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Ideological idiosyncrasies and individual-level radicalisation pathways: unpacking the mutating dynamics of contemporary extremism
Get PDFThe rise of ‘mixed’ forms of extremism, particularly esoteric variations that defy conventional ideological boundaries, presents significant conceptual and regulatory challenges. These non-doctrinal forms, characterised by a fluid bricolage of attitudes, beliefs, and identity constructs, transcend existing policy-defined ideological categorisations and pose a complex threat. While extremist phenomena such as inceldom and misogynistic-driven violence have been more recently studied, the broader ecosystem of converging and seemingly disparate threads of extremism remains underexplored. Addressing this gap, this paper illuminates the evolving landscape of radical(ising) pathways and calls for a broadening of radicalisation research to include an exploration of the role and significance of idiosyncratic modes of extremist engagement. It further seeks a deeper understanding of the relational and emotional dimensions of radicalisation, foregrounding the fluid, heterogeneous, and often unpredictable nature of individual-level pathways. By examining these factors, this paper challenges the simplifications embedded in conventional categorisations of ideology and critiques the Prevent Strategy’s capacity to respond to the mutating dynamics of contemporary extremism, arguing for adaptive frameworks that acknowledge and engage with the complex interplay of personalised agency, shifting structural conditions, and the fluid architecture of evolving radical(ising) ecosystems
Fluency for Success, Extensive Reading: Reading in English for Pleasure for International Students
No full textBeyond the 15-minute city: Methodological lessons for proximity-based planning from two English case studies
Get PDFThe 15-minute city (15MC) popularises an older idea: that everyday destinations should be within a short, walkable or cyclable distance. Treating that idea more broadly as proximity-based planning, this study examines two English case-studies − Toxteth in Liverpool and the local authorities of Manchester and Salford. Using a combination of computerised traffic sensing, GIS service-access mapping and resident co-design workshops, the study shows that a multidisciplinary perspective and multi-method approaches are necessary to fully understand and implement proximity-based planning ideas. Our research underscores that there is no one-size-fits-all solution, and the importance of tailored, flexible, and context-sensitive methodological approaches are critical for proximity-based principles to succeed. The study reflects on how urban planners can combine these methods in practice to support proximity-based planning. We suggest that future efforts should focus on addressing socio-economic disparities, enhancing public engagement, building coalitions with key agencies, and refining/tailoring methodologies to better align with local conditions
Prescribing for hypertension
Get PDFDeborah Robertson provides an overview of recently published articles that may be of interest to non-medical prescribers. Should you wish to look at any of the papers in more detail, a full reference is provide
The role of MYC and Cyclin D1 promoter activity in regulating cancer stemness and senescence in breast cancer cells
No full textCancer stem cells (CSCs) are a small, but specialized cell subpopulation within tumours, defined by their self-renewing nature and capability to drive tumour proliferation, therapy resistance and relapse. Recent evidence shows that CSCs are more dependent on mitochondrial metabolism, highlighting the critical role of mitochondria in providing energy required for CSC survival and function via oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS).Despite the well-established role of CSCs in tumour progression, their efficient targeting and elimination remain a major challenge in clinical oncology. Therefore, identifying specific molecular mechanisms that regulate CSCs properties would provide novel therapeutic approaches to eradicate these cells and prevent tumour recurrence. MYC and Cyclin D1 are two key oncogenes that promote cell cycle and metabolism, but their direct role in CSC maintenance requires further investigation. The aim of this study is to examine the effect of MYC and Cyclin D1 promoter activities on regulating CSC-like properties, cell cycle progression, and metabolic heterogeneity in breast cancer.For this purpose, MCF-7 cells were transduced with either MYC or Cyclin D1 promoters using a GFP-reporter system, and the top 5% GFP-High and bottom 5% GFP-Low subpopulations were isolated by fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) to characterise the behaviour of these cells. Our findings revealed that GFP-High cells showed greater ability to form mammosphere and upregulation of CSC markers, CD44 and OCT4, confirming their enhanced stem-like properties. They also exhibited enhanced cell cycle progression, as indicated by increased cell proportions in the S and G2/M phases of the cell cycle, along with metabolic reprogramming supported by elevated mitochondrial mass, ATP levels, and oxidative phosphorylation.To validate these findings in an aggressive breast cancer model, similar experiments were conducted in MDA-MB-231 cells, and a migration assay was also performed to assess cell motility. High MYC and Cyclin D1 promoter activities were shown to significantly enhance cell migration, indicating their contribution to cancer aggressiveness. Furthermore, shRNA knockdown of MYC and Cyclin D1 in MCF-7 cells significantly reduced mammosphere formation and mitochondrial function, confirming the role of these oncogenes in CSC regulation.Based on these findings, and considering the clinical challenge of palbociclib resistance, the study further investigated how MYC and Cyclin D1 promoter activities influence the senescence response to palbociclib treatment in MCF-7 cells. Analysis of palbociclib-treated cells revealed greater proliferation and self-renewal potential in GFP-Low subpopulation, consistent with senescence escape. In contrast, GFP-High cells were arrested in G2/M and displayed enhanced autophagy, lysosomal mass, ATP levels, and mitochondrial membrane potential, suggesting metabolic adaptations that support the senescent state.Our findings establish a dual role for MYC and Cyclin D1 promoter activities in regulating CSC-like features and metabolic reprogramming, while also modulating cellular responses to senescence, highlighting their potential as therapeutic targets in breast cancer
Nurse Educators’ Experiences in Delivering Primary Healthcare Teaching in Undergraduate Nursing Education in Tanzania: An Interpretive Phenomenological Study
No full textABSTRACTBackground: Nursing curriculum that focus on primary healthcare have potential to significantly improve health outcomes and address the broader healthcare challenges in sub-Saharan Africa, including Tanzania. As recommended by the World Health Organisation, the inclusion of primary healthcare in undergraduate nursing programmes is crucial for equipping future nurses with the required skills to prevent illness and promote health. The role of nurse educators is essential in preparing nursing students for real-world scenarios however, a gap exist between classroom learning and practical application of primary healthcare competencies. The reasons for this theory-practice gap remains insufficiently explored while innovative teaching methods have been suggested as a promising approach to bridge this gap to enhance primary healthcare competencies. However, in sub-Saharan Africa, there has been reports of lack of evidence-based innovative teaching approaches for primary healthcare to bridge this gap. The current limited literature on the subject matter from low- and middle-income countries indicates that nurses may be inadequately equipped for roles in health promotion and disease prevention. Anecdotal evidence from key stakeholders in Tanzania has highlighted a similar gap in primary healthcare education.Aim: This study aimed to explore the lived experiences of nurse educators regarding the delivery of primary healthcare teaching in undergraduate nursing education in TanzaniaMethod: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with five nurse educators for undergraduate nursing programme in a Tanzanian university. Interpretative phenomenological analysis methodology was used to interpret the data collected from the interviewees. Findings: Significant inadequacies in the preparation of nurse educators exist. The inadequacies left educators feeling poorly equipped to effectively teach primary healthcare. Systemic barriers, including limited resources, insufficient community placements and outdated teaching methods, exacerbated these challenges. In addition, cultural barriers and the lack of a clear evidence base further complicated their efforts, causing confusion and uncertainty about how best to approach primary healthcare education. These combined factors contributed to a gap between intended educational outcomes and the actual preparedness of nursing graduates for primary healthcare practice. Conclusion: There is the need for comprehensive educational reforms to enhance delivery of primary healthcare nursing education. Neglecting to address the challenges encountered by nurse educators may have serious consequences for nursing practice, healthcare systems and community health outcomes. Furthermore, inadequately prepared nurses have the potential to hinder efforts to achieve equitable health outcomes and universal health coverage, particularly in resource-limited settings such as Tanzania.Keywords: Primary Healthcare, Nursing Education, Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis, Nurse Educators
Exploring employee perceptions on the role of artificial intelligence in HRM and considerations for it’s ethical adoption: a focus on employee empowerment in hybrid workplace contexts
No full textAcademic evidence supports that disruptive technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) heavily influence the workplace currently and in the future. However, non-technical professionals and key stakeholders in workplace design, such as human resource managers, have very limited knowledge about the nature and design of these systems, as well as their potential impact on employees and qualitative work outcomes. Given that the direct correlation between engagement and productivity makes engaged employees essential to any organization, it is critical to investigate how to support and protect employee engagement, particularly around employee empowerment, in the modern workplace. This study examines this human-system interaction within the context of a hybrid workplace, which manifests itself in boundaryless geography and flexible work patterns. In a bid to understand how AI systems are perceived and adopted in the workplace as well as factors impacting their adoption processes. This research utilizes the social-technical systems theory, enhancing the field of human resource management technology by filling in gaps in existing literature on the relationship between AI and employee engagement. Additionally, it aimed to create a roadmap useful for validating the ethical adoption of AI in employee management. This thesis contributes to theory by adopting an integrated theoretical framework that encapsulates the varying dimensions and considerations in complex system adoption, such as AI, in traditionally social domains. To achieve this, the study adopted a mixed-method approach, following the participation of 108 knowledge-based employees who work a hybrid or fully remote pattern of work and who were recruited based on their organizations' access to AI technologies in an aspect of their operation. Consequently, the quantitative data findings reveal a significant statistical relationship between the adoption of AI and a decrease in employee engagement (empowerment), as well as a correlation between AI acceptance and an increase in employee empowerment. Furthermore, the in-depth qualitative analysis of these findings reveals several factors, such as concerns around micromanagement, systemic failure, and the need for efficiency-based benefits, as some of the factors shaping employee perception of AI adoption. As well as factors such as embedded human-centric approaches to AI design, developing clear communication channels, developing a data compliance framework, and clear policy development, as some of the factors to be considered when developing ethical AI systems. By implication, the study reveals a correlation between employee engagement and workplace outcomes and indicates that the manner in which the technology is adopted is as or if not more important than, understanding the capabilities of the technology. Therefore, there is a need for a concerted and very curated people management strategy even in the deployment of these AI technologies
Generating Energy from Waste in Nigeria: Factors that will make it Successful
No full textAbstractWaste management is a significant issue currently confronting Nigerian cities. With the high rate of population growth and the migration of individuals to urban areas in search of employment and a higher standard of living, the amount of waste generated has escalated, becoming a burden for the waste management agencies in these urban regions. These agencies struggle to adequately handle and manage waste across various urban centres in Nigeria due to insufficient resources. Consequently, waste is indiscriminately disposed of on the streets, drains, water bodies, and incomplete buildings. Nigeria, like many other parts of the world, has faced an energy crisis owing to its inability to generate enough power to meet the rising demand of its growing population. Waste-to-energy is a potential solution to both the energy crisis and the waste problem. Therefore, waste should not be a problem if managed correctly and utilised to generate energy. Harnessing waste for energy generation serves two purposes simultaneously: it functions as a method for waste management and acts as a source of energy. However, a study needs to be conducted on the implementation of WtE in Nigeria to avoid the usual failure that often characterises many projects in Nigeria and WtE projects in some countries. This study investigates the factors that can make waste-to-energy successful in Nigeria. It examines the performance of other countries' waste-to-energy systems and investigates what they have done right or wrong to achieve the outcome of their WtE performance. This study can serve as a guide to prevent the failure of waste-to-energy projects in Nigeria and mitigate the financial losses associated with project failures.The study employs a mixed-methodological approach, and both primary and secondary data were collected through literature reviews, semi-structured interviews, questionnaires, case studies, and observations. The data are triangulated to get a better outcome.Results show that several factors influence the performance of waste-to-energy facilities. The study highlighted many failed waste-to-energy projects to learn from. The study results show that technical, environmental, policy and regulatory, social, economic and other factors affected waste-to-energy and are potential barriers to implementing waste-to-energy in Nigeria. The technical aspects include poor waste quality due to poor waste management, which results in poor waste feedstock, wrong technology selection, lack of technical know-how for operation and maintenance, inability to manage the facility and susceptibility of a facility to corrosion. Environmental factors include environmental pollution. Policy and regulatory factors include the absence of policies on waste management and policies for waste-to-energy, poor or non-implementation of policies, and inadequate enforcement of waste policies and regulations. Social factors that affect the success and implementation of waste-to-energy include public opposition, lack of interest of the private sector in WtE business, non-involvement of professionals in waste management, non-regulation and non-recognition of the informal waste management sector. There are also the issues of high capital requirements and operational costs, which make it challenging to start an investment in WtE. Other factors include waste availability, location of the facility, and facility size. With the knowledge of the factors affecting the success of WtE and its implementation, a decision-making framework is developed to aid the implementation of waste-to-energy in Nigeria
Occupational therapists’ attitudes and engagement with evidence based practice: the application in education and practice
No full textIntroductionEvidence Based Practice (EBP) evolved from Evidence Based Medicine (EBM) in the late 1980s and early 1990s and was first defined by Sackett et al. as “the conscientious, explicit, and judicious use of current best evidence in making decisions about the care of individual patients.” EBP is driven by the growing public and professional demand for accountability in safety and quality improvement in healthcare and aims to standardise healthcare practices and reduce illogical variation in care, which is known to result in unpredictable health outcomes. EBP has been adopted and developed by other healthcare professions, including Occupational Therapy (OT), and is now regarded as standard practice in modern healthcare.BackgroundOTs have a positive attitude toward EBP, but the literature reports that these attitudes do not translate into practice due to several perceived barriers, including lack of time, education, experience, and research. Professional bodies have developed EBP guidelines to support OT, and there are several interprofessional models and frameworks to enable EBP. However, there are too few guidelines for the range of OT practice, with little evidence in the literature of the utilisation of EBP frameworks and models by OTs. The literature recommends training and education to enable EBP in OT, but it is not sufficient in itself, and a wider approach encompassing EBP training within organisational policies and connecting with universities and OT researchers is more effective in creating engagement with EBP. ResearchThere is a lack of qualitative research in OT and EBP, and there is a need for a deeper understanding of the training, education and application of the EBP process in OT, what enables engagement with EBP and how this is applied in practice. MethodThis study utilised a qualitative semi-structured interview design to collect data from 20 participants, which included practicing occupational therapists, undergraduate BSc occupational therapy students and OT lecturers who taught evidence based practice. Data was gathered through online video interviews via MS Teams and written notes and audiovisual recordings taken at the time of the interviews. The data was then transcribed, inputted into NVivo and analysed using thematic analysis. FindingsThis study identified a perceived inconsistency in EBP training throughout the life cycle of OT from undergraduate training to qualification, with limitations to undergraduate EBP training modules, a practice theory gap in practice placement experiences for students and a lack of EBP continuing professional development education for postgraduate OTs. However, OTs were found to be applying EBP and challenging the literature that says OTs have a positive attitude toward EBP, but these attitudes do not translate into practice. There was the ongoing challenge of finding and using evidence for practice, and OTs and students identified several ways to practically support them in the application of EBP.ConclusionsUndergraduate BSc OT curricula need to consider a more integrated approach to EBP using a vertical constructive training approach rather than stand-alone modules. Increased postgraduate training opportunities at HEIs and integrating EBP training into fieldwork educator training programmes are recommended. Healthcare employers should consider further EBP training through their healthcare library and knowledge workforce, and further condition-specific evidence based clinical practice guidelines that would benefit OTs and OT students are required
Shaping future soundscapes: Affective impact of unmanned aircraft systems noise in urban environments
Get PDFThis study explores the soundscape impact of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) noise in an urban park using soundwalks in two urban park areas: one with prominent traffic noise from a nearby thoroughfare, and the other behind a row of tall pine trees with much diminished traffic noise and more prominent sounds of nature. Objective measurements and subjective responses reveal that takeoff and landing events have greater impact than flyovers, with stronger effects at lower altitudes. UAS noise significantly affects pleasantness and eventfulness in the quieter area, while the noisier area shows smaller perceptual changes. Despite greater differences in the quieter area, pleasantness levels remained higher than in the noisier, suggesting a compensatory effect of ambient noise. Detectability and tonality negatively correlated with pleasantness changes, while impulsiveness correlated positively with absolute pleasantness, likely due to ambient scene characteristics rather than UAS noise itself. The study highlights the importance of considering the background ambience in moderating the perception of UAS noise. [Abstract copyright: © 2025 Acoustical Society of America.
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