by teachers and lecturers using assessments completed by learners that followed the national standard set by SQA, were used to award this year’s National 5, Higher, and Advanced Higher courses. Those provisional results are the same as the final results learners will receive tomorrow unless the SQA, in very exceptional circumstances, discovered an administrative error.
“As we all know, through this year there have been further restrictions and lockdowns and together with teachers, lecturers, learners, parents and carers, the ACM had to quickly adapt.
“Ways in which the model adapted include the in-built flexibility around when and how schools and colleges assessed learners so that they had the best chance to demonstrate their knowledge and skills.
“A big congratulations to each and every learner getting their certificate. You have achieved so much.”
Open Letter to Young People
Introduction from Sandy Begbie, CEO Scottish Financial Enterprise, Chair of Young Person’s Guarantee Implementation Group, Chair of DYW:
We all know that this year has been a year like no other and understand that the impact on young people has been significant.
Research undertaken with young people by Young Scot reveals anxiety that this year’s qualifications and achievements will not be valued as highly by employers in comparison to previous years.
My many discussions with industry and employers resoundingly confirms the opposite. Instead my experience is widespread employer admiration for the fortitude and resilience young people have shown throughout all the challenges faced in the past year, and a solid commitment to create opportunities to help shape futures.
Official SQA results are due to be issued on 10 August. This is an opportune moment to communicate through an ‘open letter to young people’ that Scotland’s industry and employers stand in support of them, recognise their qualifications, and congratulate them on their achievements. The content of the open letter is attached and includes a number of signatories who represent a broad range of Scotland’s employers. We couldn’t include everyone, however I know there will be many more who stand ready to endorse it.
I therefore kindly ask for your support now, to get behind our campaign and help re-build youth confidence at this critical time.
An open letter to Scotland’s Young People
While you enjoy the summer and a well-deserved break from your studies we wanted to write to you in our role as Scotland’s business leaders and on behalf of our networks of thousands of Scottish employers.
As you receive your official SQA results, we want to reassure you that we recognise and value your qualifications as much as any other year. We congratulate you on everything you’ve overcome and achieved this year, and you have our support, whatever your needs and wherever your ambitions lie.
Over the past 18 months you’ve had to deal with a situation like no other and the flexibility, ingenuity and resilience you’ve shown gives us confidence in you as future employees.
We are committed to helping to create job opportunities for you so that you can have a positive future. We are also committed to ensuring that there are opportunities available for every young person and that you have help and support to develop further.
Many people in interesting job roles across Scotland may not have taken an obvious or traditional path. Look out for #NoWrongPath which will show you that, whatever your results, there are different routes into jobs.
There are lots of industries continuing to grow and new ones emerging which offer exciting opportunities. Employers need young people with fresh ideas and experience to get involved and work together with us to tackle big challenges, such as climate change. We will do all that we can to help you find ways to use your skills and talents in the workplace.
We all support the ambition of the Young Person’s Guarantee and its commitment that within two years, every young person aged between 16 and 24, will have the opportunity of a job, apprenticeship, further or higher education, training programme or volunteering. And we’ll keep speaking to young people across Scotland to understand how we can keep delivering on our commitment to you.
Wishing you the very best of luck with your next steps. Scotland’s employers stand ready to support you. This is our #CommitmentToYOUth.
Signed:
Sandy Begbie, CEO, Scottish Financial Enterprise Marc Crothall, CEO, Scottish Tourism Alliance Louise Macdonald, National Director Scotland, Institute of Directors Damien Yeates, CEO, Skills Development Scotland James Withers, CEO, Scotland Food and Drink Dr Liz Barron-Majerik, Director, LANTRA Lee Ann Panglea, Head of CIPD Scotland and Northern Ireland, CIPD Tracy Black, Director Scotland, CBI Anna Fowlie, CEO, SCVO Fiona Hodgson, CEO, SNIPEF Training Services David Lonsdale, Director, Scottish Retail Consortium Karen Betts, CEO, Scotch Whisky Association Martin Crewe, Director, Barnardo’s Susan Love, Head of External Affairs, The Federation of Small Businesses Liz Cameron, CEO, Scottish Chambers of Commerce Sara Thiam, CEO, Scottish Council for Development and Industry Paul Carberry, Director for Scotland, Action for Children Iain MacRitchie, Founder and Chair, MCR Pathways Anne Wexelstein, Director for Scotland, Career Ready Kate Still, Director Scotland, The Prince’s Trust Kirsten Urquhart, CEO, Young Scot Linda Hanna, Interim CEO, Scottish Enterprise Carroll Buxton, Interim CEO, Highlands and Islands Enterprise Jane Morrison-Ross, CEO, South of Scotland Enterprise
Wendy Robinson, Service Head of Childline, said: “At Childline we know that results day and the period running up to it can be a really challenging time.
“The impact of the pandemic has made this even more difficult – and young people have told our Childline counsellors they are understandably feeling anxious and stressed.
“The last year has been incredibly tough for young people with school closures, exam cancellations and changes to the assessment process – so it is vital that they are supported and listened to.
“Young people have told us they’re concerned that they may get lower grades than if they’d been able to sit their exams, or that their results are out of their control – whereas others are concerned that they won’t get the results they need for their future.
“Some also said they struggled to prepare and do the work they were being graded on due to having so much time out of school because of restrictions.
“If any young person is feeling apprehensive and worried about their results, I’d urge them to talk to someone about it.
“And if they don’t get the results they need, there are options they can take and there are trusted adults that they can turn to for help and support. This could be a teacher, careers advisor, parent, carer or Childline.
“Our counsellors are always here to talk to young people whether that be on the phone or online.
“The conversation will be completely confidential and no worry is ever too small. If it matters to a young person, it’s important to Childline.”
One 16 year old girl said: “It is exam season and I am missing three very important papers because I have COVID. I feel so trapped and alone in my room. I’m expected to study for exams as if the pandemic hasn’t happened.
“The exam board said they’d cancel exams yet they proceed to give the papers to schools to give to us to sit which I find so unfair. I have missed months of school, had to learn online, and now I have COVID right before exams. None of this is my fault and I don’t understand why my grades should suffer for something that is out of my control. (Girl, 16, Scotland)
Advice
For young peoplewho may not achieved the results they wanted:
Ask a teacher, careers advisor or any adult you trust what they think and discuss your options and how you are feeling.
Remind yourself of what you did well in whether that be specific pieces of coursework, or other parts of your life.
Don’t compare yourself to your friends.
If you do not feel your grade reflects your ability speak to your school about making an appeal. This doesn’t always mean you’ll get a better grade but it can help if you think things would have been different had you sat the exam.
Look at other courses or training programmes and apprenticeships that you can do.
If you haven’t got a place at your chosen university, try not to worry as there is a chance you could get a place at another university through the clearing process.
Take a gap year and do something different like volunteering.
Look at different courses that you can do with the grades you have achieved.
For parents and carers:
Your child may find it hard to talk to you about their results so be patient and supportive until they feel ready to talk about how they feel.
Encourage your child to take their time to think about what they want to do next. There’s no need to rush into a decision straightaway.
Help them think about their choices by writing down a list of pros and cons for each of their options
If they are finding it hard to talk to you, let them know they can contact Childline for free, confidential support and advice on 0800 1111 or www.childline.org.uk
Childline data for the UK
Between April and June this year Childline has delivered 1812 counselling sessions to young people who spoke about concerns relating to exams and exams being cancelled.
This has more than doubled when compared to the same period last year where 861 counselling sessions were delivered.
In 43% of these counselling sessions, a young person also spoke about their mental and emotional health.
985 sessions were delivered to girls (54%), 220 were delivered to boys and 607 of the sessions the gender of the child was either other or unknown (34%).
The EIS has congratulated Scotland’s senior students after a strong set of qualifications results were confirmed.
Commenting, EIS General Secretary Larry Flanagan said, “Scotland’s young people have endured a particularly difficult period over the past year, with the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic creating many challenges in all aspects of their lives including their education.
“The late decision to cancel the exam diet and to move to the Alternative Certification Model (ACM) inevitably created additional pressures on students, but it is clear that Scotland’s young people have performed exceptionally well in the most trying of circumstances and they can be extremely proud of all that they have achieved.”
Mr Flanagan continued, “The additional pressure and workload created by the late move to adopt the ACM, compounded by a three-month lock-down, placed a particularly heavy burden on teachers and lecturers, and they deserve sincere thanks for their absolute commitment to ensuring that young people could receive the grades that they deserved.”
Mr Flanagan added, “As we look ahead to the welcome replacement of the Scottish Qualifications Authority and a refresh of a qualifications system that still places too much emphasis on high-stakes end of year exams, there will be lessons to learn from this year’s experience.
“Today, however, is about recognising and celebrating the successes of Scotland’s young people.”
This Edinburgh University Dept of Clinical Psychology project aims to evaluate the impact of nature walks for older adults who would otherwise be restricted in their ability to access nature.
The University of Edinburgh are looking for participants who are:
• 65 and over
• Fluent in English
• Unable to access nature based outdoor spaces
Participation involves taking part in an online survey and watching a short video clip. This should take around 40minutes.
A new study by Queen’s University Belfast and Washington University in St. Louis shows that promoting physical activity is key to achieving the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s).
The research provides new evidence to show that integrating strategies to promote increased physical activity is a key part of the action plan for achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
The study found strong links between physical activity promotion strategies and eight out of the 17 SDGs: good health and well-being (SDG 3); gender equity (SDG 5); industry, innovation and infrastructure (SDG 9); reduced inequalities (SDG 10); sustainable cities and communities (SDG 11); climate action (SDG 13); and peace, justice and strong institutions (SDG 16).
Deborah Salvo, Assistant Professor of Public Health at Washington University in St. Louis and lead author on the study, said: “Physical inactivity has been characterized as a pandemic, accounting for 7% of all premature deaths per year globally and resulting in billions of dollars spent on health-related expenditures.”
The international research team applied a modelling method to simulate the effects of large-scale physical activities strategies to gain insights on the potential impacts of widespread scale-up of active transport systems and active urban design strategies on three different city types of high-, middle- and low-income countries.
The simulation results indicated that expected physical activity gains are greater for low- and middle-income countries. In high-income countries with high car dependency, physical activity promotion strategies may help to reduce air pollution and traffic-related deaths, but shifts toward more active forms of travel and recreation and climate change mitigation may require complementary policies that disincentivize driving.
Dr Leandro Garcia, from the Centre for Public Health at Queen’s University Belfast and co-author, said: “The simulation results reveal context-specific relations. In terms of physical activity increases, low- and middle-income country cities stand more to gain from urban transformations that prioritize equitable access to walking, cycling, public transport, and recreational infrastructure.
“As for high-income country cities, findings suggest that to observe meaningful improvements in physical activity levels and climate change mitigation, these types of strategies may need to be further complemented by policies that increase the cost of driving.
“Our research provides strong evidence to illustrate the multiple benefits of promoting physical activity on a large scale, not just for specific areas or populations. The benefits are huge for individuals, communities and to the planet and goes a long way in contributing to the U.N. sustainable development agenda.
“As well as helping to prevent chronic disease, promoting physical activity at scale can reduce traffic deaths and pollution. It helps to create more equitable societies and reduce climate change.
“Physical activity promotion strategies can bring benefits beyond health and bring us closer to a more equitable, sustainable and environmentally friendly future.”
More than a third of films over the past decade fail test for representing female characters
More than a quarter of movies released in 2021 and assessed on bechdeltest.com failed to meet the test’s requirements
Of the films assessed in 2016, 43.6% failed the Bedchel Test – the highest rate in the last ten years
Some of the past decade’s highest-grossing films, such as The Avengers, Monsters University and Bad Boys For Life have all failed the test
More than a third of major films of the past decade have failed to pass a basic test for representing female characters, a new study has found.
To mark the release of Marvel Studios’ Black Widow, gambling community hub CasinoGrounds analysed how many popular films from the past decade pass the Bechdel test, which means the movie or media must have two named female characters, who talk to each other about something other than a man.
Collecting user-submitted data from bechdeltest.com, the study shows that over the past 10 years, more than a third of the 1118 films assessed on the site have failed the test – a total of 36.4%.
Of the 33 films assessed so far during 2021, nine have failed the test, a total of 27% – including A Quiet Place Part II and F9: The Fast Saga. This figure is currently higher than the total from 2020, in which 21.5% of films measured failed to meet all three of the test’s requirements.
The two lowest performing years over the past decade were 2014 and 2016, in which 40.7% and 43.6% of the films assessed failed to achieve a passing “grade”.
Bechdel Test – Failure rates over past 10 years
Year of release
No. of movies assessed by Bechdeltest.com
Number of failed movies
Percentage of failed movies
2011
372
139
37.7%
2012
352
126
35.8%
2013
413
143
30.4%
2014
390
159
40.7%
2015
332
126
37.9%
2016
325
142
43.6%
2017
270
90
33.3%
2018
238
82
34.4%
2019
229
77
32.2%
2020
116
25
21.5%
2021
33
9
27.2%
Assessing the five highest-grossing films of each year from the past decade, there are four years in which all five films pass the test – 2014, 2015, 2017 and 2019.
Last year, only two of the year’s five highest-grossing films passed – Sonic The Hedgehog and Star Wars: Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker.
Perhaps some of the most surprising failures from the past decade come from the most renowned movie franchises – Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, Monsters University and Jumanji: The Next Level each failed to tick all three boxes of the test.
And although Black Widow passes the Bechdel test, Marvel Studios’ 2012 epic The Avengers – which also saw Scarlett Johansson assuming the role of Natasha Romanov – did not.
Commenting on the study’s findings, a spokesperson of CasinoGrounds stated: “With more emphasis being placed on the importance of gender quality in recent years, it is encouraging to see films like Black Widow leading the charge in creating strong female characters in Hollywood.
“There are certainly some surprising passing entries from the highest grossing films, and some equally surprising failures. Hopefully, the future holds even more positive representation of women in film and media overall”.
Casinogrounds.com is the leading online gambling community, which promotes safe and responsible practise and discussions around gambling.
An international group of scientists have discovered 13 DNA sequences that are associated with people developing the most severe form of Covid-19.
The identification of the sequences – known as genetic markers – could provide targets for future therapies using repurposed drugs, experts say.
Researchers from the University of Edinburgh joined a global effort to compare the genetic information of almost 50,000 Covid-19 patients with samples provided by healthy volunteers from biobanks, clinical studies, and direct-to-consumer genetic companies like 23andMe.
The team found key differences in 13 genetic markers of Covid-19 patients compared with healthy volunteers. The genes partially explain why some people become seriously ill with Covid-19, while others are not affected.
By pooling the large amount of data from 25 countries, the scientists were able to produce robust analyses more quickly, and from a greater diversity of populations, than any one group could have on its own.
The team also identified factors such as smoking and high body mass index as reasons why some people suffer from Covid-19 more acutely.
Of the 13 genetic markers identified so far, two occur more often among patients of East Asian or South Asian ancestry than in those of European ancestry.
One of these two markers, near the FOXP4 gene, is linked to lung cancer. The different FOXP4 sequence associated with severe Covid-19 increases the gene’s expression, suggesting that inhibiting the gene could be a potential treatment strategy, experts say.
Other genetic markers associated with severe Covid-19 included DPP9, a gene also involved in lung cancer and pulmonary fibrosis, and the TYK2 gene, which is implicated in some autoimmune diseases.
The latest findings come from the COVID-19 Host Genomics Initiative, which have been published in Nature.
The initiative has grown to be one of the most extensive collaborations in human genetics and currently includes more than 3,300 researchers and 61 studies from 25 countries.
The University of Edinburgh led study GenOMICC (Genetics of Susceptibility and Mortality in Critical Care) is one such project that contributed data to the COVID-19 Host Genomics Initiative.
GenOMICC started in 2015 as an open, global consortium of intensive care clinicians dedicated to understanding genetic factors that influence outcomes in intensive care from diseases such as SARS, influenza and sepsis.
Throughout the pandemic it has been focused on Covid-19 research in partnership with Genomics England.
Researchers will continue to identify additional gene regions associated with infection and severe disease, and will begin to study what factors lead symptoms persisting in some patients for months.
GenOMICC is funded by the charity Sepsis Research FEAT, the Intensive Care Society, Wellcome, UK Research and Innovation, Scotland’s Chief Scientist Office, the Department of Health and Social Care and the National Institute for Health Research.
Dr Kenneth Baillie, GenOMICC’s chief investigator and Academic Consultant in Critical Care Medicine and Senior Research Fellow at University of Edinburgh’s Roslin Institute, said: “By working together across the whole world, we are able to accelerate discovery for the benefit of patients.
“This new international analysis builds on the colossal effort made by patients and intensive care research teams across the whole UK in the GenOMICC study.”
55% of students are considering dropping out of their courses, while 63% say their mental health and wellbeing worsened since the start of the academic year
Three in 10 businesses say a job candidate’s degree doesn’t matter at all, while 56% say that it is generally not important
However UCAS data reveals university applications have risen
More than half of UK students were considering dropping out this academic year, while two thirds have suffered a decline in mental health, a new study has found, alongside the fact that 56% of companies do not consider a degree important when recruiting.
The research by money transfer service RationalFX found that student mental health is declining, with a recent ONS survey revealing that 63% of students said their mental wellbeing had worsened since the start of the academic year in September 2020. Furthermore, 55% of students say they are considering dropping out of their courses.
In addition, new graduates will encounter a job market where 30% of business owners say a degree is not important at all when recruiting, while a further 26% rate the qualification as not very important, according to a poll by YouGov.
Despite this, the numbers for university applications this year have risen. New data from UCAS reveals that there have been 10% more applications for this Autumn, rising from 281,000 last year to a record 311,000, with 44% of school leavers applying for university places.
Commenting on the study, a spokesperson for RationalFX said: “Choosing whether to study for a degree has always been a big decision, but the impact of the pandemic has probably made it even more significant.
“For the majority of employers, a degree is far from essential, and for many students the last academic year has been very difficult. And with the cost of attending university higher than ever before, it is certainly not a decision to be taken lightly.”
Only 14% of businesses say a degree is very important while one in four consider it somewhat important. Larger businesses are more likely to consider a degree valuable when hiring a new employee, with 56% saying that it is important, compared to one in five small businesses.
The employment sector that places the greatest importance on degrees during the hiring process is Legal, with IT & Telecoms coming in second.
Finance and Accounting comes in third, followed by Media & Marketing, Manufacturing and Construction.
Marketing is split with 47% of businesses believing a degree is important, and 50% saying it is not. The sector that places the least importance on having a degree is hospitality and leisure.
Younger business owners are much more likely to value a degree, with 23% of those aged under 35 rating one as very important, compared to just 8% of UK business owners aged 55 and over.
Businesses in London are more likely to value a degree when they are looking for new hires, with 62% considering it at least somewhat important, while nearly of half of businesses in Wales (46%) say the qualification is not important at all.
The analysis was conducted by RationalFX, which is one of Europe’s leading international payment providers. Its competitive exchange rates, market expertise, suite of FX products and online payment platform enable bank transfers in more than 50 currencies worldwide.
Employment Sector and their opinion on the importance of a degree for a new hire
Sector
Very important
Somewhat important
Not important at all
Legal
40
26
11
IT & Telecoms
19
39
17
Finance and Accounting
21
33
18
Media/Marketing/advertising/ PR & Sales
18
29
23
Manufacturing
13
25
31
Construction
11
25
40
Retail
14
16
35
Hospitality and Leisure
6
13
48
UK businesses and their opinion on the importance of a degree, split by region
11% rise in individuals applying from most deprived areas
Scottish universities have seen a record number of prospective students applying to study for the academic year ahead, according to new figures from the Universities and Colleges Admission Service (UCAS).
The number of individuals applying to Scottish institutions increased by 10% to 140,440. The figures show the number of Scottish applicants from the most deprived areas applying to UK providers has increased by 11% and there has been a 23% rise in non-EU international applicants.
This year’s statistics also highlight a 41% decrease in applicants based in EU countries looking to study in Scotland.
Higher and Further Education Minister Jamie Hepburn said: “These statistics show a steep rise in prospective students looking to study at Scottish Higher Education Institutions (HEIs), with applicants from Scotland’s most deprived areas increasing by 11% to a record high.
“We have seen a big percentage increase in applicants from international students outside the EU and that again demonstrates the attractiveness of Scotland as a place to come to live and study.
“There was however a sharp drop in EU students applying to come to Scotland, which was always going to be an inevitable consequence of leaving the EU. We will continue to work with our international partners to strengthen our education and research relationships through scholarships and by promoting Scottish learning and research globally, recognising the ongoing importance of our close relationships with our European neighbours.”
David follows in the footsteps of his inspirational grandfather
A YOUNG student has followed in the footsteps of his education trailblazer grandfather to graduate from Edinburgh Napier University.
David Hughes drew inspiration from the academic exploits of Dr David Dick – the first Vice Principal of Napier College who returned to the institution after it was granted University status to complete a PhD at the age of 84.
Growing up, the younger David was driven to succeed in his own right by his grandfather’s achievements, anecdotes and enthusiastic interest in his education.
Now, less than six months after his grandfather passed away, it’s 22-year-old David’s turn in the spotlight as he has been awarded a BA (Hons) in Social Sciences as part of the Class of 2021.
Ex-Royal High School pupil David said: “My grandfather’s knowledge and scholarship, alongside his genuine interest in my studies, were an inspiration during my journey to becoming an undergraduate student and continued throughout my time at University.
“I was excited and encouraged by his anecdotes, as well as his academic achievements in his retired life.”
Wartime telegram boy David Dick became a hydroelectric engineer then lecturer, and following his Vice Principal stint at Napier College from 1964, he was Principal at Edinburgh’s Stevenson College from 1970 – 1988.
He spent his retirement years engaged in the constant pursuit of learning, securing a BA (Hons) at the Open University, a Masters of Literature at the University of Dundee, and his doctorate in philosophy at Edinburgh Napier in 2013, which saw him reportedly crowned Scotland’s oldest PhD graduate.
He was awarded an OBE in 1982 for services to both education and the fire service, of which he chaired the examination board in Scotland for 17 years.
David said: “My grandfather and I spoke on numerous occasions about the difficulties of my dissertation topic, titled ‘Analysis of Scottish Nationalism in 2021 and how it is perceived amongst generational cohorts in Scotland’, and he always asked how I was getting on as the research was coming together.
“His passing in January at the age of 91 was extremely difficult. However, the perseverance he showed in his work spurred me on to complete my own studies in the belief that my grandfather would have been proud of my work and achievements.
“I have dedicated my dissertation in his memory.”
David now hopes to follow his childhood dream of achieving an aircrew role in the Royal Air Force or Royal Navy.
Dr John Burnett, lecturer in Edinburgh Napier’s School of Applied Sciences, said: “David’s enthusiasm, diligence, intelligence and determination to succeed are qualities clearly evident in his grandfather’s incredibly rich and impressive life story.
“The first class mark he achieved for his dissertation is a testament to the hard work, resourcefulness and considerable academic skill in the planning, design and execution of what is a complex and challenging topic – even without the trials and tribulations of the ongoing pandemic.
“I’m sure David’s late grandfather would’ve been incredibly proud of his achievements – and rightly so!”
