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The overview effect and nature-relatedness
Get PDFClimate scientists increasingly agree that human behavior significantly contributes to global warming and biodiversity decline. Recent research emphasizes the importance of human-nature connectedness as a reliable predictor of psychological wellbeing and increased engagement in pro-environmental behavior. While evidence supports a positive correlation between human-nature connectedness and pro-environmental behavior, establishing causation remains elusive. Nevertheless, exploring this link is crucial, given its potential to enhance pro-environmental behavior. Armed with this understanding, stakeholders can design and implement successful sustainability interventions that promote wellbeing on individual and collective levels. One psychological phenomenon believed to have a strong effect on human-nature connectedness and pro-environmental behavior is “The Overview Effect,” a term used to describe the shift in awareness some astronauts experience when viewing Earth from outside its atmosphere. This pilot study explored whether a 180-degree virtual reality Overview Effect experience created by EarthscapeVR® influences human-nature connectedness and whether a correlation exists between participants’ average human-nature connectedness scores and openness to experience scores. 60 student participants took part in the study. The results showed significant increases on human-nature connectedness (p < 0.0021) in the experimental condition compared to the control group (p = 0.97), with no correlation (r = 0.137) between participants’ average human-nature connectedness scores and openness to experience scores. While these results are not conclusive and further research is necessary, the initial findings support translating the Overview Effect into virtual reality to promote human-nature connectedness in people
Automated Liquid Handling Extraction and Rapid Quantification of Underivatized Amino Acids and Tryptophan Metabolites from Human Serum and Plasma Using Dual-Column U(H)PLC-MRM-MS and Its Application to Prostate Cancer Study
Get PDFAmino acids (AAs) and their metabolites are important building blocks, energy sources, and signaling molecules associated with various pathological phenotypes. The quantification of AA and tryptophan (TRP) metabolites in human serum and plasma is therefore of great diagnostic interest. Therefore, robust, reproducible sample extraction and processing workflows as well as rapid, sensitive absolute quantification are required to identify candidate biomarkers and to improve screening methods. We developed a validated semi-automated robotic liquid extraction and processing workflow and a rapid method for absolute quantification of 20 free, underivatized AAs and six TRP metabolites using dual-column U(H)PLC-MRM-MS. The extraction and sample preparation workflow in a 96-well plate was optimized for robust, reproducible high sample throughput allowing for transfer of samples to the U(H)PLC autosampler directly without additional cleanup steps. The U(H)PLC-MRM-MS method, using a mixed-mode reversed-phase anion exchange column with formic acid and a high-strength silica reversed-phase column with difluoro-acetic acid as mobile phase additive, provided absolute quantification with nanomolar lower limits of quantification within 7.9 min. The semi-automated extraction workflow and dual-column U(H)PLC-MRM-MS method was applied to a human prostate cancer study and was shown to discriminate between treatment regimens and to identify metabolites responsible for discriminating between healthy controls and patients on active surveillance
Sociolinguistics of the spectres: Perspectives of the Ibans of Sarawak
Get PDFThis study explores the sociolinguistics of spectres within the cultural context of the Iban in Sarawak. Like many societies worldwide, the Iban view the voices of gods, ancestors, dreams, spirits, and ghosts as inherent components of both their everyday and ceremonial experiences. These voices, representing the continuum of past, present, and future, (Deumert, 2022, p. 4), are encountered through ritual practices. Contrary to Western perspectives that may dismiss such narratives as accounts of supernatural phenomena and therefore not inherently "real" or "true," this study employs the framework of the 'sociolinguistics of the spectre', (Deumert, 2018, 2022) to interpret these narrated voices as integral to the lived experiences of the Ibans. Central to this investigation are the narratives shared by nine participants regarding their ritual practices and beliefs. The study seeks to understand how the Ibans articulate their encounters with the voices of gods, ancestors, dreams, spirits, and ghosts. Moreover, it aims to explore the evolving nature of Iban ritual beliefs and practices, as well as the perspectives of the community on these changes. Adopting an insider-researcher stance, this study contributes novel insights into Iban ritual beliefs and practices. By examining the attitudes towards changing ritual dynamics within the community, it sheds light on the intricate interplay between tradition and modernity within Iban society. Through this exploration, the thesis aims to enrich our understanding of cultural dynamics and the complexities of belief systems in the contemporary world
Building towards One Health: A Transdisciplinary Autoethnographic Approach to Understanding Perceptions of Sustainable Aquatic Foods in Vietnam
Get PDFAs Vietnam navigates challenges to its animal, human, and environmental health (One Health) during rapid economic transitions, understanding local perceptions of sustainable food systems, particularly aquatic foods, is vital. This study employs a transdisciplinary, autoethnographic approach to exploring the cultural significance of aquatic food perceptions within Vietnamese com-munities. Data were primarily sourced through an autoethnographic triangulation method, involving detailed field diaries, vignettes, and interactive workshop data collected from local stake-holders. Our distinctive approach, involving researchers from environmental science, computer science, linguistics, political ecology, aquaculture, nutrition, human physiology, marketing, and accounting and accountability, as both participants and observers, illuminates the lived experiences that shape food perceptions within Vietnam’s specific food agro-ecosystems. By embedding aquatic food perceptions within the One Health framework, we identify key intersections between human, animal, and environmental health. Through cross-disciplinary narrative analysis, our study un-covers the social, political, economic, cultural, and linguistic dimensions surrounding aquatic food perceptions at local, regional, and national levels in Vietnam. Our study highlights the unique contribution of qualitative methods to addressing questions that hard data cannot answer in under-standing perceptions of aquatic foods. The study emphasizes the need for an integrated, culturally informed, and transdisciplinary approach to addressing the complex factors influencing One Health outcomes in Vietnam. This research contributes to the broader discourse on sustainable food practices and One Health initiatives, proposing culturally informed interventions aimed at enhancing ecological resilience and public health.1 2Zero HungerNo PovertyResponsible Consumption and ProductionClimate Actio
Long Term Study of Nutritionally Stimulated Atlantic Salmon (Salmo salar L.) from Different Pigment Deposition Genotypes
No full textThe rapid expansion of the Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.) farming industry, combined
with the growing shift from traditional fish meal and fish oil to alternative ingredients, highlights
the need for novel approaches to equip fish with the necessary tools to adapt successfully to
newly formulated diets. Nutritional programming refers to a phenomenon where exposure to
a specific stimulus during a critical developmental window results in lasting alterations in
structures or functions. Although previous studies have shown that a dietary stimulus can
influence fish growth and metabolism through both direct (alevin) and indirect (broodstock)
pathways in Atlantic salmon, the underlying mechanisms and the extent of these effects
throughout the productive life cycle require further investigation. This thesis examines the
progression of using either a marine- or a vegetable-based diet as nutritional stimulus, and
their impact when fish are later challenged with a vegetable-origin feed in seawater, plus
dietary interaction with fish genotype characterized by low and high pigment deposition.
Chapter 3 examined the effects of stimulus diet, genotype, and their interaction on survival,
growth, feed utilization, and the chemical composition of feed, whole fish and tissues
throughout the trial. Chapter 4 assessed the lipid and fatty acid composition of liver and
intestine at post-smolt sampling times, analysed their histomorphology, and studied the
expression of genes related to the metabolism of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids in
liver before and after the challenge phase. Chapter 5 analysed the methylation patterns in liver
throughout the trial, identifying differentially methylated sites based on dietary stimulus or
genotype, and assessed their functional enrichment and possible implications. Overall, the
results of this study offer valuable insights into the long-term effects of nutritional strategies
using vegetable-based diets for Atlantic salmon from different genotype
Secondary analysis: The Game of Stones trial
Get PDFObjective: To explore whether socio-economic, health and behavioural characteristics moderate effectiveness of a text message intervention with or without financial incentives versus a control group, and to examine differences in exploratory outcomes. Methods: Three-group randomized trial including 585 men with obesity comparing daily automated behavioural text messages for 12-months alongside financial incentives; text messages alone; or a waiting list control. Moderator analyses examined percent weight change after 12 months for 9 socio-economic and 11 health factors. Exploratory outcomes included: self-reported physical activity, sedentary behaviour, smoking and alcohol behaviours, engagement in 15 weight management strategies, and weight-management related confidence. Results: No moderator effects were found by any factors for either comparison versus control. There were no differences between groups for health behaviours. The texts with incentives group had higher levels of engagement in six strategies including weight goals, food changes and self-weighing, and higher levels of confidence compared to the control group. Conclusion: No evidence of differential intervention effectiveness was found across socio-economic, health or wellbeing status. The texts and financial incentives group showed greater engagement in weight management and favourable changes in weight management confidence compared to the control group.Additional authors: Katrina Turner, Graeme MacLenna
Cricket and Afghan Integration in Scotland: A Case Study
Get PDFThis briefing shares findings from a British Academy funded research project conducted in the North and North-East of Scotland. The research examined the way in which cricket has served as a vehicle for the integration of young people from Afghanistan in Scotland. We spoke with cricket club members, local authority representatives and third sector practitioners to build a picture of Afghan young people’s involvement in grassroots cricket. We sought to understand how sport can contribute to processes of integration that involve refugee people and other members of receiving communities.Good Health and Well-Bein
Efficacy of hand-mounted pressure sensors for in-water force analysis in high performance swimmers
Get PDFIntroduction: Kinetic analysis in swimming is the quantification of propulsive force output which has potential to improve swimming efficiency and overall swimming performance. While the kinetic analysis of the start, turn, and finish phases of swimming performance are recognised and established in the literature, kinetic analysis of the free swim phase has previously been limited due to technological constraints. Aim: This study aimed to investigate the efficacy of the Smart Paddle™ for in-water, free swim force analysis across strokes in high performance swimmers by: 1) determining intra-day absolute and relative reliability of the Smart Paddle™, 2) determining validity by objective comparison between Smart Paddle™ and manual stroke rate testing and 3) determining the sensitivity of the Smart Paddle™ to discriminate between varied intensities of swimming. Results: No significant difference in kinetic variables between T1 and T2 was determined between for any intensity or any stroke. ICC scores for all strokes were good-excellent for all intensities, CV% was <5%, and effect size was small between trials 1 and 2. No significant difference in stroke rate was observed between manual stroke count and the Smart Paddle™. Swim performance at 90% of maximum produced significantly higher results than at low work intensity (50%) for average force, impulse, and efficiency for all strokes between low and high intensities. Conclusion: The Smart Paddle™ appears to demonstrate sufficient reliability, validity, and sensitivity making it a potentially useful tool for the determination of kinetic variables in free swim performance. The Smart Paddle™ can be used in applied environments for kinetic analysis across multiple days, various strokes, and over a range of training intensities
Levels of Explanation
Get PDFThe different sciences furnish us with a wide variety of explanations: some work at macroscopic scales, some work at microscopic scales, and some operate across different levels. How do these different explanatory levels relate to one another, and what is an explanatory level in the first place? Over the last fifty years, more and more philosophers—both reductionists and anti-reductionists—have no longer subscribed to the idea that the best explanation resides at the fundamental physical level. New challenges arise from the success of scientific explanations employing multi-level models which mix levels of explanation, from distinctive differences between levels structures in biology, cognitive science and social science, from the apparently radical reimagining of the explanatory role of spacetime in our current best theories of fundamental physics, and from the enduring mystery of how higher-level explanations are possible in the first place. These questions naturally connect to classic philosophical ways of thinking about the relations between levels: reduction, emergence and fundamentality. This volume presents a snapshot of cutting-edge research on explanatory levels, from their conceptual foundations to the details of how they are used in scientific practice
Westminster Rules? The United Kingdom Internal Market Act and Devolution
Get PDFAs we mark the 25th anniversary of devolution, this research reflects on the most significant legislation impacting devolved governments— the United Kingdom Internal Market Act (UKIMA). Enacted in December 2020, authors argue UKIMA has undermined the authority and status of the devolved institutions and contributed to the erosion of intergovernmental trust. While the Act aims to ensure frictionless trade within the UK post-Brexit, it has been viewed as antagonistic to devolution, diminishing the authority of governments in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. The exclusions process for deviating from UKIMA’s market access rules lacks transparency and often allows the UK Government to override devolved decisions, creating a potential UK veto over devolved policy. Although UKIMA has fostered some cooperation, it risks stifling policy innovation at the devolved level. The new Labour Government, committed to resetting relations with devolved administrations, faces the challenge of addressing the tensions created by UKIMA. Labour did not commit to changing UKIMA in its manifesto, but this report argues that reform is essential for restoring intergovernmental trust and the authority of devolved institutions. This report provides an impartial analysis of UKIMA, its impacts, and reform options. The authors propose a range of changes to restore trust and cooperation between the UK and devolved governments, fostering a more balanced approach to policy-making across the UK
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