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Freemasonry and the Political History of Sierra Leone: 1890 – 1992
Get PDFThis thesis examines the interplay between politics and Freemasonry in Sierra Leone. A largely neglected subject, this project breaks new academic ground, using previously unseen archival records and testimony of Freemasons for its evidence.
Discussing the origins or Freemasonry in the 18th Century, and how it became inculcated with principles of universalism, cosmopolitanism and apoliticism, it then examines Freemasonry’s expansion with the British Empire and provides the first account of a lodge in Freetown in the early 19th Century. Re-established in 1890, when the vectors of transmission were both African and British, it illustrates how Freemasonry assimilated itself into part of Krio elite culture in Freetown. It uses the three principles identified above as a fresh analytical framework, provides an original history of Freemasonry in Sierra Leone, and explains how it developed into an institution based on a narrow social stratum in the capital city, failing to deliver on its ideals of equality and openness. It reassesses Cohen’s thesis of the political role of Freemasonry, and argues that it remained, despite significant challenges in a turbulent political history, an apolitical institution. It also demonstrates how it worked as a socio-political network for some members who were also politicians in the postcolonial state, particularly Solomon Pratt during President Stevens’ All People’s Congress government from 1968. This was continued under the government of President Momoh from 1985, who’s previously unexamined prominence as an active Freemason came close to politicising the society before his removal in a coup in 1992
Detailed turbulent structures investigation around piers group induced flow
Get PDFYesThis paper aims to investigate the mean velocities and turbulence characteristics, which include Reynolds shear stresses (RSS) and turbulent intensities, in order to study temporal and spatial flow patterns around a complex three square-piers group. Measurements have been performed by acoustic Doppler velocimeter (ADV) to identify turbulence flow structures alteration and vortices formation in longitudinal, transverse, and vertical directions. In total, 164 locations around the bridge piers have been measured, while each location consists of no lesser than 15 vertical depth ADV data point measurements. To investigate the flow turbulence, critical locations have been observed from high vortex-influenced regions. The impacted mean velocity profiles have been compared to that at the unaffected region to study the flow alteration caused by piers group. The result reveals that the log-law layer near wall has been enhanced by the installation of pier. Furthermore, as identified from the most critical locations of turbulent structures across different measurement rows, the accelerated flow will result in lower observed turbulent structures. Although flow after each pier has been influenced by strong reversal velocities, vortices have managed to form at near wake. Analysis has been divided into inner and outer flow regions (IFR and OFR) based on flow depth to enhance the understanding of how bridge piers contribute to the development of flow turbulence.Chinese National Natural Science Foundation (Grant No. 22308222) to this study
The flow of lubricant as a mist in the piston assembly and crankcase of a fired gasoline engine: The effect of viscosity modifier and the link to lubricant degradation
Get PDFYesDroplet flows, termed misting, are significant lubrication flow mechanisms to, in and around the piston assembly. Therefore, these are important in piston assembly tribology and engine performance. Crankcase lubricant degradation rate has been hypothesised to be influenced by lubricant droplet flows through the piston assembly and crankcase, but not previously confirmed.
Lubricant was sampled from the sump, top ring zone (TRZ), and mist and aerosol from the crankcase during an extend-ed run. The physical and chemical degradation of these samples was characterised. Droplet flows were intermediate in degradation and fuel dilution between TRZ and sump. Flows with smaller droplet sizes were more degraded that those with larger droplets. The degradation of polymers was dependent on their molecular architecture
An NLP-based framework for early identification of design reliability issues from heterogeneous automotive lifecycle data
Get PDFYesNatural Language Processing is increasingly used in different areas of design and product development with varied objectives, from enhancing productivity to embedding resilience into systems. In this paper, we introduce a framework that draws on NLP algorithms and expert knowledge for the automotive engineering domain, to extract actionable insight for system reliability improvement from data available from the operational phase of the system. Specifically, we are looking at the systematic exploration and exploitation of automotive heterogeneous data sources, including both closed-source (such as warranty records) and open-source (e.g., social networks, chatrooms, recall systems) data, to extract and classify information about faults, with predictive capability for early detection of issues. We present a preliminary NLP-based framework for enhancing system knowledge representation to increase the effectiveness and robustness of information extraction from data, and discuss the temporal alignment of data sources and insight to improve prediction ability. We demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed framework using real-world automotive data in a recall study for a vehicle lighting system and a particular manufacturer: four recall campaigns were identified leading to corrective actions by the warranty experts
Winds of change: urgent challenges and emerging opportunities in submerged prehistory, a perspective from the North Sea
Get PDFYesDevelopment of the continental shelf has accelerated significantly as nations around the world seek to harness offshore renewable energy. Many areas marked for development align with submerged palaeolandscapes. Poorly understood and difficult to protect, these vulnerable, prehistoric landscapes provide specific challenges for heritage management. Indeed, there now appears to be a schism between what underwater cultural heritage policy intends and what it is achieving in practice. Shortcomings in international and national legislature ensure that large parts of the continental shelf, including areas under development, may have little or no legal protection. Increasingly impacted by extensive development, these unique cultural landscapes are ever more at risk. However, heritage challenges posed by such development also create opportunities. An immense amount of data is being generated by development, and there is an opportunity to establish broader cooperative relationships involving industrial stakeholders, national curators, government bodies, and heritage professionals. As a matter of urgency, the archaeological community must better engage with the offshore sector and development process. If achieved, we may revolutionise our knowledge of submerged prehistoric settlement and land use. Otherwise, our capacity to reconstruct prehistoric settlement patterns, learn from past climate change, or simply manage what are among the best-preserved postglacial landscapes globally may be irreparably undermined.Support provided by AHRC project Taken at the Flood (AH/W003287/1 00). Data from the Southern River were collected by the Flanders Marine Institute (VLIZ), partnered by Europe’s Lost Frontiers. This was supported by European Research Council funding through the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme (project 670518 LOST FRONTIERS)
The dark side revealed: insights and implications from online brand communities
Get PDFYesPurpose
This study aims to present a comprehensive review of the literature on the dark side of online brand communities, identifying the dominant themes [determinants of the dark side in online brand communities (OBCs)] in the literature and proposing ways to advance the literature in this area.
Design/methodology/approach
This study reviewed 72 scholarly articles published between 2009 and 2024 in peer-reviewed journals. A descriptive and thematic analysis of dark-side literature is presented.
Findings
The contribution of this scoping review lies in identifying the dominant themes in the literature on the determinants of the dark side of online brand communities, proposing management strategies and identifying future research directions for advancing the literature. Six main themes of the dark side of online communities were extracted: information dynamics, group dynamics, unethical practices and brand transgression, provocation and schadenfreude, brand activism and hate and disengagement.
Practical implications
Firstly, this study highlights the need for brands to engage in the active moderation of OBCs to maintain information credibility and manage information overload. Secondly, to ensure an inclusive community environment for all members, brands need to foster a balanced forum culture and moderation that discourages heterogeneity.
Originality/value
This study is unique in conducting an in-depth analysis of the literature on the dark side of online brand communities, an area that has received little attention. This review offers new insights that would help brands effectively manage negative aspects of customer behaviours in online brand communities. For managers, this review enables brands to improve their image, reputation and customer value
Oncology Activity
No full textNoThe development of therapeutics to treat cancer is conceptually more difficult than for nonlife-threatening diseases for several reasons, including its complex pathophysiological nature, the molecular individuality of each tumor, and the robustness and predictability of preclinical models toward determining efficacy and safety. A major limitation to development of a “blockbuster” therapeutic strategy is the infinite combination of cellular and molecular perturbations and associated heterogeneity of causative genetic factors driving disease progression. Although challenging, the diversity of drug targets, coupled with the lethality of the disease, has encouraged studies of a vast array of approaches and opportunities for disease treatment over the years
The diagnostic pathway experiences of people living with rare dementia and their family caregivers: A cross-sectional mixed methods study using qualitative and economic analyses
Get PDFYesThe pathways for receiving a diagnosis of a rare type of dementia are poorly understood. Diagnostic challenges decrease access to relevant health promotion activities and post-diagnostic support. This study was focused on pathways experienced by people affected by rare dementia in Wales, United Kingdom (UK), considering the practical, emotional, and economic consequences. Semi-structured interviews were completed with 10 people affected by rare dementia across Wales, UK (nine family caregivers and one person living with rare dementia). The interview data were subject to a thematic analysis and a bottom-up costing approach was used to cost the pathway journeys. Five transitional points occurred across the diagnostic pathway (initial contact, initial referral, further referrals—provider, further referrals—private, and diagnosis) alongside two further themes (i.e., involved in the diagnostic process and disputes between stakeholders). The timeliness of the diagnosis was perceived to often be subject to ‘luck’, with access to private healthcare a personal finance option to expedite the process. Higher economic costs were observed when, in retrospect, inappropriate referrals were made, or multiple referrals were required. The confusion and disputes relating to individual diagnostic pathways led to further emotional burdens, suggesting that higher economic costs and emotional consequences are interlinked. Clearer diagnostic pathways for rare dementia may prevent unnecessary service contacts, waiting times, and associated distress. Prioritising appropriate and timely service contacts leads to diagnosis and support to families and enables people to increase control over their health. Appropriate diagnostic pathways may be less costly and reduce costs for families.This work is part of the Rare Dementia Support Impact project (The impact of multicomponent support groups for those living with rare dementia, (ES/S010467/1)) and is funded jointly by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) and the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR). ESRC is part of UK Research and Innovation. Rare Dementia Support is generously supported by the National Brain Appeal (https://www.nationalbrainappeal.org/ (accessed on 1 December 2023)). The work is also funded by the Wales Centre of Ageing and Dementia Research (CADR), a collaboration between Bangor, Swansea, and Aberystwyth universities funded by Health and Care Research Wales
Health conditions in spousal caregivers of people with dementia and their relationships with stress, caregiving experiences, and social networks: longitudinal findings from the IDEAL programme
Get PDFYesObjectives: Longitudinal evidence documenting health conditions in spousal caregivers of people with dementia and whether these influence caregivers’ outcomes is scarce. This study explores type and number of health conditions over two years in caregivers of people with dementia and subgroups based on age, sex, education, hours of care, informant-rated functional ability, neuropsychiatric symptoms, cognition of the person with dementia, and length of diagnosis in the person with dementia. It also explores whether over time the number of health conditions is associated with caregivers’ stress, positive experiences of caregiving, and social networks
Methods: Longitudinal data from the IDEAL (Improving the experience of Dementia and Enhancing Active Life) cohort were used. Participants comprised spousal caregivers (n = 977) of people with dementia. Self-reported health conditions using the Charlson Comorbidity Index, stress, positive experiences of caregiving, and social network were assessed over two years. Mixed effect models were used
Results: On average participants had 1.5 health conditions at baseline; increasing to 2.1 conditions over two years. More health conditions were reported by caregivers who were older, had no formal education, provided 10 + hours of care per day, and/or cared for a person with more neuropsychiatric symptoms at baseline. More baseline health conditions were associated with greater stress at baseline but not with stress over time. Over two years, when caregivers’ health conditions increased, their stress increased whereas their social network diminished
Discussion: Findings highlight that most caregivers have their own health problems which require management to avoid increased stress and shrinking of social networksEconomic and Social Research Council (ESRC) and the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) - grant ES/L001853/2. Alzheimer’s Society, grant number 348, AS-PR2-16-001. Sabatini was supported by an ESRC Postdoctoral fellowship (ES/X007766/1)
Evaluating team-based learning in a foundation training pathway for trainee pharmacists
Get PDFYesA new programme incorporating online study days delivered using team-based learning (TBL) for hospital-based trainee pharmacists (TPs) in the North of England was created. To our knowledge, TBL has not previously been used in educational programmes for TPs designed to supplement their workplace learning. The project aimed to investigate the experiences of TPs learning using online TBL by exploring their perceptions on their engagement, learning, and satisfaction with TBL.
Data were collected using online anonymous surveys at the end of four online TBL study days. A bespoke survey consisted of 5-point or 4-point Likert scale and two free text questions. TBL Student Assessment Instrument (SAI), a validated survey, was used to assess TPs' acceptance of TBL. Survey data was summarized descriptively, and free text comments analysed using thematic analysis.
TPs developed accountability to their team, remained engaged with TBL delivery online and stated a preference for and satisfaction with this method. TPs valued opportunities to apply their knowledge in challenging scenarios and learn from discussions with their peers, the larger group, and facilitators. TBL was also perceived to be an engaging approach to learning and helped to maintain their interest with the teaching material. However, TPs struggled to engage with pre-work outside of the class due to competing work priorities.
This study shows that online TBL was well accepted by TPs and can be successfully used to deliver education to large cohorts of learners. The model developed shows potential for scalability to larger numbers of learners.The teaching programme was funded by National Health Service England Workforce, Training, Education (NHSE WTE) (previously known as Health Education England)