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Mexican metropolis, Mexican regional city : a study in metropolitan and urban imaginaries
Get PDFIn urban studies, the number of comparisons between large capital cities (whether ‘global cities’ or ‘mega-cities’) and regional centres have grown in the wake of globalizing tendencies since the 1990s. Scholars in the social sciences approaching this problem from different disciplinary backgrounds must confront fast-changing figurations of urban spaces, which have been challenging to theorize effectively and to research empirically. The ‘rise’ of regional centres as foci for policy making and economic and cultural development has been a key feature of many figurations of metropolises, city-regions, and regional cities. This article brings to this contemporary context of rapid urban change and challenges in urban planning two specific theoretical approaches. The article uses theories of metropolitan imaginaries and urban imaginaries to conceptualize and illuminate the distinctiveness of metropolises compared to smaller regional cities. The term “imaginary” is conceived here as a source that sparks patterns of city formation. Following the definition of key terms, I explore the two conceptual approaches and apply them in a case study in Mexico. Re-theorizing metropolitan imaginaries by examining the theories of Cornelius Castoriadis and urban imaginaries in the work of Néstor García Canclini, this article makes a case for distinguishing metropolitan from regional cities on the basis of their varying imaginaries. Arguing that metropolises are characterized by three processes emerging from (or sparked by) the metropolitan imaginary, I pinpoint migration, the metropolitan character of urban design, and the production of heritage as the basis of the imaginary creation of the metropolis as a formation of larger and more significant magnitude. I examine this metropolitan imaginary in the case of Mexico City. Then I move to explore the urban imaginary of regional Veracruz City. Aspects of the imaginary institution of both cities and their spatial relationships are discussed in the context of the overall argument that smaller regional cities are generated from urban imaginaries, while metropolitan imaginaries are the creative sources that sparks large scale metropolises like Mexico City. From the two imaginaries emerge distinct spatial patterns of migration, different heritage regimes, and variations in the development of built structures that give metropolises and regional cities divergent contexts and scales of social creation. © The Author(s) 2025
Optimal design of a multi-level fuzzy controller using a multi-objective particle swarm optimization algorithm
No full textIn the present study, a novel multi-level fuzzy control scheme is introduced and optimized by a multi-objective algorithm to determine Pareto fronts of conflicting objective functions. Against traditional techniques, a fuzzy controller is designed to stabilize the system, while a supervisory controller is employed to handle the uncertainties. In order to challenge the performance of the suggested idea, it is applied for stabilization of a nonlinear under-actuated two degree-of-freedom inverted pendulum system. The minimized objective functions are the normalized error of the pendulum angle as well as the normalized error of the cart position. Results on the found non-dominated solutions and system states clearly illustrate the superiority of the proposed optimization algorithm and designed control method in comparison with the well-known approaches introduced in literature
Developing safewards secure for mental health prison units using a nominal group technique
No full textThe introduction of Safewards has resulted in the reduction of conflict and containment in general mental health units, and an adaptation has been developed for secure hospitals in forensic mental health services. Forensic mental health nurses working in bed-based prison mental health units could benefit from having a model to assist conflict and containment reduction in their unique context. The aim of this study was to develop a version of Safewards for bed-based prison mental health nurses. A literature review was conducted to identify relevant features of bed-based prison mental health units including flashpoints, and staff and consumer modifiers. A summary of the review was presented to participants prior to a Nominal Group Technique (NGT) with nurses and other disciplines (working in bed-based prison mental health units) (n = 12). The NGT was used to elicit feedback about the proposed model and achieve agreement on several questions related to the proposed version. Data collected were analysed thematically. Two themes were interpreted: (1) ‘Square peg, round hole’: the stark difference between custodial and Forensic Mental Health staff values and aims; and (2) nothing can happen without custodial staff support. Consensus was reached on all suggested changes/additions to the model. Findings support the need for an adapted version of Safewards (Safewards Secure-Custodial Mental Health) to assist nurses working in this setting. However, modifiers for custodial staff require development and collaboration with Correctional services will also be essential for successful implementation in this setting. © 2025 The Author(s). International Journal of Mental Health Nursing published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd
Acute care nurses' partnership with patients to recognise and respond to changes in patients' clinical states : a qualitative study
No full textAim: To explore and describe acute care nurses' partnership with patients to recognise and respond to changes in patients' clinical states. Acute care nurses' decisions to partner with patients to recognise deterioration in clinical states and to respond by activating a rapid response system improves patient outcomes. Acutely unwell patients can also experience clinical changes that include improvement and deterioration that does not trigger rapid response system activation over the course of hospitalisation from illness and treatment. How acute care nurses partner with patients in response to improvement and deterioration not triggering a rapid response system is not well-understood. Design: An exploratory, descriptive study underpinned by Tanner's Clinical Judgement Model. Methods: Using purposive and quota sampling, 20 nurses with direct patient care responsibilities on one medical and one surgical ward in a large Australian hospital were recruited. Nonparticipant observations followed by semistructured interviews were conducted between January and May of 2021. Nurse–patient interactions were observed for 4 h, and verbally described and recorded. Semistructured interviews were recorded and explored nurses' reasoning behind decisions observed. Reflexive thematic analysis was used to analyse the data. Results: Three themes were identified from the data: nurses checking in for changes; nurses forming judgements; and nurses partnering with patients to respond. Acute care nurses promoted subjective assessment based on patients' safety risks. Patients' participation in response to changes was prioritised based on acute care nurses' judgement of safety. Conclusion: Patients receive significant safety benefits when acute care nurses partner with patients in response to their experience of improvement and deterioration during acute illness. Further research should evaluate the sensitivity of subjective cues in patient assessment. Implications for the Profession and Patient Care: Partnership with patients in assessment and management of improvement and deterioration improves the quality and safety of patient care. Assessment frameworks should equally prioritise the use of objective and subjective cues. Nursing education should promote the safety benefits of patient partnerships in responding to patient changes. Reporting Method: Equator checklist COREQ. Patient or Public Contribution: Data collected included description of patients' interactions with study participants. © 2024 The Author(s). Journal of Advanced Nursing published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd
An analysis of systemic incident investigation methodologies applied in serious injury or fatality events : a rapid systematic review
No full textObjective: This rapid review examines studies that have applied an accident causation analysis method building upon the seminal systematic review conducted by Hulme et al. (2019). Study design: A rapid review of the literature. Methods: The following databases, Scopus, EBSCO, Academic Search Compete, CINAHL Complete, MEDLINE, APA PsycArticles, APA PyscINFO, Business Source Ultimate, Business Source Complete, Web of Science and Science Direct were searched for articles that were published from 2019 to June 2023. Eligible studies applied accident analysis modelling to serious injury and fatalities across a variety of industries. Results: A total of five papers met the inclusion criteria of the rapid review. The studies applied a variety of accident causation models from single large-scale accidents to multiple accident analysis originating predominately from manufacturing industries. The data continued to support the evidence of accident causation analysis models focus on errors, malfunctions, and deficiencies rather than a whole of systems approach and remained complex and difficult to interpret. Based upon the core elements of existing models and following the rapid review of the literature, a novel accident causation analysis approach called the SCALE® Process Model was introduced. Conclusion: There is need to further explore research-based incident analysis reporting systems that can be applied across a variety of industries and disciplines. The SCALE® Process Model uses systemic techniques to provide a deeper understanding of how multiple factors contribute to the severity of an event aiding in reducing the incidence of serious injuries and fatalities. © 2025 Federation University Australi
Meaghan Shelton a kind of speaking interweaving familial knowledge : crafting interior landscapes of the feminine through time
No full textSAT 14 JUN - SAT 21 JUN 2025 Please join us to celebrate the exhibition opening with the artist, and guest speaker, Emily Wakeling, Curator, Art Gallery of Ballarat, on Fri 13 Jun @ 5.30, for 6pm. All welcome! Tracing symbolic links between craft, memory, ecology, and feminine agency, Meaghan Shelton's new work and PhD exhibition, contributes to new conversations at the intersection of creative practice, feminist thinking, and contemporary visual culture. Adopting a feminist framework, Shelton redresses traditional connections and inner landscapes of the feminine, unravelling historical conflations of women and their sense of self as cultural 'others'. Shelton not only exposes historically marginalised female experiences but reimagines these inequalities in an effort to make them visible. Drawing on threads of women’s experiences across time, referencing traditional art historical narratives and representations of women, Shelton seeks to communicate women’s knowledge embedded in domestic craft. A transdisciplinary artist, working at the nexus of art/craft practice, across painting, sculpture and textiles, Shelton also seeks to activate women’s agency and provide the opportunity for individual and generational healing. Meaghan Shelton is supported by the Australian Government Research Training Program (RTP) Stipend and RTP Fee- Offset Scholarship through Queensland University of Technology. Image: Meaghan Shelton Folly, 2024 oil & resin on Belgian linen 60 x 60 cm Courtesy the artis
Normative variability in retinal nerve fiber layer thickness : does it matter where the peaks are?
No full textPurpose: Retinal nerve fiber layer thickness (RNFLT), a glaucoma biomarker, has a wide normative range affecting its sensitivity and specificity for abnormality detection. The interindividual RNFLT peak location variability contribution to this wide normative range has not been directly evaluated. The purpose of this study is to assess the effect of RNFLT peak normalization (PN) on normative variability. Methods: Circumpapillary RNFLT profiles at 1.7 mm radius from the optic nerve head (ONH) were re-sampled from optical coherence tomography (OCT) volumes (Cirrus HD-OCT, 200 × 200) obtained from one eye of 83 healthy individuals. Fovea-ONH axis (FOA) was calculated from corresponding scanning laser ophthalmoscope images. Supratemporal (ST) and infratemporal (IT) RNFLT peaks of each profile were aligned to respective average peak locations. Normative ranges were calculated by averaging individual profiles before and after PN (with and without FOA to horizontal image axis (HA) alignment). Results: RNFLT-PN resulted in an overall decrease in coefficient of variation (CoV) of the normative range by 4.2% (P = 0.02). CoV was reduced by more than 10% in clock-hours 10 (11.9%), 8 (10.6%), 6 (10.4%) after PN, and 7 (16.3%), 10 (11.4%), and 12 (10.4%) after PN with FOA-HA alignment. RNFLT-PN corrected for abnormality categorization because of peak misalignment in RNFLT profiles of healthy and glaucoma suspect subjects. Conclusions: RNFLT-PN reduces normative variability, especially in the ST and IT regions. Translational Relevance: RNFLT-PN reduces normative variability and improves sectoral abnormality categorization, potentially leading to better sensitivity and specificity of RNFLT measure in glaucoma detection. © 2025 The Authors
Global, regional, and national burden of asthma and atopic dermatitis, 1990–2021, and projections to 2050 : a systematic analysis of the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021
No full textBackground: Asthma and atopic dermatitis are common allergic conditions that contribute to substantial health loss, economic burden, and pain across individuals of all ages worldwide. Therefore, as a component of the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 2021, we present updated estimates of the prevalence, disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs), incidence, and deaths due to asthma and atopic dermatitis and the burden attributable to modifiable risk factors, with forecasted prevalence up to 2050. Methods: Asthma and atopic dermatitis prevalence, incidence, DALYs, and mortality, with corresponding 95% uncertainty intervals (UIs), were estimated for 204 countries and territories from 1990 to 2021. A systematic review identified data from 389 sources for asthma and 316 for atopic dermatitis, which were further pooled using the Bayesian meta-regression tool. We also described the age-standardised DALY rates of asthma attributable to four modifiable risk factors: high BMI, occupational asthmagens, smoking, and nitrogen dioxide pollution. Furthermore, as a secondary analysis, prevalence was forecasted to 2050 using the Socio-demographic Index (SDI), air pollution, and smoking as predictors for asthma and atopic dermatitis. To assess trends in the burden of asthma and atopic dermatitis before (2010–19) and during (2019–21) the COVID-19 pandemic, we compared their average annual percentage changes (AAPCs). Findings: In 2021, there were an estimated 260 million (95% UI 227–298) individuals with asthma and 129 million (124–134) individuals with atopic dermatitis worldwide. Asthma cases declined from 287 million (250–331) in 1990 to 238 million (209–272) in 2005 but increased to 260 million in 2021. Atopic dermatitis cases consistently rose from 107 million (103–112) in 1990 to 129 million (124–134) in 2021. However, age-standardised prevalence rates decreased—by 40·0% (from 5568·3 per 100 000 to 3340·1 per 100 000) for asthma and 8·3% (from 1885·4 per 100 000 to 1728·5 per 100 000) for atopic dermatitis. In 2021, there were substantial variations in the burden of asthma and atopic dermatitis across different SDI groups, with the highest age-standardised DALY rate found in south Asia for asthma (465·0 [357·2–648·9] per 100 000) and the high-income super-region for atopic dermatitis (3552·5 [3407·2–3706·1] per 100 000). During the COVID-19 pandemic, the decline in asthma prevalence had stagnated (AAPC pre-pandemic –1·39% [–2·07 to –0·71] and during the pandemic 0·47% [–1·86 to 2·79]; p=0·020); however, there was no significant difference in atopic dermatitis prevalence in the same period (pre-pandemic –0·28% [–0·33 to –0·22] and during the pandemic –0·35% [–0·78 to 0·08]; p=0·20). Modifiable risk factors were responsible for 29·9% of the global asthma DALY burden; among them, high BMI was the greatest contributor (39·4 [19·6–60·2] per 100 000), followed by occupational asthmagens (20·8 [16·7–26·5] per 100 000) across all regions. The age-standardised DALY rate of asthma attributable to high BMI was highest in high-SDI settings, whereas the contribution of occupational asthmagens was highest in low-SDI settings. According to our forecasting models, we expect 275 million (224–330) asthma cases and 148 million (140–158) atopic dermatitis cases in 2050, with population growth driving this increase. However, age-standardised prevalence rates are expected to remain stable (–23·2% [–44·4 to 5·3] for asthma and –1·4% [–9·1 to 7·0] for atopic dermatitis) from 2021 to 2050. Interpretation: Although the increases in the total number of asthma and atopic dermatitis cases will probably continue until 2050, age-standardised prevalence rates are expected to remain stable. A considerable portion of the global burden could be managed through efforts to address modifiable risk factors. Additionally, the contribution of risk factors to the burden substantially varied by SDI, which suggests the need for tailored initiatives f r specific SDI settings. The growing number of individuals expected to be affected by asthma and atopic dermatitis in the future suggests that it is essential to improve our understanding of risk factors for asthma and atopic dermatitis and collect disease prevalence data that are globally generalisable. Funding: Gates Foundation. © 2025 Elsevier Ltd. **Please note that there are multiple authors for this article therefore only the name of the first 30 including Federation University Australia affiliates “Alif Sheikh and Muhammad Aziz Rahman” are provided in this record*
Effectiveness of novel hybrid mangrove living shorelines is context dependent
No full textNovel designs of hard structures can address challenges to mangrove survival and serve as effective hybrid nature-based coastal protection. However, a limited understanding of how structures affect mangrove survival may lead to ineffective applications of techniques across diverse environments, potentially resulting in mangrove planting failures. To test how ecologically engineered planting pods may enhance mangrove survival and facilitate natural recruitment, we deployed them at three sites experiencing erosion in Victoria, Australia. We then planted propagules and seedlings inside the pods and on the onshore side and monitored their survival and growth over time. Mangrove pods were effective in Altona (bare mudflats with sparse mangroves naturally present) when Avicennia marina seedlings were planted inside the pods and on the onshore side of pods and in the short term for those planted inside the pods at Lang Lang (bare mudflats without historical mangrove presence). However, they were ineffective for A. marina planted at Grantville (bare mudflats that previously supported mangroves), although they may facilitate natural propagule accumulation. Synthesis and applications. Our study highlights that the effectiveness of hybrid planting techniques is highly context dependent. The loss or absence of mangroves and other vegetative species may result in processes that challenge mangrove survival, in which the planting pods may not be able to overcome. These findings underscore the need for a better understanding of mangrove survival thresholds at different life stages and the ecological factors that influence them, such as historical mangrove presence. Refining the design of hybrid structures to account for site-specific factors will be key to improving their effectiveness. Rather than a stand-alone solution, these techniques should be considered as part of a broader range of interventions, integrated alongside other restoration and coastal protection strategies to maximise ecological and protective benefits across diverse coastal settings. © 2025 The Author(s). Journal of Applied Ecology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of British Ecological Society
High pathogenicity avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 virus detected in brown Skua using portable laboratory while at sea in Antarctica
No full textWe report the draft genome sequence of a high pathogenicity avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 clade 2.3.4.4b virus found in a brown skua (Stercorarius antarcticus) on Torgersen Island, which was detected and sequenced in situ using a portable laboratory while in Antarctica. Copyright © 2025 McCulley et al