Experts Matter. Find Yours.
Connect for media, speaking, professional opportunities & more.
Simple 20-20-20 screen rule really does help with eye strain, research shows
Scientists find that a short break to look away from screen every 20 minutes improves symptoms of eye strain for computer users Aston University researchers used special software to monitor participants’ gaze for two weeks, measuring symptoms before and after First time that guidance has been scientifically validated. It’s long been recommended as a way of easing eye strain while working at a computer screen. Now the 20-20-20 rule – taking a break of at least 20 seconds, every 20 minutes, to look at least 20 feet away - has been confirmed by scientists at Aston University to help ease some of the symptoms of prolonged computer use. It’s estimated that at least half of people using computers in their regular work have some form of digital eye strain, resulting in eye surface problems including irritation and dryness, or vision issues such as headaches or blurred vision. Humans normally blink around 15 times each minute. When staring at screens, this number decreases generally to half that rate or less. That can lead to dry, irritated, and tired eyes, but twenty seconds focusing elsewhere is long enough for the eyes to relax enough to reduce the strain. This is the first time that the 20-20-20 guidance rule has been properly validated. Researchers at Aston University’s College of Health and Life Sciences set up their study with the help of 29 participants who suffer from symptoms of eye strain. Special software downloaded onto the participants’ own laptop computers used the built-in laptop camera both to check if a user was sitting at the screen and to monitor their gaze direction every few seconds. After 20 minutes of continuous screen viewing, the programme flashed up a message, asking users to rest for 20 seconds while looking at any distant target around 20 feet away, such as out of the window or across a room. The message couldn’t be removed until the task was performed correctly, as measured by the app. Participants’ digital eye strain symptoms were measured before and after two weeks of using the reminders, and one week after completing the study. Results showed a marked decrease in symptoms including dryness, sensitivity and discomfort. Professor James Wolffsohn, Professor of Optometry at Aston University, who led the research in collaboration with the University of Valencia, Spain, said: “The one previous study merely asked people to carry out the suggestions; but here the access control on the software meant we could be sure that participants really had looked away every 20 minutes. We saw a consequent improvement in the symptoms of the group as a whole.” Researchers noted that after the study, the participants’ eye symptoms returned to what they had been before the intervention. Professor Wolffsohn says: “We are planning to conduct longer term studies to see whether we can teach eyelid muscle memory impulses to blink more often during digital viewing, to help mitigate this chronic issue without long term use of reminders.” The findings confirm that people should try and take breaks from their screens. He added: “Although we used sophisticated software, it’s easy for others to replicate the effect by setting a timer on their phone, or downloading a reminder app. It’s a simple way of reminding yourself to take regular breaks for the good of your eyes.” The effects of breaks on digital eye strain, dry eye and binocular vision: Testing the 20-20-20 rule was published in Contact Lens and Anterior Eye journal.
Aston Institute of Health and Neurodevelopment hosts showcase event to highlight research expertise
Research showcase held to highlight research underway at the Aston Institute for Health and Neurodevelopment Researchers met with local clinicians and funding bodies to talk through their latest developments The event will take place each year with a plan to invite guests back to update them on how the institute has progressed. Aston Institute of Health and Neurodevelopment (IHN) held its inaugural research showcase event on Thursday 7 July at Conference Aston. The yearly event is an opportunity to highlight its research projects and meet with the Institute’s external partners, funding bodies and professional colleagues. Guests were invited to join IHN’s research and teaching team to learn more about its vision and hear about individual research projects currently underway. The centre’s co-directors Professor Jackie Blissett and Professor Gavin Woodhall talked about IHN’s vision which includes: • unlocking the potential of research to support child health and development • answering the questions that matter to children and young people, their families and the services that support them • developing the next generation of research leaders in child health and development. Researchers working on projects including treatments for drug resistant epilepsy, childhood eating behaviour, improving support for people with rare neurogenetic conditions and diagnosis of paediatric brain cancer using magnetic resonance imaging and artificial intelligence met with external partners and clinicians to talk them through their latest projects and developments. The event was also attended by Aston University Interim Vice-Chancellor, Saskia Loer Hansen, Executive Dean of the College of Health and Life Sciences, Anthony Hilton and other members of the University executive team, together with academic researchers in the University’s College of Health and Life Sciences. There was also an opportunity to meet all the Institute’s researchers, ask questions and network. Professor Jackie Blissett, co-director of Aston Institute of Health and Neurodevelopment, said: “After a successful launch of our new £2.8 million MRI scanner earlier this year, it is great that we were able to come together again and showcase all of our research that goes on in IHN, particularly to our external partners, including local clinicians and funding bodies. “This is our inaugural research showcase and we plan to invite guests back to Aston University each year to update them on how the institute has progressed with its research. “As a research institute that puts children and young people at the heart of what we do, it is important to be in touch with all of our partners from a cross section of the community to update them on all of our latest developments and find ways to collaborate further – particularly in clinical settings.” For more information about research being undertaken at AIHN please go to our website. If you are interested in the courses we have available in this area please go here.
The shocking assassination of Shinzo Abe, the former Prime Minister of Japan, has been met with disbelief and condolences from within his country and around the globe. Alexis Dudden, a professor of history at the University of Connecticut who specializes in modern Japan and Korea, spoke with NEWS AKMI in the wake of Abe's death about his legacy, his Second World War revisionism, his complicated feelings about America, and why his push to reform the Japanese constitution ultimately failed: How do you see Abe’s legacy? He was a Prime Minister who reconfigured Japan’s place in East Asia, or at least tried to. He tried to create a more assertive Japan through a very proactive—as he liked to describe it—attempt at diplomacy. And he travelled widely. He met with Vladimir Putin more than with any other world leader: more than twenty times. He did meet Xi Jinping, and he was the first foreign leader to meet Donald Trump after [Trump] became President. Abe, however, created a deep rift between Japan and its Asian neighbors over his extremely hawkish outlook, his extremist positions on the legacy of the Japanese empire, and its responsibilities for atrocities committed throughout Asia and the Pacific. While many are extolling him as a great leader, his personal vision for rewriting Japanese history, of a glorious past, created a real problem in East Asia which will linger, because it divided not just the different countries’ approach to diplomacy with Japan; it also divided Japanese society even further over how to approach its own responsibility for wartime actions carried out in the name of the emperor. You used the phrase “rewriting history.” Do you mean rewriting the truth, or do you mean rewriting the way people in Japan understood their history? To what degree was Abe, when he came into office for the first time, in 2006, a departure from the way that Japan understood its own history? And to what degree was this more of the status quo, but just in a more aggressive fashion? The helpful thing about studying Abe is that he himself published several articles and books, and he gave numerous speeches about history and about his vision of Japan’s history, in particular. When he first became a parliamentarian, in the early nineteen-nineties, inheriting his father’s seat, he was part of a study group inside Parliament that is believed to have written a document denying the Nanjing Massacre. This article used to be available in Japan’s Diet archives. It is no longer traceable, but it was there. Abe began in the mid-nineties, when there was an effort to really socially readdress Japan’s wartime role in Asia, after the death of Emperor Hirohito, in the wake of the first “comfort women” coming forward. That’s when Japanese political leaders really became more public about the positioning of their own parties’ views of Japan’s role in Asia, in a new, more strident way that sought to rewrite how Japan and the Japanese should see it. Fast forward to his first term as Prime Minister, in 2006. By that time, these issues had been much better studied academically and socially within Japan and throughout the world. Abe made a big effort, in 2006 and 2007, to deny that Japan bore any state responsibility for the comfort women, in particular. And he failed at that attempt. This is when he and his supporters took out a full-page ad in the Washington Post. And it was a real moment of shock for him when the U.S. Congress passed a nonbinding House resolution asking Japan to atone for its role in creating the comfort-women system. That was also when he resigned for the first time because of his ulcerative colitis. But, between 1994 and 2006, his chief lobbying group, called the Nippon Kaigi, was created—this political-lobbying group didn’t have much of a public face, but it emerged as an extremely powerful ideologically based group. And this is why comparing him to Trump and [India’s Prime Minister Narendra] Modi and other extremists—or people with extreme views or people who give voice to extreme views—is apt, because these groups seem to come out of nowhere for a lot of us. Like, who was Steve Bannon until there was Steve Bannon? Abe, in that interim between being a junior parliamentarian and becoming Prime Minister, had become this group’s head of history and territory. And, in that moment, he also published a work about making Japan great again, which he called “Towards a Beautiful Country.” Dr. Dudden offers expert insight into Abe's historical perspective on his country, and if you're a reporter looking to cover this trending topic, let us help with your coverage. Click on her icon to arrange an interview today.
Aston University academic named President of the College of Optometrists
Professor Leon Davies named incoming President of the College of Optometrists Professor Davies will serve a two-year term as President Seven new Council members have also been elected onto the board Professor Leon Davies of the School of Optometry at Aston University has been named as the College of Optometrist’s incoming President. The College of Optometrists also welcomed seven new Council members at its AGM, held during its clinical conference, Optometry Tomorrow 2022, on 20 June. Incoming President, Professor Leon Davies FCOptom, is currently a board member and previous Vice President. Leon is professor of optometry and physiological optics at Aston University and former editor-in-chief of the College’s peer reviewed CPD journal, Optometry in Practice. Academically, Leon has over 60 publications and has been awarded over £2.5m of funding for his research from UKRI, the EU, charities and a number of multinational organisations. His research is focused on presbyopia and the restoration of ocular accommodation to the ageing eye. He is also a recipient of the College of Optometrists Research Fellowship Award, and was awarded the inaugural Neil Charman Medal for research excellence in optometry, optics and vision science. Professor Leon Davies said: “I am extremely proud to be elected President of the College and honoured to represent the profession at such a crucial time, with transformational changes underway including the General Optical Council (GOC) Opticians Act review and the College’s newly published Workforce vision. “I am determined to continue the profession’s advances to ensure optometrists across the UK are at the centre of new models of eye care, and that their competences and skills are recognised and used to their full potential. “I would like to pay tribute to our outgoing President, Colin Davidson FCOptom, for his unstinting work and dedication over the last two years and offer thanks to all our departing Board and Council members for their dedicated service." The School of Optometry’s portfolio of courses range from undergraduate, to masters taught and doctoral level research, as well as a wide range of optometry continuing professional development options. All programmes are informed by professional practice and are led by an inter-disciplinary teaching team of optometrists, dispensing opticians, ophthalmologists, and vision scientists. Reflecting this highly practical ethos, students on the School’s undergraduate programmes benefit from substantial hands-on experience in the onsite Aston Eye Clinic, one of the largest at any UK university, with over 6,000 patient episodes completed every year. For more information about the School of Optometry at Aston University please visit our webpages.
There's a lot more to bats than their spooky reputation
By Emma Richards More than 50,000 students call the University of Florida home, and while that is a lot of Gators, the campus is home to even more bats. Hundreds of thousands of the misunderstood mammals live across from Lake Alice, where they dwell in the world’s largest occupied bat houses. The colony of bats was initially discovered at the UF track and tennis stadiums in 1991. In the spots where fans were cheering, bats were roosting – causing a mess and a notable stench. That same year, the UF Athletics Association built a house to rehome the bats from the stadiums. But the night after they were transported to their new home, all the bats left, and did not return for three years. Now, the houses are primarily occupied by around 400,000 to 500,000 Brazilian free-tailed bats that remain at UF year-round and do not hibernate or migrate. “They do all these great things for us and then we turn around and we're scared of them,” Mathis said. Verity Mathis, the mammal collections manager at the Florida Museum of Natural History says bats are the only mammals that can fly, and the Brazilian free-tailed species found at UF are tremendous at it. “They’ve actually been documented to go as fast as 100 miles an hour in like short bursts, which is just amazing to think about,” she said in an episode of the From Florida podcast. “This one species is just capable of so much.” Along with their fast flight, Brazilian free-tailed bats can go as high as 9,000 to 10,000 feet in the air and venture over 30 miles a night forging for insects like mosquitos, moths, beetles and flies. Despite being associated with blood-sucking vampires in popular culture, only three out of 1,400 bat species drink blood and they aren’t located in North America. Bats do not want to attack humans; in fact, they avoid people using their vision and echolocation skills. Bats can live for many decades and are more closely related to humans than they are to rodents. They also provide critical environmental services such as pest control, fertilization and pollination. Mathis says bats are misunderstood. “They do all these great things for us and then we turn around and we're scared of them,” she said. “We want to be respectful of them and of their lifestyle and we don't want to encroach upon them and bother them.” Mathis says if people do encounter an injured bat, they should not touch it with their bare hands because bats can carry rabies. It is best to put on thick gloves, place the bat into a container and call a local wildlife rehabilitation center. There are 13 bat species in Florida, and two of them are endangered. The Florida Wildlife Commission is actively monitoring those populations. In Alachua County, people and businesses, including Swamp House Brewery and Lubee Bat Conservancy, have bat houses on their properties. Mathis advises those interested in putting a bat house in their yard to do research to ensure that the right kind of house is purchased and that it is placed in the proper location to align with Florida’s specific requirements, which can be found here on the UF/IFAS website. For Mathis, these are all steps toward accepting a widely misunderstood mammal. “I think as long as we continue these conversations about telling people how cool bats are then maybe eventually pop culture will catch up to that,” she said. To hear more about bats, listen to the episode on From Florida at this link. Listen to other episodes in the From Florida podcast here. Watch a recent video featuring Verity Mathis here: https://youtu.be/vbFZfVwGwYE
Villa Vision receives £20K from Wesleyan to measure impact of child eye health project
Villa Vision programmes provide access to eye health care for children from deprived areas of Birmingham. 5,500 children have been reached so far. The Wesleyan Foundation and Aston University’s five-year partnership is valued at over £250K The findings of the evaluation will be shared with the Villa Vision team and all partners including participating schools, parents and children. Villa Vision, a project that delivers eye health care to children from deprived areas of Birmingham, has received £20,000 from the Wesleyan Foundation. The money will help evaluate the impact of the project to date which has reached approximately 5,500 children across the West Midlands. Villa Vision programmes are designed to increase access to eye health education, eye screening, eye examinations and to dispense glasses to children who need them with the aim of providing them with the visual foundation to succeed. The Villa Vision project is a collaboration between the Aston Villa Foundation, Aston University and optical lens supplier Essilor Vision For Life. The money donated by Birmingham based Wesleyan, alongside the Aston University funding of almost £15,000, will pay for research assistants to evaluate the first three years of the project. The objectives of the impact evaluation are to: • Review how many children have been screened, detail the coverage of the programme and its reach within the city • Analyse Villa Vision’s data recording children’s eye screening tests and eye examinations • Examine the potential impact on student’s performance on tasks that require attention to detail after being given glasses • Work with children to explore their experience of the Villa Vision programme to help develop the educational part of the programme • Work with teachers to examine the potential impact of corrected vision on children’s classroom behaviour (their integration into class, their reading at distance and close-up, their English and maths) • Work with parents to understand the impact of Villa Vision on their eye health knowledge and the quality of life of the children involved in the programme and the family more generally. The findings of the evaluation will be shared with the Villa Vision team and all collaborating partners as well as participating schools, teachers, parents and children. The findings will also be published in peer-reviewed journals, online and in newsletters to reach interested audiences. Dr Rachel Shaw, a health psychologist in Aston Institute for Health & Neurodevelopment, and project lead, said: “Villa Vision is an inspirational project offering children eye care in their schools. Not only that, Nik Sonpal and Zak El Khalifi from the Villa Vision team, have created an educational, entertaining, and imaginative workshop helping children to understand the importance of eye health, bringing it to life with the help of Aston Villa and a footballing theme.” Leon Davies, professor of optometry and physiological optics in the School of Optometry at Aston University and Vice President of the College of Optometrists said: “The team led by Dr Rachel Shaw with support from Dr Laura Shapiro, Esra Yeter, Sidratul Kazi and myself will provide robust evidence to demonstrate the impact and value of Villa Vision on children’s eye health and education in Birmingham, which we believe will help secure Villa Vision’s long-term future.” Nathan Wallis, Chief of Staff at Wesleyan said: “We are proud to be supporting Villa Vision and its research, they are making a huge difference to the lives of so many primary school children across the West Midlands. It is vital for all children to be given access to good eye care, not just to improve engagement in the classroom but for their overall quality of life and self-confidence. “As a financial service mutual for teachers and doctors it is important to us that we support the things that matter most to our customers and supporting Villa Vision is a great example of this.” Nikhil Sonpal, Villa Vision Project Manager and optometrist at Aston Villa Foundation, said: “Villa Vision and the Aston Villa Foundation are incredibly excited to have the support of both the Wesleyan Foundation and Aston University in helping to establish a deeper understanding of our eye health project. "Not only will this evaluation help unearth the level of impact our intervention is having within the community, but it will also allow us to discover ways to develop our provision further and strengthen our reach when trying to address local inequalities in eye care.”
The Centre for Research in Ethnic Minority Entrepreneurship (CREME) has partnered with NatWest for the Time to Change report It sets out ten evidence-based recommendations for advancing the growth potential of ethnic minority businesses (EMBs) including increasing their GVA contribution from the current £25 billion a year to £100 billion The report is being launched at a special event on 10 May at NatWest Conference Centre in London with keynote speaker Sir Trevor Philips OBE. A new report from Aston University has set out a plan for advancing the growth potential of ethnic minority businesses (EMBs) in the UK. The Centre for Research in Ethnic Minority Entrepreneurship (CREME) has partnered with NatWest for the Time to Change report which sets out ten evidence-based recommendations to promote greater success and inclusion of ethnic minority businesses (EMBs) in finance and business support in the UK. Experts say the implementation of the recommendations could help tackle the multiple barriers faced by EMBs, particularly in accessing finance, markets and quality business support, and could increase their GVA contribution from the current £25 billion a year to £100 billion, highlighting the significant potential of EMBs to the UK economy. The report says that to combat racial inequality, there should be a UK-wide support for ethnic led businesses should be a standard feature of all future plans. This includes integrating them into broader policy agendas of inclusive growth, productivity and innovation. A more inclusive approach to enterprise is key to tackling wider social structural barriers such as unequal access to employment opportunities and product markets, and gender and ethnicity pay gaps. Concerted action is needed to support the growth ambitions of EMBs, particularly in light of damaging consequences of the pandemic for ethnic minority communities. The report calls for a strong action to eliminate the longstanding challenge of discouragement of ethnic minority entrepreneurs from seeking finance and business support. It found EMBs have been particularly hit hard by the Covid-19 pandemic due to the sectors in which they tend to operate and recommends recovery support is focussed on the businesses that need it most. The report also highlights the need for greater accountability of organisations across public, private and third sectors, including business support agencies, finance providers and large purchasing organisations, for their business engagement with EMBs. Professor Monder Ram, director of the Centre for Research in Ethnic Minority Entrepreneurship at Aston Business School, said: “This major report sets out an ambitious yet practical agenda to realise the potential of UK’s ethnic minority businesses. “The entrepreneurial ambition of ethnic minorities can play a crucial role in the UK Government’s vision of ‘Levelling Up’ prosperity across regions, promoting trade opportunities of ‘Global Britain’ and creating a more cohesive society. “Drawing on the latest research and examples of international best practice, the report presents a comprehensive approach to tackling the barriers faced by firms owned by ethnic minority communities. “We pinpoint key challenges and present recommendations – informed by extensive consultation with business support practitioners and entrepreneurs – that invite policy-makers, corporations and entrepreneurs to collaborate in a new partnership to advance entrepreneurial activities and the UK’s diverse communities.” The report calls for central government and local decision makers to develop clear objectives for inclusive entrepreneurship, informed by evidence, and ensure that EMBs can access quality business support that helps them grow. Dr Eva Kašperová, a research fellow at CREME, said: “To address the barriers faced by EMBs and help them realise their entrepreneurial potential will require commitment and leadership from the government as well as local business support ecosystem actors. “The current lack of an explicit UK-wide policy on inclusive entrepreneurship could mean that some parts of the country are left behind in terms of tackling structural inequalities and enabling entrepreneurs from ethnic minority communities and other under-represented or disadvantaged groups to access finance, wider markets and quality business support. “If past experience is a guide, ensuring commitment from key stakeholders may be the biggest challenge.” Andrew Harrison, head of Business Banking at NatWest Group, said: “As the UK’s biggest bank for business, we’re committed to championing small businesses and supporting growth, but we know that there are barriers which disproportionately affect Ethnic Minority Businesses (EMBs). “This is why we aim for at least 20% of the places on our 13 nationwide accelerator hubs to be for ethnic minority entrepreneurs. In 2021, 26% of businesses in our hubs were EMBs. “Only close collaboration can deliver meaningful change to ensure EMBs get the support they need to reach their full potential. Now is the time to accelerate action, and at NatWest we commit to playing an integral role in the change that is required.” The Centre for Research in Ethnic Minority Entrepreneurship (CREME) will share this report, inviting policy-makers, corporations and entrepreneurs to come together in a collaborative and strategic partnership to champion enterprise and advance entrepreneurial activities and the UKs diverse communities, further building an inclusive entrepreneurial eco-system supporting businesses to thrive at a launch event at NatWest Conference Centre in London on 10 May.
MEDIA RELEASE: Driven by Good™: CAA South Central Ontario announces brand platform, new tagline
It’s a brand platform and tagline that tells the story of who we are and what we stand for as an organization. CAA South Central Ontario (CAA SCO) today announced a new tagline – Driven by Good™. Accompanied by a new brand platform, this will create a sustained and consistent approach for marketing the CAA club brand moving forward. It will also help to express CAA values and a commitment to always doing the right thing as an organization. The new brand platform was created in partnership with BIMM and reinforces why CAA was named the most trusted brand in Canada for the third year in a row in the annual Gustavson Brand Trust Index, released last week. “This new marketing approach will help CAA Members create a deeper, more emotional connection to our brand,” said Rhonda English, chief marketing officer, CAA Club Group of Companies. “For over 115 years, we have been helping people through advocacy and roadside assistance and for decades with travel and insurance. CAA has been approaching business in a positive and impactful way since its inception and it is time to align our marketing and communications accordingly.” Driven by Good™ was inspired by the people who work at CAA SCO and how they strive to do the right thing for Members and customers every day. It was inspired by a vision of a world where people who, when faced with a choice to do the easy thing, the reactionary thing, the thing that best serves them, pause, and make a choice to do good. As the platform and tagline were developed, CAA collected more than 250 stories of Associates going above and beyond to do the right thing in their day-to-day lives. Stories like the colleague who cleared all the vehicles of snow in her apartment parking lot after a nasty snowfall. Or the Associate, an amateur photographer, who set up his garage like a photo studio so he could take photos of his neighbour's ill child and her father. Or the co-worker who scrambled to find a coat and warm clothing to help someone in distress. “All of these stories, big and small, show how CAA is made up of Associates who are truly driven by doing good in the world. We are proud that our Associates bring this same approach to their work, showing that as an organization we aren’t driven by profit, we are focused on keeping Members safe and adding value to their day-to-day lives,” continued English. “We are inspired by these kind and courageous acts, which represent a world that we want to be a part of and contribute to.” The first campaign that is part of the new brand platform launches today, to begin to tell CAA's story in this new way. It is focused on inviting our audience into the ‘World of Good’ that we all want to live in. It showcases the good choices that people make that we at CAA are inspired by every day. It also draws on stories and experiences from Associates across the organization focused on how we are Driven by Good™. For more information and to see CAA’s newest brand spot, go to https://www.caasco.com/campaigns/brand/driven-by-good.
Aston University psychologists to take part in major study to improve concussion prognosis
Researchers from the Aston Institute of Heath and Neurodevelopment, in the College of Health and Life Sciences at Aston University, are taking part in a major multiple partner study to identify new ways to accurately predict whether patients will develop long-term complications as a consequence of concussion. Experts from the University of Birmingham and the Defence Medical Rehabilitation Centre, in collaboration with Defence Medical Services, are to lead the UK consortium carrying out the study. With year one funded by the Ministry of Defence (£2m) and projected to run over eight years, the multi-faceted study will include a trial involving 400 civilians and 400 military personnel aged over 18 with a new diagnosis of concussion (also known as a mild traumatic brain injury or mTBI) which has resulted in them needing hospital treatment or rehabilitation. At specific time intervals over two years, the participants will take part in nine different areas of research using a variety of medical techniques and assessments to establish if these can be used routinely by medics as ‘biomarkers’ to indicate prognosis and long term impact of concussion. Medical techniques and assessments being trialled include brain imaging and function, analysis of blood and saliva samples, and headache measures, as well as mental health, vision, balance, and cognitive performance. mTBI is common and has been declared a major global public health problem, with 1.4 million hospital visits due to head injury annually in England and Wales - 85% of which are classified as mTBI. It is also estimated that up to 9.5% of UK military personnel with a combat role are diagnosed with mTBI annually. The research will involve 20 University of Birmingham experts working across disciplines, including neurology, psychology, sports medicine, mathematics and academics within the University’s Centre for Human Brain Health, and will be coordinated by Birmingham Clinical Trials Unit. It will also be driven by experts at the Defence Medical Rehabilitation Centre Stanford Hall; Imperial College London; University of Westminster; University of Nottingham; Royal Centre for Defence Medicine; and University Hospitals Coventry & Warwickshire. Dr Caroline Witton, reader in psychology and scientific lead for magnetoencephalography (MEG) at the Aston Institute for Health and Neurodevelopment (IHN), Aston University said: "I am very excited to be part of this landmark study of traumatic brain injury. At IHN we are focussed on improving lives through brain imaging and this work has the potential to help the thousands of people each year who suffer long term disability following a concussion." Dr Jan Novak, lecturer in psychology and MRI lead at Aston University said: "It is outstanding that this prestigious work is being conducted at Aston University’s Institute of Health and Neurodevelopment. We will provide our expertise in brain imaging, prediction of outcomes in patient groups, and credentials in mTBI research to enrich the study. It is hoped that it will build upon existing collaborations with other local institutions and government bodies such as the Ministry of Defence." Alex Sinclair, professor of Neurology at the University of Birmingham and chief investigator of the mTBI-Predict project explained: “Although classified as mild, and many recover, the consequences of concussion can be profound with many patients suffering long-term disability due to persistent headaches, fatigue, imbalance, memory disturbance, and poor mental health including post-traumatic stress disorder, while it can have a significant impact on the economy through loss of working hours and demand on the health system. Identifying those patients most at risk of these disabling consequences is not currently possible. There is therefore a pressing need to develop accurate, reproducible biomarkers of mTBI that are practical for use in a clinical setting and can predict long-term complications. "Our programme of research will deliver a step change in the care of patients with mTBI, enabling a personalised medicine approach to target early intervention for those most in need but also identifying those with a good prognosis who can return rapidly to activities of daily living.” Co-Chief Investigator, Air Vice-Marshall Rich Withnall QHS Director of Defence Healthcare, UK Ministry of Defence said: “I am delighted that the Defence Medical Services, including the Defence Medical Rehabilitation Centre at Stanford Hall, will be working hand-in-glove with class-leading civilian colleagues and the National Rehabilitation Centre Programme. I fully support this ground-breaking research which I am confident will lead to significant clinical innovation to benefit military and civilian patients and have a translational positive impact for sporting activities from grass-roots to elite levels.” Chief Executive of Headway, Peter McCabe said: “We know that even a seemingly minor head injury can have a major impact on a person’s life – and often the lives of those closest to them. This is particularly the case if the brain injury goes undiagnosed or its effects are mistaken for other conditions. The frustration of not having an accurate diagnosis or receiving the right support can be compounded by the lack of a clear recovery pathway or timeline. We therefore welcome this study in the hope that it can advance our understanding of concussion and mTBI.”
(WILMINGTON, Del. – March 15, 2022) For the second consecutive year, Forbes magazine has ranked ChristianaCare as one of the best large health systems to work for in the United States. ChristianaCare ranked as the 29th best health system overall, within Forbes’ list of the 500 best large employers in the United States. ChristianaCare was the only health system in Delaware to make Forbes’ list. “At ChristianaCare, we anticipate the needs of others, help with compassion and generosity, and show respect to everyone,” said Neil Jasani, M.D., MBA, FACEP, chief people officer at ChristianaCare. “These values and behaviors start with our workforce, as we create a supportive environment that enables our caregivers to find joy in their work and provide consistently excellent care to everyone we serve.” While the pandemic has taken a significant toll on the health care workforce nationally, ChristianaCare has been recognized for its success in supporting its caregivers. The American Medical Association recently recognized ChristianaCare with the highest honor in its Joy in Medicine program, which recognizes health systems that demonstrate a commitment to preserving the wellbeing of health care team members by engaging in proven efforts to combat work-related stress and burnout. This work has been largely driven by ChristianaCare’s innovative Center for WorkLife Wellbeing, which was founded in 2016 to tackle the growing national problem of burnout in health care and help caregivers to reconnect with joy and meaning in their work. All employees at ChristianaCare are referred to as “caregivers.” Other highlights of how ChristianaCare creates a great place to work include: Benefits that include medical, dental and vision coverage, as well as a wellness incentive program and free healthy lifestyle coaching and care management, as well as access to ChristianaCare’s innovative and always-on virtual primary care, which makes health care options for busy caregivers more convenient than ever. Twelve weeks of paid parental leave for the birth or adoption of a child. An organizational commitment to anti-racism and a robust Inclusion and Diversity program that includes 10 employee resource groups (ERGs). Forbes ranks ChristianaCare as the No. 1 overall employer for diversity and inclusion in Delaware and No. 14 among U.S. health systems nationwide. A caregiver recognition program that supports a culture of gratitude and rewards caregivers who exemplify the core values of ChristianaCare. Care@Work, which provides backup care services when working families are faced with a disruption in regular childcare or other dependent care coverage. Free medical plan option for caregivers under certain income thresholds. Competitive pay at all levels. ChristianaCare was the first health system in Delaware to adopt a $15 minimum wage, in 2018. To create the list of America’s Best Large Employers, Forbes partnered with the market research firm Statista, which surveyed 60,000 Americans working for businesses with at least 1,000 employees. All responses were anonymous. Using a scale of zero to 10, the respondents rated how likely they were to recommend their employer to others. The participants also nominated organizations other than their own. The final ranking features companies with the most recommendations.
