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State intervention in the Scottish children’s hearings system : welfare, proportionality and participation
No full textIt is widely accepted that as the fundamental societal unit, the family is enti-tled to state protection. The status of the family as a protected group is recog-nised by all major international human rights instruments, which uniformly provide rights to respect for family life to ensure that established family rela-tionships are recognised and maintained. While a hallmark of democratic societies is that families are free to lead their lives without unjustified inter-ference from the state, family autonomy is not absolute. There are circum-stances under which the state is compelled to intervene in family life to pro-tect children who have suffered, or are at risk of suffering, harm in the family environment. As McGrath notes, ‘where a child’s safety is at risk or has al-ready been compromised, the state has a strong and legitimate interest in pro-tecting the child, which justifies piercing the cloak of privacy that typically surrounds the life of a family.’ Although (at times) justifiable, compulsory state intervention profoundly disrupts private family life. Child protection interventions necessarily inter-fere with family autonomy and integrity, where the fundamental rights and interests of family members are at stake and can come into conflict. This article offers a perspective on Scottish child protection, with a focus on com-pulsory state intervention pursued within the children’s hearings system (CHS). The CHS is the primary legal process for imposing child protection interventions in Scotland. It is a unique tribunal system, dealing with both non-offence and offence cases in an integrated way, and has been subject to international interest, praise and criticism during its 50-plus-year lifespan. The article provides a critical overview of the development of the CHS, exam-ining the historical prioritisation of the welfare of the child, the strengthening of due process rights by enshrining proportionality principles, and the ongoing expansion of participation rights to balance the powers of the state with the interests of family members. It argues that while there is much to be com-mended about the underlying principles of the CHS, more work must be done to reconcile those principles with the experiences of children and families who are brought within its jurisdiction
Unleashing innovation under sanctions : the catalyst of national culture
No full textThis article explores how national culture moderates the impact of economic sanctions on a targeted country's innovation performance, using a dynamic difference-in-difference approach. Our empirical analysis utilises a panel dataset spanning 213 nations from 2013 to 2019. We discover that economic sanctions generally have a detrimental effect on the innovation performance of targeted countries. However, not all types of sanctions have the same negative impact on innovation. Specifically, financial, arms, and travel sanctions exhibit this negative influence. Furthermore, we reveal that under the sanction circumstances, countries characterised by high power distance and high uncertainty avoidance cultures tend to experience a higher level of innovation performance. Our findings remain robust after conducting various tests. In our subsequent analyses, we focus on different types of sanctions and find that the favourable impact of power distance and uncertainty avoidance culture on the relationship between sanctions and innovation applies primarily to financial sanctions
A systematic review of climate change impacts on mine water resources using the UK as a case study
No full textAbandoned flooded coal mines offer potential low-carbon heating, cooling and thermal storage resources. It is widely understood that climate change will have an impact on global water resources. It follows that climate change could have an impact on mine water resources and therefore potentially affect the performance and longevity of mine water geothermal projects. We performed a systematic review of climate change impacts on mine water in the UK and found very limited research to date: two UK publications. We consequently broadened our review to climate change impacts on groundwater in the UK to gain insights into potential implications for mine water resources. Again, we found published research was limited, and the 30 UK publications we identified were largely focused on resource quantity (recharge and/or groundwater levels). Our review indicates that mine water recharge in the UK may decrease and water quality parameters may exhibit climatic variations. As these parameters are known to affect the available thermal resource and operational practices of mine water systems, we argue that specific work to examine climate change impacts on mine water resources is required to inform climate resilient and sustainable mine water systems
Narrative development in infant-mother interaction
No full textNarrative is a fundamental component of human cognition necessary for social meaning and cultural learning, yet its origins in preverbal infancy are not well understood. This study provides the first longitudinal analysis of the development of preverbal narrative in infancy. We measured its temporal structure in the interactions of 18 mother−infant dyads selected from a cohort of 60 dyads at 4, 7, and 10 months. Timings of infant gaze, affect, engagement duration, and progress through the four-part narrative cycle were coded and analyzed. Interestingly, the narrative complexity of mother−infant interactions significantly increased with age; infants at 7 and 10 months reached the climax and resolution phases significantly more often than at 4 months, while also significantly decreasing in duration. Progressing through this narrative arc was strongly associated with increased positive affect, with completed narratives generating longer durations of positive affect for both infant and mother. These results identify a coherent narrative structure present in preverbal interactions that develops in complexity across the first year, strongly associated with positive feelings. This provides an affective, embodied, and participatory foundation for narrative cognition as a primary organizer of shared experience, learning, and socioemotional regulation evident from birth
Generative AI and ESG opportunism in supply chains : a utilitarian perspective on unintended consequences for sustainability
No full textExisting research has overwhelmingly emphasized the positive effects of generative artificial intelligence (AI) on corporate environmental, social, and governance (ESG) performance, while largely neglecting the risk of dimensional imbalance in ESG resource allocation and its potential contagion across supply chains. Drawing on utilitarian theory, this study introduces the novel concept of ESG opportunism and empirically examines the impact of generative AI adoption on its emergence and intensity. Results show that generative AI significantly heightens firms’ opportunistic ESG behavior by increasing agency costs and weakening internal controls. This relationship is further amplified by stringent government environmental regulations and strong green investor preferences yet attenuated by greater analyst attention and higher-quality information disclosure. Moreover, a clear supply chain spillover effect is identified: generative AI adoption by focal firms transmits and intensifies ESG opportunism among both upstream suppliers and downstream customers. By challenging the dominant optimistic narrative surrounding generative AI’s ESG implications, this study offers timely and critical insights for establishing responsible generative AI governance throughout global supply chains
Tunable harmonic frequency combs via dual-beam or structured-target laser-solid interactions
No full textWhen an intense laser pulse strikes a flat solid target at normal incidence, only odd, equally spaced harmonics are typically generated. Using particle-in-cell simulations, we show that introducing transverse spatial modulation-either via two beams incident at small opposing angles or a single beam reflecting from a corrugated surface-produces a two-dimensional harmonic spectrum. Selecting the emission through a narrow slit isolates an angle-dependent subset of harmonics, forming a tunable frequency comb controlled by both the viewing angle and the drive-laser frequency. Distinct combs arise for s- and p-polarised emission, while increasing the focal spot size reduces divergence and improves efficiency. Additional control is achieved by varying beam frequencies, target tilt, or beam number. Replacing the dual-beam configuration with a single beam and structured surface provides equivalent functionality with significantly reduced experimental complexity
Characterizing structural variation in the shallow subsurface at the Otway Basin, Australia : challenges for environmental monitoring of geological CO2 storage
No full textEffective measurement, monitoring and verification (MMV) strategies for geological carbon storage (GCS) and other geological engineering technologies must consider subsurface uncertainties when determining the spatial coverage and resolution of a monitoring programme. MMV of any future leakage to surface or near-surface receptors requires an understanding of the uncertainties in the top 0–100 m, and it is possible that optimal sites for storage may well have non-optimal near-surface geology for characterization of shallow leakage risk. Here we present a multiscale case study of the difficulties in site characterization at such a site. In this paper, we compare field observations from a 45 km section of coastal outcrops and an inland limestone quarry to core and well logs from the Otway International Test Centre (OITC) CO2 injection project. We find that the type of faulting varies strongly with location, changing from reverse at the coast to strike-slip at the OITC. The observed variability in fault type across this region highlights the need to be cautious when using nearby faults that outcrop at the surface as indicators of local fault architecture, as any variability will impact shallow fluid migration and leakage. This work highlights the need for a better understanding of near-surface processes affecting fault zones, and better methods of geophysical characterization of the shallow subsurface, particularly as there is scale up of GCS projects worldwide
Conventional or gig employment? Insights into food delivery workers’ workforce transformation
Get PDFThis study examines motivations and challenges influencing the transformation between conventional and gig employment among food delivery workers in Hong Kong. Using a grounded theory method, 25 semi-structured interviews were conducted with workers who had experienced both employment modes. The findings showed that a complex interplay of push–pull factors, which align with psychological needs in self-determination theory, drives these workforce transitions. Workers who had abandoned conventional employment cited leadership exploitation in traditional restaurants and fast-food chains’ rigid uniform policies as push factors that undermined workers’ competence and autonomy; platform work’s flexibility and friendly environment constituted pull factors enhancing autonomy and relatedness. A distinct category of hybrid workers also emerged, who sought to diversify their income by engaging in both employment modes simultaneously. These results shed light on Hong Kong’s unique labor ecosystem and how workers navigate both forms of employment to satisfy psychological needs given the gig economy’s context-dependent duality
Contesting labour violations in Uzbekistan’s cotton fields
No full textThis article shares a co-written work and life biography of a prominent female international human rights defender working to strengthen civil society in Uzbekistan. We centre the article on the experience of Malika Nazar, who was falsely imprisoned and remains a person of interest to the authorities. Drawing on participant reflexivity interviews, a workshop and a public lecture, we contribute to the literature on coercive labour and actor agency in supply chains and Global Value Chains (GVCs) at a time of authoritarian crackdowns on activists across Uzbek society and in a context where labour rights monitors continue to face major threats and risks. The central contribution of this OtFL article is to showcase work and its tensions rooted in the Global East
Abnormal expression of miRNA-21 and other miRNAs involved in polycystic ovary syndrome and the implications for public health especially in low- and middle-income countries
No full textBackground: MicroRNAs are small non-coding RNA molecules crucial in regulating gene expression. In Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), a common endocrine disorder in women of reproductive age, miRNA-21 and other miRNAs have been consistently reported as dysregulated, contributing to its pathophysiology. In PCOS, these are commonly altered (either raised or lowered) in ovarian cells and blood and this alteration can lead to the abnormal development of follicles, inflammation and hormone imbalance, which are major issues in PCOS. As a result, a potential biomarker for this condition that is associated with considerable morbidity. The development of potential biomarkers is important in developing countries such as Pakistan with high prevalence rates of up to 52% in Pakistani women of reproductive age as well as high co-payments impacting on seeking care. This is a key public health consideration in developing countries where multiple visits may be needed before a diagnosis of PCOS is made. Consequently, there is a need to consolidate current evidence to provide future direction. Method: A systematic review including studies showing that miRNA-21 and other miRNAs are involved in dysregulation in women with PCOS, including studies analyzing ovarian tissue and blood samples, and providing public health guidance building on co-author experience. Results: 52 studies were involved in the review. The dysregulation of miRNA-21 in PCOS is associated with altered hormonal levels, particularly elevated androgens, and insulin resistance. The overexpression of miRNA-21 is believed to contribute to metabolic disturbances commonly observed in PCOS patients. Overall, miRNAs have emerged as potential biomarkers for diagnosing PCOS due to their significant role in associate metabolic and hormonal alterations. Conclusion: The findings from provide valuable insights into the mechanisms of PCOS and the potential for miRNA-21as a biomarker and therapeutic target. This is crucial in developing countries such as Pakistan to address the challenges associated with diagnosing and managing PCOS. Other approaches are also needed to improve the mental health, and reduce morbidity, in this vulnerable group
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