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Does daily happiness and nervousness differ in adolescents and young adults in three Latin American cities: An experience sampling study
Get PDFBackground:Experience Sampling Methods (ESM) have been used in clinical research to collect data on emotional and behavioural states in real life contexts among different populations. Although the use of ESM in mental health has increased, it has not been applied to larger samples of young people in disadvantaged urban settings.Objective:This study aimed to determine the extent to which mood status scores (happiness and nervous) vary during a week as a function of having or not having symptoms of depression and/or anxiety in a sample of adolescents and young adults in the cities of Buenos Aires (Argentina), Bogotá (Colombia) and Lima (Peru). A secondary objective was to identify factors associated with mood scores, including socio-demographics, quality of life, and daily activities.Methods:The study was part of the OLA research programme, which focuses on mental health resources for young people. Participants (n=143) aged 15-24 completed daily ESM assessments over a week using the mobile App. Data were analysed using multilevel linear regression to evaluate associations between depressive/anxiety symptoms, mood status variability, and factors influencing mood average. Findings: The analysis revealed that depressive and/or anxiety symptoms were not significantly associated with increased variability in mood scores. However, males exhibited greater variability in happiness and nervousness scores than females. Additionally, young people showed higher variability in nervousness than adolescents. Regarding average happiness scores, young adults reported higher average happiness than adolescents. Engaging in structured activities (e.g., sports, music lessons, dance classes) was associated with increased happiness. In contrast, instrumental activities (e.g., cleaning, shopping, meal preparation, taking medication) and work-related tasks were linked to lower happiness and higher nervousness. Quality of life was positively correlated with happiness and negatively correlated with nervousness. Finally, as for average scores, a strong negative correlation was found between happiness and nervousness.Conclusions:Our study reveals that depressive and anxiety symptoms do not significantly affect the variability in predicted happiness and nervousness scores. However, we observed that demographic factors, such as gender and age, play a role in emotional variability
What are family caregivers' experiences of coordinating end-of-life care at home? A narrative review
Get PDFPeople with life-limiting diseases, who are no longer receiving active or curable treatment, often state their preferred place of care and death as the home. This requires coordinating a multidisciplinary approach, using available health and social care services to synchronize care. Family caregivers are key to enabling home-based end-of-life support; however, the 2 elements that facilitate success - coordination and family caregiver - are not necessarily associated as being intertwined or one and the same. This narrative review explores family caregiver experiences of coordinating end-of-life care in the home setting. Studies were identified systematically following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. A search of 5 databases (CINAHL, AMED, MEDLINE, Joanna Briggs Institute for Systematic Reviews, and the Cochrane Database) was conducted using Medical Subject Headings search terms and Boolean operators. Seven hundred and eighty papers were screened. Quality assessment was conducted using the JBI Critical Appraisal Checklist for Qualitative Research. Characteristics of included studies were extracted using the Joanna Briggs Institute Qualitative Assessment and Review Instrument (JBI-QARI) extraction tool. Ten qualitative studies were included. A meta-aggregative approach was used to assemble findings and categories extracted from the included papers, which led to identification of 3 overall themes: (1) family caregiver identity, (2) strategies for care, and (3) practicalities of care. Research suggests there should be a designated care coordinator to support people nearing the end of life at home. However, this review shows that family caregivers intrinsically take on this role. Their experiences, frequently share commonalities across different cultures and regions, highlighting the universal nature of their challenges. Difficulties associated with providing home-based care are evident, but the undertaking of care coordination by relatives highlights a need for a change in approach. Future studies could explore the impact of having a designated "facilitator" or single point of contact for families, as well as the development of tailored communication strategies
Inter-rater reliability of stress signatures in exfoliated primary dentition - Improving scientific rigor and reproducibility in histological data collection
Get PDFAccentuated Lines (ALs) in tooth enamel can reflect metabolic disruptions from physiological or psychological stresses during development. They can therefore serve as a retrospective biomarker of generalized stress exposure in archaeological and clinical research. However, little consensus exists on when ALs are identified and inter-rater reliability is poorly quantified across studies. Here, we sought to address this gap by examining the reliability of accentuated (AL) markings across raters, in terms of both the presence versus absence of ALs and their intensity (HAL= Highly Accentuated, MAL= Mildly Accentuated, RL= Retzius Line). Ratings were made and compared across observers (with different levels of experience) and pairs of raters (who agreed on AL coding through consensus meetings) (N = 15 teeth, eight observers). Results indicated that more experience in AL assessment does not necessarily produce higher reliability between raters. Most disagreements in intensity ratings occurred in categories other than HAL. Furthermore, when AL assessment was performed by pairs of raters, reliability was significantly higher than individual assessments (Gwet’s AC1 = 0.28 to 0.56 for line presence assessment; Gwet’s AC1 = 0.48 to 0.64 for line intensity assessment). Based on these results, we recommend a workflow called IRRISS (Improving Reliability and Reporting In Scoring of Stress-markers) to increase rigor and reproducibility in histological analysis of dental collections. The introduction of IRRISS is well-timed, given the surge in studies of teeth occurring across anthropological, epidemiological, medical, forensic, and climate research fields
Competition Law and Financial Crime
No full textThe manipulation of any benchmark interest rate by bankers, colluding for their own gain, is likely to negatively affect a large proportion of the population, as many people have loans pegged to a benchmark interest rate. This monograph investigates the approach the UK took to enforcing action against the benchmark manipulation which took place in the London Interbank Offered Rate and the Foreign Exchange benchmark manipulation scandals. As part of this investigation, the approaches taken in the European Union and the United States of America are examined and compared to the approach taken in the UK for the same crime, to draw conclusions and make recommendations to improve the UK approach for future instances of benchmark manipulation. The work fills an important gap in the literature by comparing and evaluating the laws and enforcement policies pertaining to the use of competition law in counteracting benchmark manipulation in the UK, EU and US. It argues that competition law is an effective enforcement tool when used in the financial services sector and that it provides regulators with a wide range of enforcement options when a breach of competition law is established
“Diagnosis in the prime of your life”: Facilitator perspectives on adapting the Living Well with Dementia (LivDem) post-diagnostic course for younger adults
Get PDFThe Living Well with Dementia (LivDem) group intervention aims to support people to adjust following a diagnosis of dementia and is delivered across the UK and abroad. However, LivDem was designed for older people with dementia and may not address the needs of younger adults. This study aimed to identify the perspectives of LivDem facilitators on adapting the LivDem course for younger adults. Data was collected as part of an online facilitator survey and included questions requiring either ordinal or free-text responses. Responses from fifteen facilitators were analysed using descriptive statistics and Reflexive Thematic Analysis. The former indicated that participants believed that LivDem could be beneficial for younger adults and were in favour of it being adapted. Qualitative analysis generated two main themes, the first of which (‘The domino effect’: Unique Challenges for Younger Adults) had two subthemes: ‘Life and opportunities stripped away’ and ‘Impacting on everyone’. Theme 2, ‘Good to be with peers’: The Importance of Age-Appropriate Support, also had two subthemes: Groups ‘full of old people’ and Groups ‘specifically for younger people’. These findings reinforce the argument for creating age-appropriate services for people with young-onset dementia and will inform an adapted version of LivDem that provides age-appropriate support
Thermal colloid programming
Get PDFThis paper investigates the computational capabilities of colloidal systems, focusing on the integration of Boolean logic operations within gold nanoparticle suspensions under varying temperature conditions. As climate change, artificial intelligence, and privacy concerns present increasing challenges for massively parallel and low-power computing devices, there is a growing demand for novel computing substrates, and colloids offer a promising avenue for developing energy-efficient and locally deployable systems. Our research explores how temperature impacts the behavior of suspended nanoparticles and, consequently, their interactions and computational performance. Our findings demonstrate that colloidal systems can perform Boolean operations, which can be modulated through temperature changes. By showcasing the versatility of these systems, this study underscores the significance of exploring unconventional computing paradigms and lays the foundation for future research into liquid-based computational applications
Vision led planning - How to plan development and transport infrastructure more sustainably
Get PDFThis guide is intended to help plan development and transport infrastructure by using an approach that limits road construction and car travel – an approach that helps grow prosperity; meets decarbonisation objectives; and delivers more sustainable, accessible, equitable and healthy communities. This can help achieve the Government’s five missions to secure prosperity, reach net zero, and improve safety, opportunities and health. The guide is intended to assist everyone who is in any way connected with development and transport infrastructure planning
Empirical research on green jobs: A review and reflection with practitioners
Get PDFGreen jobs is a priority area in advancing socio-economic transitions to enhance an environmentally sustainable economy, particularly in democracies. This paper firstly provides a review of different focuses of empirical research on green jobs and then conducts focus groups with practitioners to attain their critical perspective on priority areas. Through review it was found that job creation, net job creation or other macro impact studies are most researched. Priority areas that practitioners identified for future research were green jobs metrics; research informing employment and skills plans; just transition and green jobs; barriers to green jobs and green economy
The impact of climate policy uncertainty on the dynamic connectedness among leading fish-exporting nations
Get PDFThe main objective of this research is to investigate the fisheries interconnectedness among fish-exporting nations and how the climate policy uncertainty (CPU) may affect that dynamic connectedness. Using data from January 2012 to June 2024, we conduct a two-stage analysis. In the first stage, we use a TVP-VAR model to analyze market interconnectedness. The results show that over half of the variability in export returns comes from cross-country spillovers, indicating strong global fish trade integration. Japan and Thailand are identified as key shock transmitters, while Chile and China emerge as major receivers. In the second stage, we apply DCC and ADCC-GARCH models to assess the asymmetric effects of CPU on fisheries trade. The results reveal that negative CPU shocks have a significantly stronger impact on market interconnectedness than positive shocks, suggesting that uncertainty and adverse policy shifts exert disproportionate pressure on fisheries markets. Also, the CPU has persistent, long-term effects on fisheries interconnectedness, highlighting the enduring nature of climate-related uncertainty in global trade. These findings challenge the "One Ocean Hypothesis," which has gained attention since COP25 in 2019. This study contributes to the marine economy literature by demonstrating how CPU shapes the relationships among fish-exporting nations. The results have practical implications for policymakers and industry stakeholders, surmising that climate policies in one country can influence fisheries markets worldwide
Citizen scientists’ motivation to participate in environmental DNA (eDNA) surveys: A case study on monitoring mammals in the UK
Get PDFCitizen scientists have become integral participants in biodiversity monitoring, and the demand for effective surveying efforts has sparked interest in utilizing environmental DNA (eDNA) for species monitoring, drawing volunteers into survey planning and sample collection. However, there remains a gap in understanding the motivations behind volunteer engagement in surveys that don't involve direct observations of species, including the need to validate collected data and recognize volunteer contributions to ensure their satisfaction. To address this gap, we used questionnaires to assess volunteer science capital, motivation to participate, and their experiences during eDNA sampling. We trained ten conservation volunteers, all of whom were members of the Essex Wildlife Trust, to collect eDNA samples from two rivers and a beaver enclosure to detect terrestrial and semi-aquatic mammals. Citizen scientists were highly motivated and demonstrated high science capital, enabling them to develop innovative eDNA sampling methods and take enjoyment in contributing to meaningful scientific knowledge and helping their local wildlife. Additionally, citizen scientists detected more species compared with eDNA researchers, underscoring the value of local knowledge, and the longer sampling periods associated with typical citizen scientist projects. This case study highlights the benefits of involving citizen scientists in eDNA surveys, as sharing results led to meaningful discussions about the species detected and further enriched knowledge exchange. The case study's limitations include small sample size and limited participant diversity in terms of age, gender, and ethnicity. However, the findings can inform future research with larger and more diverse participants