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Heterogeneous Effects of Monetary Policy Shocks: Evidence from the Czech Labor Market
Get PDFJEL Classification: E2, E3, E4, E5.Supporting Information is available online at: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jmcb.13262#support-information-section .Using unique contract-level data from the Czech labor market, we investigate how monetary policy shocks, identified by the high-frequency surprises in interest rate futures, affect the distribution of wages and hours worked. Consistent with existing literature, our findings indicate that low-wage groups are more impacted by these shocks than high-wage counterparts. The novelty lies in our exploration of the heterogeneous effects across different demographic and sectoral groups. Our results reveal that age, education, sector of employment, and the length of employment contracts play important roles in how wages and working hours respond to policy shocks.The authors gratefully acknowledge the financial support of the Czech Science Foundation under Grant No. GA CR 21-15530S for the project “Winners and losers: who benefits from the Czech national bank actions? The heterogeneous impact of monetary policy across firms and across households.
Effectiveness, Efficiency and Impact in Restorative Justice: Navigating the Subjective and Objective to Evidence Success
Get PDFThe international debate around institutionalisation in restorative justice reveals tensions in service evaluation between maximalist definitions advocating for professionalisation within criminal justice systems and purist definitions aiming to disrupt traditional justice systems. Evaluations offer important metrics for understanding success, but academics argue that these metrics misalign with restorative justice values. These were highlighted by academics, practitioners and those with lived experience at the UK All-Party Parliamentary Group on Restorative Justice inquiry. This research explores the criteria practitioners use to define success, builds on the inquiry recommendation and adds to academic literature by using thematic analysis of questionnaire survey data from professionals to explore their definitions of effectiveness, efficiency and impact in restorative justice. This paper aims to understand how institutionalisation impacts practitioners’ definitions and where lived experience challenges or offers new success metrics. It highlights the multi-faceted nature of success in restorative justice and identifies potential methods for evidencing success.This project was supported by a studentship funded by the Restorative Justice
Council and the University of Gloucestershire
Improving product repairability indexes by considering real user experience
Get PDFIn this Policy Brief, Dr Fabrizio Ceschin and Laura Torca-Adell reflect on the findings of their observational study on how end-users perceive and experience the repairability of small electrical devices to recommend:
• Any regulations that seek to improve the sustainability of small electrical devices should include and promote end-user self-repair.
• Product repairability indexes, which are scoring systems designed to inform consumers on how easily a product can be repaired, should distinguish between professional repairs and end-user repairs.
• Product repairability indexes for end-users should consider user-centred factors such as accessibility to internal components and ease of fault identification. They should also be based on testing with end-users.UK households throw away 155,000 tonnes of unwanted electricals each year, nearly half of which could be repaired or reused, with high professional repair cost being one of the key barriers to product repair. However, both regulations and repairability indexes focus on professional repairs rather than user self-repair.
Product repairability regulations should consider and promote end-user self-repair. Product repairability indexes should include user-centred factors and distinguish between professional repairs and end-user repairs. This will incentivise manufacturers to design products that enable end-user repair and encourage end-users to make more sustainable purchasing decisions
Quantifying dynamic coupling and fit degeneration of transtibial prosthetics using 3D motion capture
No full textBackground:
Assessing the fit and suitability of lower limb prosthetics is heavily reliant upon clinician observation and subjective feedback, often resulting in negative impacts on the comfort and quality of life of amputees. This is particularly important in the early stages of new socket fitment.
Objective:
This paper aims to use optoelectronic motion capture to measure the 5 degree of freedom coupling effectiveness of a newly fitted prosthetic limb during the adjustment period (6 weeks) of an active transtibial amputee.
Methods:
A 2-part calibration and trial data collection system was employed using Qualisys 3D motion capture, to track the relative position of limb and socket during walking trials. A single active transtibial amputee (27 male) was fitted with a new prosthetic socket and attended weekly data capture sessions using their prosthesis normally.
Results:
Here, we present evidence for alteration in prosthesis-residuum coupling performance, notably, the average proximal/distal displacement (pistoning) increased from 3.36 to 10.60 mm at week 6 from the first fit, which further increased to 12.90 mm with the use of a single prosthetic sock. Participant reported Socket Comfort Score reduced from 9 to 7 during this time.
Conclusions:
This pilot study provides new insight into the dynamic behavior of prosthetic sockets and could form the basis for larger studies determining a framework for safe and comfortable coupling limits
Stable Spikes for a Reaction-Diffusion System Modeling Color Pattern Formation
Get PDFData availability:
Data will be made available on request.We consider a reaction–diffusion system for color pattern formation with two activators and one inhibitor. Each of the activators models one of the colors being switched on, for example the first activator could represent the color blue and the second activator the color yellow. If both colors are present the pattern will have green color since the color green is achieved by a mixture of the colors blue and yellow. We prove rigorous results on the existence and stability of spikes for which one of the colors or both of them are switched on. To the best of our knowledge, this paper is the first study of spike solutions for a reaction–diffusion system with two activator and one inhibitor systems and arbitrary strength of the self-activation and cross-activation terms. We classify the different types of solutions which can exist depending on the choice of interaction parameters between the components and we show which of them are stable or unstable. In particular, solutions with spikes for both activators in the same position can be stable when cross-activation dominates over self-activation. On the other hand, solutions with a spike for only one activator and zero concentration for the other activator can be stable when self-activation dominates over cross-activation. The rigorous approach is based on analytical methods such as Green’s function, Liapunov-Schmidt reduction and nonlocal eigenvalue problems. The analytical results are confirmed by numerical simulations.The work of W. Ao is supported by NSFC no. 12471111 and National key research and development program of China no. 2022YFA1006800. The research of J. Wei is partially supported by Hong Kong General Research Fund ”New frontiers in singularity analysis of nonlinear partial differential equations”
Proprioceptive Deficits Following a Traumatic Anterior Shoulder Instability: A Systematic Review
Get PDFSupplementary Material is available online at: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666639125001592#appsec1 .This is a PDF file of an article that has undergone enhancements after acceptance, such as the addition of a cover page and metadata, and formatting for readability, but it is not yet the definitive version of record. This version will undergo additional copyediting, typesetting and review before it is published in its final form, but we are providing this version to give early visibility of the article. Please note that, during the production process, errors may be discovered which could affect the content, and all legal disclaimers that apply to the journal pertain.Background:
Proprioception, our limb awareness in space, plays a vital role in maintaining shoulder stability through neuromuscular control. Following traumatic anterior instability (TAI), proprioceptive deficits can exist, potentially impairing upper limb function. However, the extent and nature of these deficits vary, with each injury potentially presenting unique proprioceptive deficit profiles. The aim of this systematic review were to summarize the available evidence on proprioceptive deficits following TAI, compared to healthy controls, or the contralateral upper-limb.
Methods:
Literature was searched in PubMed, Scopus, Academic Search Premier, and SportDiscus databases were systematically searched from inception until December 2024. Selected articles were systematically assessed, and the methodological quality was established using the JBI Critical Appraisal Checklist. Included articles focused on TAI and conscious proprioceptive testing, including comparison with healthy controls or the unaffected arm. Data was systematically extracted concerning study design, participant demographics, type of surgery and surgical status, proprioception sub-categories, proprioception outcome measures and study findings.
Results:
Fifteen studies met the inclusion criteria, with nine scoring five or higher on the JBI Critical Appraisal Checklist, indicating a low risk of bias. Proprioceptive deficits were observed in individuals with TAI before surgery and up to 6 months post-surgery, compared to the unaffected limb and or control group, though some studies reported no significant differences. Deficits, in general, were reported as resolved eight months post-surgery. Variability in results across studies emphasized the importance of evaluating the different sub-categories of proprioception in order to identify specific proprioception deficits in a population affected by TAI.
Conclusion:
This review confirms that proprioceptive deficits are present with TAI, across proprioception sub-categories. Deficits can be identified through different proprioception outcomes; However, proprioceptive outcomes vary based on testing methods, timings, and joint angles, for example. Future research should focus on developing consistent proprioceptive outcome measures to enhance clinical reliability and applicability for clinicians working in rehabilitation.
Level of evidence:
Level IV; Systematic ReviewNo funding was disclosed by the authors
Imaging Antigen Processing and Presentation in Cancer
Get PDFAccepted manuscripts are PDF versions of the author’s final manuscript, as accepted for publication by the journal but prior to copyediting or typesetting. They can be cited using the author(s), article title, journal title, year of online publication, and DOI. They will be replaced by the final typeset articles, which may therefore contain changes. The DOI will remain the same throughout.Introduction:
Antigen processing and presentation are vital processes of the adaptive immunity. These processes involve a series of intracellular and extracellular events, including the enzymology within cells during antigen processing, the loading and presentation of antigenic peptides on major histocompatibility complexes, the recruitment of T cells, their interaction with antigen-presenting cells, and the expression of adhesion, co-stimulatory and co-inhibitory molecules at the T cell immunological synapse. These events collectively fine-tune and sustain antigen recognition and T cell function. Dysregulation of this machinery can profoundly impact the efficacy of cancer immunotherapy. Imaging technologies have emerged as powerful tools for elucidating the mechanisms underlying antigen processing and presentation. By providing complementary perspectives into the cellular and molecular interactions at play, imaging has significantly enhanced our understanding of these complex immunological events in cancer. Such insights can improve the monitoring of immunotherapy responses, facilitate the identification of effective treatments, and aid in predicting patient outcomes.
Methods:
This review explores the role of imaging in studying antigen processing and presentation in the context of cancer.
Conclusion:
It highlights key considerations for developing imaging tools and biomarkers to detect components of these pathways. Additionally, it examines the strengths and limitations of various imaging approaches and discusses their potential for clinical translation.This work was supported by a Brunel Research Initiative and Enterprise Fund and an Eric Reid Fund for Methodology to DL
Beyond Stories and Facts: On Abbas Kiarostami’s ‘Documentary Objects’
No full text‛Abbās Kiyārustamī’s work has often been praised for displaying at once formal simplicity and sophisticated emotional registers. This simplicity can be observed both in Kiyārustamī’s acclaimed narrative work and in the relatively less known documentary films that he has produced throughout his career, from Homework (1989) all the way to 24 Frames (2017), released just after his untimely death
Singing for lung health following completion of pulmonary rehabilitation: feasibility of a randomised controlled trial
Get PDFSupplementary files are available online at: https://bmjopenrespres.bmj.com/content/13/1/e003236#supplementary-materials .Background: Pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) is a highly effective intervention for people with chronic respiratory disease; however, it is not known how best to sustain its benefits. Clinical trials are needed to establish if participation in singing for lung health (SLH) groups following PR will improve health-related quality of life, healthcare utilisation and exercise capacity compared with usual care. A feasibility study would help to guide development of these trials.
Methods: In a multicentre, mixed-methods randomised controlled feasibility trial, PR participants at four sites were prescreened at baseline assessment. An SLH taster session was included routinely as part of the PR programmes. Eligible PR completers were invited to take part in the trial and randomised to usual care or a 12-week SLH course. Feasibility outcomes included recruitment rate, intervention compliance (at least 8/12 sessions) and health economic analysis. Interviews with participants and study personnel were undertaken and thematic analysis of the results was completed.
Results: Between October 2022 and November 2023, 1311 patients were assessed to start PR, 838 completed. Of those completing, 243 were ineligible to take part (predominantly due to vaccination status and excluded diagnoses for PR referral), and 531 declined. 64 people (33 female, mean (SD) age 69 (12), 41 ethnically white, 33 with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, 16 with asthma, 9 with interstitial lung disease, 6 with bronchiectasis) were recruited, with 30 (93.8%) SLH and 29 (90.6%) controls completing the study. 20 (62.5%) of the SLH group completed at least 8/12 SLH sessions. There was enthusiasm for a definitive trial from participants, clinicians and singing group leaders’ perspectives, based on positive experiences of trial involvement. Improvements to recruitment strategy, intervention structure, outcome measures and staffing were suggested.
Conclusions: A definitive randomised controlled trial of SLH post-PR appears feasible, with acceptable uptake and completion rates.
Trial registration number ISRCTN11056049
Navigating the labyrinth of drugging the disordered
No full textData availability:
No datasets were generated or analysed during the current study.Intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) and intrinsically disordered regions (IDRs) are central players in many cellular processes, which make their involvement across cellular dysregulation and diseases evident. Unlike structured proteins, they carry out their functions mainly through interactions with a variety of partners. Recent progress, from large-scale proteome studies to detailed atomic-level investigations, has shed light on how their dynamic nature shapes complex structure-function relationships. Despite this flexibility, IDPs and IDRs are also being explored as promising drug targets. However, successful therapeutic efforts first require a careful understanding of their dynamic behavior and interactions. In this review, we outline how protein disorder influences both health and disease, and highlight relentless approaches aimed at turning this flexibility into opportunities for drug discovery.Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF) grant no: CRG/2023/005671 and Department of Biotechnology grant no: RD/0118-DBT0000-008
Data sources:
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