Latest news with #UniversityofSouthampton
BBC News
14 hours ago
- General
- BBC News
Southampton University report warns of privacy threats at work
Researchers have warned that workplace surveillance is threatening people's right to privacy.A report by the University of Southampton and the Institute of Public Policy Research showed new technology allowed for intense and extensive surveillance of author Dr Joe Atkinson said currently workers were not told how they were being added: "Employers have always wanted to oversee their workforce, but technology is fundamentally changing the nature of these practices." The report, "Negotiating the Future of Work: Legislating to Protect Works from Surveillance", found since the shift to remote work caused by the Covid 19 pandemic, workers have reported an increase in the use of surveillance claimed that biometric sensors, facial recognition cameras, and the monitoring of communications and computer activity allow employers to collect and process data that would not have been accessible to human managers in the Atkinson, a lecturer in employment law at the University of Southampton, said: "This vast and detailed surveillance threatens workers' right to privacy and can also have a chilling effect on the right to freedom of association, expression and belief. "It can increase stress and anxiety, lead to lower levels of autonomy and satisfaction at work and deepen existing power imbalances."For companies, excessive surveillance decreases staff wellbeing and satisfaction, leading to higher staff turnover, and potentially hampering productivity." 'Collaborative relationships' He said in many cases workers were not being forced to be monitored, but highlighted that it was not always that simple."If you're an employee and you're asked by your manager or you're given an instruction, really that is tantamount to being forced," he government's plan to Make Work Pay committed to "ensuring proposals to introduce surveillance technologies would be subject to consultation and negotiation" with Atkinson said the university's report detailed how the government's plans can be best the suggestions was the introduction of new information rights so workers can challenge unjustifiable monitoring said it is about raising awareness of the use of this tech with employees and developing "collaborative relationships". You can follow BBC Hampshire & Isle of Wight on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
Spectator
16 hours ago
- Science
- Spectator
What's wrong with using Xenon to climb Everest?
Reaching the top of the world and returning to London within a week without so much as stopping for a coffee in Kathmandu sounds like the stuff dreams are made of. But on 21 May 2025, four former members of the British special forces turned this dream into reality when they stood on the summit of Mount Everest four days and 11 hours after leaving the UK. Their secret was to inhale Xenon two weeks prior to the climb, a gas well known to anaesthetists, but so far unheard of in mountaineering. 'Although Xenon has worked well in clinical studies, it is very rarely used for patients in the UK. It is expensive and complex to administer with no significant benefits over established agents,' says Dr Mike Grocott, a professor of anaesthesia and critical care medicine at the University of Southampton.
Time of India
2 days ago
- Health
- Time of India
Can a dietary supplement provide the first effective treatment for liver cirrhosis?
Liver disease, a major global health concern, leads to millions of deaths annually due to complications like cirrhosis and liver cancer. Excitingly, a new study is exploring the potential of the dietary supplement HMB to treat cirrhosis, a condition affecting thousands in the UK. Liver disease accounts for two million deaths annually and is responsible for 4% of all deaths (1 out of every 25 deaths worldwide). The deaths are caused largely due to the complications of cirrhosis and liver cancer . What makes cirrhosis far more dangerous is that it is irreversible, and measures are taken to manage the condition, and in some a liver transplant is required. However, recent research has begun to explore whether certain dietary supplements can help, not just in managing cirrhosis but possibly even reversing or halting its progression. A new study led by scientists and clinicians from the University of Plymouth, the University of Southampton, and Imperial College London has looked into the possibility of treating cirrhosis with a dietary supplement. Before we delve into the details, let's try to understand what liver cirrhosis is. Cirrhosis is a condition in which the liver is scarred and permanently damaged. Scar tissue replaces healthy liver tissue and prevents the liver from working normally. This scar tissue also partly blocks the flow of blood through the liver. As cirrhosis gets worse, the liver begins to fail. Liver cirrhosis can increase the risk of developing liver cancer , specifically hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Can a dietary supplement cure liver cirrhosis A dietary supplement, Β-hydroxy β-methylbutyrate, otherwise known as HMB, used predominantly to build muscle bulk, prevent muscle loss as a result of ageing or illness, is to be trialled as a potential treatment for chronic liver disease. To understand this, the scientists and clinicians will test its potential in 60,000 people in the UK who have been diagnosed with cirrhosis. In the UK, this condition is most commonly caused by harmful alcohol use or fatty liver disease. In severe cases, some patients even require a liver transplant. As the condition worsens, it leads to over 75,000 hospital admissions and costs the NHS £17 billion annually. Through this study, the scientist will be looking at if taking HMB can offer a safe and effective way of improving patients' physical function and quality of life. Experts in liver disease, dietetics, and immunology from the University of Plymouth, University of Southampton, and Imperial College, London will be leading the trial. 'Cirrhosis is a condition that can have a significant impact on a person's physical and mental wellbeing. But while there are treatments in development, at the moment, there is nothing we can prescribe that directly addresses the condition. HMB has been identified as having the potential to fill that gap, with no suggestions at this time that there will be adverse side effects. This trial will hopefully enable us to test that fully, and establish whether HMB can indeed deliver real benefits for people with cirrhosis and those around them,' Dr Ashwin Dhanda, associate professor in Hepatology at the University of Plymouth and a Consultant in Hepatology at University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust, and the project's Chief Investigator, said in a statement. 7 Ways to check for fatty liver at home Patients have played a crucial role in shaping the study design. Lesley Manning, who previously underwent a liver transplant, is part of the project team and represents individuals with lived experience of advanced cirrhosis. 'Living with advanced cirrhosis is very debilitating. It makes you feel like you have no energy or strength, and there are no treatments out there to help manage your symptoms. I believe you need to look after yourself and the BOOST trial is testing something simple and safe that may improve the quality of life of people with advanced cirrhosis,' she said. One step to a healthier you—join Times Health+ Yoga and feel the change
Time of India
2 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
UK Universities Are Coming to India: What This Means for Students, Costs & Global Degrees
/ May 29, 2025, 10:24PM IST Big news for Indian students: Top UK universities like the University of Birmingham and University of Southampton are setting up partnerships and campuses in India. From lower tuition costs to easier access to international faculty and research, this move could reshape how Indian students access global education. Could this be the future of studying abroad—without going abroad? Find out what these collaborations mean for careers, costs, and your international dreams with insights from Ms. Rittika Chanda Parruck, Director, Education India, British Council.
Daily Mail
4 days ago
- Health
- Daily Mail
Obese people can pass down deadly health risk to their children, study finds
Boys who pile on the pounds in their early teens could put their future children at higher risk of developing obesity and asthma, according to a new study. While it's normal for teenagers to put on weight as they grow, some children gain too much thanks to a lack of exercise and reliance on sugary, salty snacks. Now, experts have discovered that overweight teenage boys risk damaging the genes of their future children. And it shows this time of life – when sperm is developing - is a 'key window of vulnerability' for DNA. The team, from the University of Southampton and the University of Bergen in Norway, analysed the DNA of 339 pairs of fathers and their offspring. As part of their long-term study, they also collected data on fathers' body silhouettes during adolescence. Analysis revealed DNA changes in 1,962 genes linked to the formation of fat cells and fat metabolism in the children of fathers who gained too much weight as teenagers. These changes were associated with an increased risk of obesity, as well as asthma and poorer lung function. In bad news for daughters, the effect was more pronounced in female children than male children. 'The overweight status of future fathers during puberty was associated with a strong signal in their children's DNA which were also related to the likelihood of their children being overweight themselves,' Dr Negusse Tadesse Kitaba, one of the study's authors, said. 'Early puberty, when boys start their developing sperm, seems to be a key window of vulnerability for lifestyle influences to drive epigenetic changes in future offspring.' Male puberty typically begins between the ages of 9 and 14, with an average start around the age of 12. Professor Cecilie Svanes from the University of Bergen said: 'The new findings have significant implications for public health and may be a game-changer in public health intervention strategies. 'They suggest that a failure to address obesity in young teenagers today could damage the health of future generations, further entrenching health inequalities for decades to come.' In children and teens, BMI is used to find out if they are underweight, a healthy weight, overweight or obese. The latest NHS figures show that 32 per cent – nearly a third – of children aged 11-12 in England are overweight or obese. This dips slightly to 25 per cent in children aged 13-15. Experts recently warned that adolescent health is at a 'tipping point', and that some of the main drivers of ill-health among teenagers have switched from cigarettes and alcohol to weight gain and mental health problems. Commenting on the recent findings Professor John Holloway, who was also involved in the study, said: 'Childhood obesity is increasing globally. The results of this study demonstrate that this is a concern not only for the health of the population now but also for generations to come.' To help a teenager lose weight, the NHS suggests a combination of healthy eating and regular physical activity. Gradual changes – such as introducing better portion control and finding fun activities to do – is encouraged in the place of fad diets or skipping meals. The findings were published in the Nature journal Communications Biology. Obesity is defined as an adult having a BMI of 30 or over. A healthy person's BMI - calculated by dividing weight in kg by height in metres, and the answer by the height again - is between 18.5 and 24.9. Among children, obesity is defined as being in the 95th percentile. Percentiles compare youngsters to others their same age. For example, if a three-month-old is in the 40th percentile for weight, that means that 40 per cent of three-month-olds weigh the same or less than that baby. Around 58 per cent of women and 68 per cent of men in the UK are overweight or obese. The condition costs the NHS around £6.1billion, out of its approximate £124.7 billion budget, every year. This is due to obesity increasing a person's risk of a number of life-threatening conditions. Such conditions include type 2 diabetes, which can cause kidney disease, blindness and even limb amputations. Research suggests that at least one in six hospital beds in the UK are taken up by a diabetes patient. Obesity also raises the risk of heart disease, which kills 315,000 people every year in the UK - making it the number one cause of death. Carrying dangerous amounts of weight has also been linked to 12 different cancers. This includes breast, which affects one in eight women at some point in their lives. Among children, research suggests that 70 per cent of obese youngsters have high blood pressure or raised cholesterol, which puts them at risk of heart disease. Obese children are also significantly more likely to become obese adults. And if children are overweight, their obesity in adulthood is often more severe. As many as one in five children start school in the UK being overweight or obese, which rises to one in three by the time they turn 10.
