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Weight stigma is a burden around the world – and has negative consequences everywhere

Rebecca Puhl, Professor of Human Development and Family Sciences and Deputy Director, UConn Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity, University of Connecticut was recently featured in The Conversation discussing this very important topic. An excerpt of her article is included with the full piece attached. It's an excellent article and well worth the read. Lazy. Unmotivated. No self-discipline. No willpower. These are just a few of the widespread stereotypes ingrained in American society about people who have a higher body weight or larger body size. Known as weight stigma, these attitudes result in many Americans being blamed, teased, bullied, mistreated and discriminated against. There is nowhere to hide from societal weight stigma. Decades of research confirm the presence of weight stigma in workplaces, schools, health care settings, public accommodations and the mass media, as well as in close interpersonal relationships with friends and families. It’s everywhere. I’m a psychologist and researcher at the Rudd Center for Food Policy & Obesity at the University of Connecticut. For 20 years my team has studied weight stigma. We’ve examined the origins and prevalence of weight stigma, its presence across different societal settings, the harm it causes for people’s health and strategies to tackle this problem. We conducted a recent international study that clearly shows that weight stigma is widespread, damaging and difficult to eradicate. This societal devaluation is a real and legitimate experience for people across different countries, languages and cultures. June 01 – The Conversation The issue of weight stigma and shaming is having a devastating impact on all facets of American society – and if you are a reporting looking to cover this topic or to learn more, then let us help. Dr. Rebecca Puhl is Deputy Director for the Rudd Center for Food Policy & Obesity and Professor in the Department of Human Development and Family Sciences at UConn. She is responsible for identifying and coordinating research and policy efforts aimed at reducing weight bias. Dr. Puhl is available to speak with media regarding this important subject – simply click on her icon now to arrange an interview today.

Pothole project to pave way to smoother roads

• Joint research project will combine effort and expertise of pavement engineers, material scientists and computational fluid dynamics experts • Project to look at improving quality, longevity and accessibility of the highway network • Aston University will be working with University of Nottingham and seven other industrial partners including Highways England and the Road Surface Treatment Association A project which will be the driving force behind the redesigning of roads and changes in road repairs could revolutionise the way potholes are repaired, and road surfaces are designed. The three-year collaboration, ‘Prevention and Management of Road Surface Damage’, is being led by Mujib Rahman, professor in civil engineering, Department of Civil Engineering at Aston University and Dr Nick Thom of the University of Nottingham. The project will combine the efforts and expertise of pavement engineers, material scientists and computational fluid dynamic experts from both universities. The research aims to improve the design and construction of roads to minimise surface damage caused by water freezing and thawing, and general wear and tear from traffic. It also will be looking at how to change the science behind road repairs and maintenance. Research will be looking at two main elements: - Enable the design of roads to prevent surface damage from water and environmental factors - Introduce a change in the management of road repair and create a more durable repair of the road surface. . Professor Rahman said that smoother roads were critical to the nation as the 250,000 miles of paved road, valued at £750 billion, which is the network for deliveries of goods and services across the UK. But he added potholes and damage to roads had become ‘increasingly problematic’ for all users. “We want to drive out the pothole epidemic that has overcome the UK in recent years. Due to record breaking rainfall, extreme cold weather and tight financial constraints on highway authorities, this situation has become much worse. This has been combined with the lack of longevity in some repairs” he said. Dr Nick Thom, from the Nottingham Transportation Engineering Centre Research Group, said: “The expected deliverables are material specifications and maintenance guidelines designed – like a Covid vaccine – to stop this disease of the road in its tracks. In the main this will be about doing better with currently-used resources, but, given the expected slump in future oil production with consequent loss of bitumen supplies, the search will also be on for alternative viable high-performance products.” The project has been funded by Engineering and Physical Science Research Council (EPSRC) and will be running until March 2024. Supporting it will also be ADEPT, Highways England, Transport for London, Nottinghamshire County Council, Cooper Technology and the Road Surface Treatment Association (RSTA).

Aston University atmospheric chemist praises introduction of Birmingham’s Clean Air Zone

Dr Stephen Worrall has praised the introduction of the Clean Air Zone in Birmingham The expert in atmospheric chemistry said current levels within the city have to drop for the health of all Birmingham’s Clean Air Zone (CAZ) comes into effect on 1 June Dr Stephen Worrall is a lecturer in chemistry at Aston University A leading atmospheric chemist from Aston University has welcomed the introduction of Birmingham’s Clean Air Zone (CAZ) from 1 June 2021 and has said it will be an important step in tackling air pollution. Dr Stephen Worrall, a lecturer in chemistry in the College of Engineering and Physical Sciences, said the long-term effects of the change will be beneficial to people’s health throughout the city. Air pollution particularly affects the most vulnerable in society, including children and older people, and those with heart and lung conditions. The annual health cost to society of the impacts of particulate matter alone in the UK is estimated to be around £16 billion*. Dr Worrall said: “In my opinion the CAZ is undoubtedly a good idea. In many of our cities, but definitely in Birmingham, the levels of many types of pollution and especially nitrogen dioxide (NO2) are high and have been above the guideline levels for a very long time, so it is welcome that these changes are happening.” Dr Worrall said current levels of NO2 in Birmingham in May 2021 have frequently exceeded 45 – 50 micrograms per cubic meter, mainly caused by road traffic emissions. The last reported yearly average for the city centre was as high as 74 micrograms per cubic meter, taken from the measuring site at St Chads Queensway. The primary aim of the CAZ is to reduce the levels of NO2 to 40 micrograms per cubic meter. “What is interesting about 2020 is those levels were still quite high at times despite us being into lockdown, when there were significantly fewer vehicles on the road. The live, daily readings from this year are also often exceeding the recommended levels, both of which are telling,” he said. Dr Worrall has significant experience in the subject, having spent a portion of his post-doctoral research in Beijing where he took live air pollution measurements, monitored problematic levels and discussed with international colleagues’ ways to address these issues. He said: “I was working and living in a very polluted area of the city and it was very noticeable on a daily basis how polluted it was. The levels of NO2 in 2017 while I was there were on average 103 micrograms per cubic meter, which was very high.” Dr Worrall added he believed the CAZ would have a big impact on Birmingham’s overall health but that the situation needed to be closely monitored. “There is significant evidence to suggest that there are serious long term health issues that arise from breathing in high levels of NO2, as well as Particle Matter (PM), an air pollutant which is absorbed into the blood stream through penetrating the lungs. These include asthma, bronchitis, lung cancer, heart disease and strokes. “Whilst there is local concern about the economic impact of the CAZ which must be taken into account, reducing these levels will benefit all of us, particularly those living in areas of deprivation who have been shown to be most significantly harmed by these high levels of pollution, as Birmingham’s biggest cause of pollution is from cars,” he said. Read more about College of Engineering and Physical Sciences at Aston University, here.

Rare and complex syndromes in children to be investigated by new research network

New and improved ways of supporting children with rare and complex syndromes are to be investigated by Cerebra’s pioneering collaborative research network – a unique academic team that integrates knowledge, expertise and resources across universities in the Midlands and Surrey; including Aston University, University of Surrey, University of Birmingham and University of Warwick. Cerebra Network Co-Director Dr Jo Moss, University of Surrey said: “The Network is a true collaboration that is integrated from the ground up to deliver a higher impact from its work and its funding than any individual approach could offer.” Funded by the charity Cerebra, the Cerebra Network continues and expands upon the work of the Cerebra Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders and aims to improve the lives of individuals with rare genetic syndromes and other neurodevelopmental conditions associated with intellectual disability and their families. A cornerstone of the Network’s approach is the collaboration between researchers at the four different universities, which can better reflect the multifaceted presentation of children with rare and complex disorders such as fragile X syndrome, Smith-Magenis syndrome, Tuberous Sclerosis Complex, Prader-Willi syndrome, Down syndrome, and Cornelia de Lange syndrome. Cerebra Network Co-Director Dr Caroline Richards, University of Birmingham, said: “Our aim is to improve the evidence that underpins better assessment and interventions and leads to improved outcomes for these children and their families. This area of research is underrepresented in modern academic circles.” Cerebra Network Co-Director Dr Hayley Crawford, University of Warwick said: “A Network that can work with families and children across a number of characteristics within a single team will yield better, more accurate assessments, evidence and ultimately therefore intervention guidance and solutions for clinicians and families.” The Cerebra Network for Neurodevelopmental Disorders will be launched at a public event on Thursday 3 June by academics and clinicians from the University of Warwick (Dr Hayley Crawford), University of Surrey (Dr Jo Moss), University of Birmingham (Dr Caroline Richards) and Aston University (Dr Jane Waite). The virtual event will showcase its upcoming research into the challenges faced by children with rare genetic syndromes associated with intellectual disability in everyday settings, as well as the close work the team does with their families. Cerebra Network Co-Director Dr Jane Waite, Aston University said: “The launch event will be an opportunity to hear about the work that is being conducted by the Network and how this sits in the wider field of intellectual disability research.” The day will be split into a Family Focus Session from 10am – 12.15pm and a Research Focus Session from 1pm – 3.45pm, both open to members of the public. The Family Focus Session will be of particular interest to parents and carers of people with neurodevelopmental disorders and their families, and will cover the research the network aims to do, family experiences of that research, and question and answer sessions. The Research Focus Session will focus on the research behind the Network’s three key themes: Autism, Sleep and behaviour, and Mental health. Of particular interest to academics and professionals working with people with neurodevelopmental disorders, it will include talks by researchers and clinicians in the field with the opportunity for a live Q&A session. Tracy Elliot, Head of Research and Information at Cerebra, said: “We are investing in this collaborative and vibrant network of researchers with the combined aim of improving the lives of individuals with multiple and complex needs. This is an exciting new development in the way we fund research, one we believe will yield impactful and lasting outcomes for families.”

Does the road ahead for successful cities mean removing highways?

If hindsight is 20/20, there might be a lot of urban planners from 50s and 60s looking back and regretting how the layout of America’s cities went wrong. A recent New York Times piece featuring UConn’s Dr. Norman Garrick looked at 30 cities across America and how they’re trying to undo the damage from more than a half-century ago. As midcentury highways reach the end of their life spans, cities across the country are having to choose whether to rebuild or reconsider them. And a growing number, like Rochester, are choosing to take them down. In order to accommodate cars and commuters, many cities “basically destroyed themselves,” said Norman Garrick, a professor at the University of Connecticut who studies how transportation projects have reshaped American cities. “Rochester has shown what can be done in terms of reconnecting the city and restoring a sense of place,” he said. “That’s really the underlying goal of highway removal.” The project’s successes and stumbling blocks provide lessons for other cities looking to retire some of their own aging highways. Nearly 30 cities nationwide are currently discussing some form of removal.  May 27 - New York Times The concept of urban renewal is front and center and is getting a lot of attention as the government looks to invest in infrastructure and new modern cities. And if you’re a reporter looking to know more about this topic, let us help. Dr. Norman Garrick is professor in the Department of Civil Engineering and co-director of the Sustainable Cities Research Group at the University of Connecticut. He is an expert in the areas of transportation behaviors, parking, public transit, and bicycle lanes. Dr. Garrick is available to speak with media – simply click on his icon now to arrange an interview today.

Rensselaer Experts Available To Discuss Federal Infrastructure Proposal

Federal lawmakers are discussing sweeping infrastructure improvements to transportation, manufacturing, and digital infrastructure, among other projects. Researchers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, the country’s first technological research university, are leaders in improving the sustainability, safety, and performance of transportation systems, energy systems, and wireless networks, among other areas. Experts in civil and environmental engineering, electrical engineering, and mechanical engineering are available to discuss what impact large-scale infrastructure projects could have on a multitude of systems that impact people across the country. Improving Transportation and Freight Systems: José Holguín-Veras, the director of the Center for Infrastructure, Transportation, and the Environment at Rensselaer, and Cara Wang, an associate professor of civil and environmental engineering at Rensselaer, are leading experts on the role of infrastructure on freight systems and transportation, and the environmental impacts of both. Their research focuses on improving transportation and freight systems in order to increase efficiency, reduce traffic congestion and, in turn, reduce vehicle emissions. Professors Holguín-Veras and Wang are available to discuss the ways in which improved roads, bridges, railways, and ports could affect shipping and delivery of goods, congestion in cities, and emissions in the environment. They can also discuss what their research has uncovered that could guide policymakers as new projects are planned. Expanding Broadband: Alhussein Abouzeid, a professor of electrical, computer, and systems engineering, is an expert in networked systems, the smart grid, and the Internet of Things. Some of his research focuses on modeling wireless networks, as well as wireless spectrum and policies to optimize its use. Koushik Kar, also a professor of electrical, computer, and systems engineering, researches communication networks, particularly modeling, analysis, and optimization of the internet and wireless networks. Both researchers are available to discuss the ways in which digital infrastructure can meet future needs. Next-Generation Manufacturing: Part of the President’s infrastructure plan would allocate $300 billion to manufacturing. Next-generation manufacturing is a central area of expertise at Rensselaer, with the Institute’s Manufacturing Innovation Center and the Rensselaer Manufacturing Innovation Learning Lab. Faculty and staff from both state-of-the-art centers, including John Wen, the head of the Department of Electrical, Computer, and Systems Engineering, who is an expert in robotics, are available to discuss the role that Rensselaer research plays in preparing the manufacturing sector for the nation’s current and future needs. Upgrading Electric Grid, Investing in Clean Energy: Joe Chow, Jian Sun, and Luigi Vanfretti, all professors in the Department of Electrical, Computer, and Systems Engineering, hold extensive expertise in modeling, monitoring, and optimizing the electric power grid. Their work will be integral to the development of a cleaner, more resilient power grid, especially as clean energy sources are increasingly integrated. Christopher Letchford, the head of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, is a global expert in wind engineering. His expertise includes wind power modeling, wind climatology, and the impacts of climate change on infrastructure, transportation, and energy production. Each of these experts is available to discuss the importance of upgrading the nation’s electric grid, and the move toward clean and renewable energy. Boosting Electric Vehicle Numbers: Part of President Biden’s plan focuses on increasing the number of electric vehicles on the road. A key component of improved and more cost-efficient electric vehicles is greener, cheaper, more efficient, and longer-lasting batteries. Nikhil Koratkar, an endowed chair professor of mechanical engineering, is a leading expert in energy storage technologies. He has dedicated his research to improving the batteries that society already uses, while also developing batteries of the future. He can discuss current battery technology and how advancements in energy storage research could help put more electric vehicles on United States roads. Upgrading Water, Wastewater, and Stormwater Systems: Chip Kilduff, an associate professor of civil and environmental engineering, is an expert in managing water quality and water treatment. He has a particular focus on water treatment approaches like membrane and adsorption-separation processes. Kilduff is available to discuss the importance of upgrading water and wastewater systems and what his research has uncovered about the best methods for managing water quality.

Baylor Consumerism Expert Shares Five Tips to Make the Most of Your Stimulus Check

With President Joe Biden’s $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan Act, citizens nationwide received a second round of stimulus checks in the form of $1,400 per person and an additional $1,400 per dependent. The Rescue Plan also brought increased child tax credits and unemployment benefits. James Roberts, Ph.D., The Ben H. Williams Professor of Marketing in the Hankamer School of Business, is an internationally recognized expert on consumerism and the author of “Shiny Objects: Why We Spend Money We Don’t Have in Search of Happiness We Can't Buy.” He said the latest round of stimulus funds offer consumers bright opportunities, but he also cautioned against pitfalls in uncertain times. Roberts said that people should first consider building up their emergency savings funds – a step, he said, more Americans seem to be taking during this time of pandemic and economic fluctuation . “Over the last 20 years or so, Americans have not saved much. However, in the first nine months of the pandemic, the U.S. savings rate increased by a whopping 100 percent. By some estimates we are at a national savings rate that hovers around 20 percent – which is incredible,” Roberts said. Roberts shared a few tips on how to get the best value for your stimulus check and prepare for times ahead: 1. Enhance your savings. Save a portion of your stimulus check for the inevitable rainy days ahead. Start with $1,000 to your short-term emergency fund. If possible, every family should have a $2,500 emergency fund. This provides peace of mind and avoids having to borrow from friends or family, or even worse, max out your credit cards or take out a “payday” loan, which I strongly advised against. 2. Invest in experiences. Given that a lot of Americans have significantly increased their savings and lowered their credit card debt, I say people should splurge a little on something for themselves or their families with the remaining $400. Remember, experiences bring more lasting happiness than buying stuff. Good mental health is critical to our well-being. 3. Start early. Don’t forget that the $1,400 stimulus check is only a small part of the money that may come your way. The child tax credits are a great opportunity to save for your children’s college. The earlier you start saving, the better. This is the beauty of compounding interest. 4. Save while unemployed I suggest any extra boost you might get in your unemployment check be saved for the days ahead. Don’t let money burn a hole in your pocket. 5. Plan ahead. Every family’s goal should be to set aside six months in living expenses so if you do lose your job, it doesn’t put you and your family into an immediate financial death spiral. ABOUT DR. JAMES ROBERTS James Roberts, Ph.D., is The Ben H. Williams Professor of Marketing in Baylor University’s Hankamer School of Business. He is a nationally recognized expert on consumer behavior and has been quoted extensively in the media and has appeared on the CBS Early Show, ABC World News Tonight, ABC Good Morning America, NBC The Today Show, Yahoo.com’s “The Daily Ticker,” and has been quoted and/or featured in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, National Public Radio, USA TODAY, TIME, FOX News, The Doctors on CBS, US News & World Report, Cosmopolitan, Glamour, and many other media. His books include “Shiny Objects: Why We Spend Money We Don’t Have in Search of Happiness We Can't Buy” and “Too Much of a Good Thing: Are You Addicted to your Smartphone?” ABOUT BAYLOR UNIVERSITY Baylor University is a private Christian University and a nationally ranked research institution. The University provides a vibrant campus community for more than 19,000 students by blending interdisciplinary research with an international reputation for educational excellence and a faculty commitment to teaching and scholarship. Chartered in 1845 by the Republic of Texas through the efforts of Baptist pioneers, Baylor is the oldest continually operating University in Texas. Located in Waco, Baylor welcomes students from all 50 states and more than 90 countries to study a broad range of degrees among its 12 nationally recognized academic divisions. ABOUT HANKAMER SCHOOL OF BUSINESS AT BAYLOR UNIVERSITY At Baylor University’s Hankamer School of Business, top-ranked programs combine rigorous classroom learning, hands-on experience in the real world, a solid foundation in Christian values and a global outlook. Making up approximately 25 percent of the University’s total enrollment, undergraduate students choose from 16 major areas of study. Graduate students choose from full-time, executive or online MBA or other specialized master’s programs, and Ph.D. programs in Information Systems, Entrepreneurship or Health Services Research. The Business School also has campuses located in Austin and Dallas, Texas. Visit baylor.edu/business.

Baylor Expert Shares Four Keys to Leadership from Ulysses S. Grant’s Reflections on Civil War

Near the end of his life, as he battled spiraling health and an empty bank account, former United States President – and iconic Civil War General – Ulysses S. Grant penned his memoirs and gave the world a glimpse into the mind of one of the nation’s most celebrated figures. The book, “Personal Memoirs of U.S. Grant,” was published in 1885 and has been pored over for more than 135 years. Peter Campbell, Ph.D., author, associate professor of political science at Baylor University and a nationally recognized scholar on military strategy and international security, recently wrote an essay about Grant and his memoirs for Classics of Strategy and Diplomacy. He said Grant’s personal reflections provide valuable insights into his view and practice of leadership, specifically as he led Union forces in the Civil War. Below, Campbell offers four keys to leadership that he found in Grant’s writings. 1. Know Yourself. Grant was a careful observer of himself. He was able to reflect on his experience, see where he had made errors and learn from them. In July 1861, moments before what Grant thought would be his first engagement as a commander in the Civil War, he was terrified. His heart was in his throat. When he and his forces crested a rise that they thought would reveal the enemy force, they saw that the enemy had fled. “My heart resumed its place,” Grant wrote. “It occurred to me at once that [the enemy] had been as much afraid of me as I had been of him. This was a view of the question I had never taken before; but it was one I never forgot afterwards.” Grant absorbed this lesson and it transformed him as a leader and planner. 2. Know Your Enemy. The great Chinese strategists counseled that commanders must know their enemies. Grant shows us what this looks like in practice. Rather than dwelling on his fears, those things that his opponent might do that would spell disaster, Grant put himself in the shoes of his adversary and asked himself: What would my gravest fears be, were I in his position? He then designed his plan of campaign to raise the specter of his enemy’s fears, knowing that this would compel the enemy to be blinded by fear and compel them to react. To be fair, this was easier for Grant because in the Civil War he was fighting against fellow graduates of West Point and veterans of the Mexican War, including Robert E. Lee. Grant was not in awe of Lee. “I had known [Lee] personally,” Grant wrote, “and knew that he was mortal; and it was just as well that I felt this.” This does not diminish, but rather reinforces, the importance on studying one’s adversary carefully in any kind of competition. 3. Know Your People. As Grant rose in the ranks of the Union Army, he was pulled away from the sound of the guns and the command of troops in battle. This is true in any organization – the higher one rises the further one gets from the ground truth, whether in an army or a Fortune 500 company. Grant recognized that to influence the battles he could no longer superintend, he had to select the right subordinates for the job and then give them the authority to exercise the initiative in their area of responsibility. This meant that Grant also had to be a careful observer of the strengths and weaknesses of his subordinates. Even a hero of the Battle of Gettysburg like Major General Gouverneur Warren was not spared Grant’s penetrating character assessments. Warren’s weakness, Grant wrote, was that he could not trust his subordinates to carry out his orders, which meant that he could not be give a large command. “[Warren’s] difficulty was constitutional and beyond his control,” Grant wrote. “He was an officer of superior ability, quick perception, and personal courage to accomplish anything that could be done with a small command.” When you know your people, you know where to place them where their strengths will reinforce success and their weaknesses will be least disastrous. 4. Unleash the Power of Humility. The most decisive virtue that Grant practiced was humility. As a leader he did not allow pride in his own designs to blind him to the wisdom of his subordinates. Late in the war, Grant wrote up a campaign plan for attacking the Shenandoah Valley, the key source of supply to the Confederacy. He brought the plan to General Philip Sheridan for execution. However, when he met with Sheridan, the cavalry officer presented Grant with his own plan. Grant wrote that Sheridan “was so clear and so positive in his views and so confident of success, I said nothing about [my campaign plan] and did not take it out of my pocket.” When you lead, don’t let pride get in the way of the best ideas bubbling up from your subordinates. ABOUT PETER CAMPBELL, PH.D. Peter Campbell, Ph.D., is an associate professor of political science in Baylor University’s College of Arts & Sciences. He is the author of two books: “Military Realism: The Logic and Limits of Force and Innovation in the U.S. Army” and “Farewell to the Marshal Statesman: The Decline of Military Experience Among Politicians and its Consequences.” Campbell studies international security, civil-military relations, strategy and national security decision-making, international relations scholarship and policy relevance, insurgency and counterinsurgency, the just war tradition, unconventional warfare and advanced military technology, military culture, and the effects of cyber capabilities on conflict escalation. ABOUT BAYLOR UNIVERSITY Baylor University is a private Christian University and a nationally ranked research institution. The University provides a vibrant campus community for more than 19,000 students by blending interdisciplinary research with an international reputation for educational excellence and a faculty commitment to teaching and scholarship. Chartered in 1845 by the Republic of Texas through the efforts of Baptist pioneers, Baylor is the oldest continually operating University in Texas. Located in Waco, Baylor welcomes students from all 50 states and more than 90 countries to study a broad range of degrees among its 12 nationally recognized academic divisions. ABOUT THE COLLEGE OF ARTS & SCIENCES AT BAYLOR UNIVERSITY The College of Arts & Sciences is Baylor University’s largest academic division, consisting of 25 academic departments and eight academic centers and institutes. The more than 5,000 courses taught in the College span topics from art and theatre to religion, philosophy, sociology and the natural sciences. Faculty conduct research around the world, and research on the undergraduate and graduate level is prevalent throughout all disciplines. Visit baylor.edu/artsandsciences.

GPS need training to tackle chronic opioid use

GPs must be better-equipped to support patients to manage the psychological challenge of reducing their opioid use - according to research from the University of East Anglia. The recommendation is part of a toolkit launched to help GPs reduce the amount of opioids they prescribe. The toolkit outlines seven areas of best practice to tackle chronic opioid use – based on international research evidence, the experiences of health organisations and individual practitioners. It comes after figures for England and Wales revealed an increase in opioid prescriptions of more than 60 per cent in a decade – from 14 million in 2008 to 23 million in 2018. Lead researcher Dr Debi Bhattacharya, from UEA’s School of Pharmacy, said: “Opioids, like morphine, tramadol and fentanyl, can be effective for the short-term management of severe pain. However, they are highly addictive which makes stopping difficult yet long-term use can impair quality of life and overuse can be deadly.” “GPs and other health professionals need to urgently, proactively work with patients prescribed long-term opioids for non-cancer pain to gradually reduce or ‘taper’ their doses. “But if GPs are expected to initiate discussions about tapering or stopping opioids, they must be equipped with training to manage the psychological challenges experienced by patients when trying to reduce their opioid use.” “Without this training, prescribers are reticent to open 'a can of worms' that they know they don't have the skills to manage.” “For opioid tapering interventions to be effective, GPs need training in giving their patients the skills to manage any withdrawal effects.” Dr Bhattacharya said: “There needs to be a clear expectation that opioid de-prescribing is the responsibility of the prescriber. “Incentives may help GPs and other health professionals to prioritise reducing the amount of opioids being prescribed to patients, particularly among those who have been taking them long-term. “Prescribers need to better understand the consequences of excess opioid use, and they need better guidelines about how to gradually reduce or ‘taper’ doses.” The ‘Toolkit for Tackling Chronic Opioid Use in Non-Cancer Pain’ has been supported by NIHR Collaboration for Leadership in Applied Health Research and Care East of England, hosted by Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust.

Fourth time a charm? Election audits are getting political in the Peach State

If at first you don’t succeed – try and try again. And Republicans did in Georgia, demanding multiple audits of last November’s presidential election, looking under every ballot box for evidence of election fraud, tampering or other shenanigans that could be used to put the results in doubt. So far, nothing has been found. But that’s not stopping those with an eye on a political future from backing down. In fact, election audits are now a hot topic for those looking to occupy the governor’s mansion in Atlanta. In a bid to bolster former President Donald Trump's lies about widespread fraud in the 2020 election, Trump's Republican allies are now seeking Arizona-style audits in other swing states – including Georgia, where the former President's false claims have set off an intraparty war. A day after Trump said in a statement that Georgia should follow Arizona's lead, former Georgia state Rep. Vernon Jones, a Trump supporter who is challenging incumbent Republican Gov. Brian Kemp in next year's GOP primary, proposed an audit Wednesday. "Georgians still have questions about irregularities found in the 2020 election and they deserve answers," he said in a statement. "We must get to the bottom of all of this and other irregularities to restore trust in our election process. If Mr. Kemp refuses to demand an audit, then I will when I am elected to replace him." Jones' characterization of the election was false: Georgia has already tallied the results to confirm Biden's victory there three times and conducted an audit of absentee ballot signatures. The state found no evidence of fraud, and Kemp and other Republican state officials have backed the findings. May 19 – CNN “This call for yet another ballot review is nothing but political theater," says Dr. Gregg R. Murray, professor of political science at Augusta University. "It’s extremely unlikely it would uncover anything that would overturn the 2020 election or substantial irregularities. It would be a huge waste of taxpayer money.” Despite the findings, this is an issue that won’t likely be going away soon, and if you are covering this topic, then let our expert help with your story. Dr. Gregg R. Murray, is available to talk about the election audit and what it might mean for voters in Georgia and across the country. Murray’s research focuses on political behavior and psychology with specific interests in voter mobilization and turnout. He is also executive director of the Association for Politics and the Life Sciences. Simply click on Murray's icon to arrange an interview today.