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Understanding the change process that leads to an increase in empathy and the subsequent influence on prosocial behaviour
No full textSection A
Empathy is widely considered as a fundamental motivator for prosocial behaviour and a key factor in moral reasoning, both in the field of philosophy and psychology. However, there is still uncertainty around the change process(es) which increase empathy and subsequent prosocial behaviour. A systematic literature search of the databases ASSIA, PsychINFO and Web of Science, and subsequent quality appraisal yielded eight published studies with relevance to the change process of empathy. A thematic synthesis of the papers identified four themes: "environments that foster empathy”; “development of empathy”; “prosocial outcomes” and “challenges in utilising empathy to drive behaviour”. Results indicated that the change process of empathy appears to be culturally, contextually and individually dependent, and supports that empathy is a malleable skill, with its development being fostered by immersive experiences but hindered by personal distress and systemic barriers. The clinical implications suggest that therapeutic interventions utilising creative arts or volunteering can cultivate lasting prosocial change and improve therapeutic outcomes. A thorough understanding of empathy's change process is vital, however, as inappropriate application of these strategies risks rupturing the therapeutic work. Future research should focus on ways of specifically exploring the change process of empathy in order to build the understanding of empathy beyond its definition.
Section B
This study explored the change process that leads to an increase in empathy and the subsequent impact on prosocial behaviour. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with ten adult participants who took part in the charity Empathy Action’s immersive workshop simulating the refugee experience: “Desperate Journeys”. Data were analysed using an abbreviated version of Charmaz’s constructivist grounded theory.
Findings revealed that physical immersion, common humanity and embodying the perspective of a refugee by stepping into their shoes manifested intense emotions. These emotions invited cognitive reconciliation via emotional and ethical dilemmas inspired by moral conflicts during the workshop, leaving the individual with a desire to do more and a subsequent readiness to do more. Alternatively, attendees reconciled their perceived powerlessness in the face of insurmountable oppressive social systems, returning to the dilemmas to re-inspire a desire/readiness to do more. If the conclusions of their perceived powerlessness remain the same, the risk of emotional exhaustion increases, leading to withdrawal as a means of self-protection.
The findings highlight the therapeutic potential for immersive and experiential methods to cultivate empathy within clients in order to engage them meaningfully with their communities, improving their wellbeing via prosocial engagement. They underline the risks of emotional exhaustion, highlighting a need for systemic support and supervision structures to sustain empathy in practice for healthcare workers. Further research would benefit from interviewing a greater number of participants from a wider socio-economic and ethnic background, to explore the consistency and generalisability of findings
Application of additive manufacturing on textiles
No full text3D printing is being increasingly explored in textile manufacturing, not only for producing yarns and fabrics but also to enhance their properties through direct printing on fabric. This technique offers the potential to create metamaterials that combine conventional textiles with functional, structural, or protective elements tailored for specific applications. This study aims to define and optimise the printing parameters of Poly-Lactic-Acid (PLA) and Thermoplastic-Polyurethane (TPU) filaments on Calico fabric. Key parameters such as filament temperature, layer height, and initial print speed were systematically varied to assess their influence on the adhesion properties of calico fabric. Initial testing has provided suitable ranges for these properties, but further testing is required to optimise the setting for each fabric-material combination.
Currently, there is no guidance for printing on fabric or a standard for testing adhesion; these results could be used to create a database that provides optimised 3D printing parameters for printing on fabrics. The findings from this study would provide information to textile manufacturers and designers interested in 3D printing on fabric to enhance its properties. Further work would involve printing metamaterials to tailor certain properties of the fabric, thereby improving and adapting its functionality
It's about TIME - Gal-9 as a potential immunotherapeutic target in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma
Full text linkPancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) remains one of the most lethal malignancies, characterized by an extremely poor prognosis and limited therapeutic options. Central to the progression and immune evasion of PDAC is the tumor (immune) microenvironment (TIME), where immune checkpoint proteins such as galectin-9 (Gal-9) play pivotal roles. Gal-9 significantly contributes to the immunosuppressive milieu of PDAC by interacting with various immune cells, such as T cells, macrophages, and myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs). These interactions suppress anti-tumor immunity, thus facilitating tumor growth and metastasis. This review comprehensively examines the multifaceted role of Gal-9 in the TIME of PDAC, detailing its mechanisms of action, including the induction of regulatory T cells, polarization of tumor-associated macrophages, and modulation of apoptotic pathways via Tim-3 and caspase activation. The therapeutic potential of targeting Gal-9, either alone or in combination with other immune checkpoint inhibitors such as anti-PD-L1, is also discussed, highlighting preclinical findings that suggest promising avenues for enhancing anti-tumor immune responses. By elucidating the complex biological activities of Gal-9 and its interactions within the TIME, this review underscores the importance of innovative therapeutic strategies aimed at mitigating the immunosuppressive effects of Gal-9 in PDAC
Lights, camera, Thanet: Broadstairs, Margate and Ramsgate as filming locations
No full textTake your seat at the Palace for an illustrated talk with lots of pics and clips, from 1940s spy drama to EMPIRE OF LIGHT and from serious tales of modern life to musicals and romcoms. Discover these and more, enjoying the three towns on screen as everything from 'generic seaside town' to the location for stories rooted in the local area, plus considering the impact of all this on the town's tourist trade.
Every week National Lottery players raise over £30 million for good cause projects - the Palace has received Lottery funding in recent years for projects which have expanded what we can offer - not only films but local film heritage projects and links with local community and education groups. This event is funded by the National Lottery via BFI Film Hub South East
Exploring functional connectivity in clinical and data-driven groups of preterm and term adults
Full text linkAdults born very preterm (i.e., at <33 weeks’ gestation) are more susceptible to long-lasting structural and functional brain alterations and cognitive and socio-emotional difficulties, compared to full-term controls. However, behavioural heterogeneity within very preterm and full-term individuals makes it challenging to find biomarkers of specific outcomes. To address these questions, we parsed brain-behaviour heterogeneity in participants subdivided according to their clinical birth status (very preterm vs full-term) and/or data-driven behavioural phenotype (regardless of birth status).
Participants were followed up in adulthood (median age 30 years) as part of a wider longitudinal case-control cohort study. The Network Based Statistic approach was used to identify topological components of resting state functional connectivity differentiating between i) 116 very preterm and 83 full-term adults (43% and 57% female, respectively), and ii) data-driven behavioural subgroups identified using consensus clustering (n= 156, 46% female). Age, sex, socio-economic status, and in-scanner head motion were used as confounders in all analyses. Post-hoc two-way group interactions between clinical birth status and behavioural data-driven subgrouping classification labels explored whether functional connectivity differences between very preterm and full-term adults varied according to distinct behavioural outcomes.
Very preterm compared to full-term adults had poorer scores in selective measures of cognitive and socio-emotional processing and displayed complex patterns of hyper- and hypo-connectivity in subsections of the default mode, visual, and ventral attention networks. Stratifying the study participants in terms of their behavioural profiles (irrespective of birth status), identified two data-driven subgroups: An “At-risk” subgroup, characterised by increased cognitive, mental health, and socio-emotional difficulties, displaying hypo-connectivity anchored in frontal opercular and insular regions, relative to a “Resilient” subgroup with more favourable outcomes. No significant interaction was noted between clinical birth status and behavioural data-driven subgrouping classification labels in terms of functional connectivity.
Functional connectivity differentiating between very preterm and full-term adults was dissimilar to functional connectivity differentiating between the data-driven behavioural subgroups. We speculate that functional connectivity alterations observed in very preterm relative to full-term adults may confer both risk and resilience to developing behavioural sequelae associated with very preterm birth, while the localised functional connectivity alterations seen in the “At-risk” subgroup relative to the “Resilient” subgroup may underlie less favourable behavioural outcomes in adulthood, irrespective of birth status
Precision oncology through next generation sequencing in hepatocellular carcinoma.
Full text linkHepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a primary liver cancer that originates from underlying inflammation, often associated with Hepatitis B virus (HBV) or Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections. Despite the availability of treatments, there are high rates of tumour relapse due to the development of drug resistance in infected cells. Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) plays a crucial role in overcoming this issue by sequencing both viral and host genomes to identify mutations and genetic heterogeneity. The knowledge gained from sequencing is then utilised to develop countermeasures against these mutants through different combination therapies. Advances in NGS have led to sequencing with higher accuracy and throughput, thereby enabling personalized and effective treatments. The purpose of this article is to highlight how NGS has contributed to precision medicine in HCC and the possible integration of artificial intelligence (AI) to bolster the advancement. [Abstract copyright: Crown Copyright © 2025 Published by Elsevier Ltd.
Joint health and physical activity in people with haemophilia A without factor VIII inhibitors before switching to emicizumab prophylaxis: Beyond ABR study interim analysis
No full textConference abstract for GTH Congress 2025 – 69th Annual Meeting of the Society of Thrombosis and Haemostasis Research – Advances Research Technology Educatio
The role of Ecopedagogy in the development of sustainability responsible students
No full textThe question of a pedagogy that promotes the development of sustainability responsible graduate students is at the centre of education for sustainability. Ecopedagogy provides a highly significant contribution to this field as it encourages reflection on the multiple and complex relationship society-nature, engendering a criticism of the current unsustainable socioeconomic model, modern thought and the various forms of exploitation of life. We suggest that Ecopedagogy may foster the development of sustainability competencies, in line with the UNESCO guidance, as it promotes an understanding of the complex interplay of social, environmental and economic drivers of unsustainability issues, and it empowers students to find their agency and co-construct solutions socially and professionally. Ecopedagogy provides theoretical and practical approaches to foster sustainability teaching and inspire educators and learners in a higher education context. Our chapter introduces Ecopedagogy and the ongoing process of reinvention and establishment of new theoretical and practical bases, responding to new challenges in the current time we live, based on qualitative research of bibliographic order. In this chapter we offer a review of the 30 years of Ecopedagogy from its Latin American origins; paths travelled along these years; and the process of reinvention of Ecopedagogy based on three pillars of criticism: patriarchy, modernity and capitalism. This review of Ecopedagogy proposes new approaches for the development of competencies necessary for planetary citizenship, essential for a sustainable future. We discuss the applications of Ecopedagogy in the higher education context and conclude with a set of propositions for a collective journey in view of the principles of Ecopedagogy as a field of academic investigation and social praxis
Promotional role of Pd over Ni catalyst dispersed over Sc-ZrO₂ for methane partial oxidation: Crystallinity and reducibility effects
No full textNatural emissions of the highly potent greenhouse gas methane cannot be completely prevented, but in the presence of O2, methane can be catalytically converted to hydrogen-rich syngas. This reaction is specified as partial oxidation of methane (POM). Herein, Ni dispersed over “scandia-stabilized-zirconia” (5Ni/DSZ) and the promotional effect of Pd (0.01 to 0.1 wt%) are investigated for POM and characterized with surface area and porosity measurements, X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, temperature-programmed studies, and thermogravimetry. During the POM, the initial population of active Ni sites decreases in non-promoted catalysts due to oxidation under oxygen, upon loading of 0.02 wt.% Pd over 5Ni/DSZ, the active site population is preserved against oxygen during the POM due to improved metal support interaction between Ni and long-range order crystallites of support (like cubic ZrO2 and orthorhombic Sc2Zr5O13). 5Ni0.02 Pd/DSZ catalyst acquired more than 80% catalytic activity (CH4 conversion and H2 yield) with 2.5 H2/CO ratio at 600°C during 240 min on stream. The 5Ni0.02 Pd/DSZ catalyst also maintained more than 70% H2 yield with H2/CO ratio ~2 during 30 h time on stream. The thermostable 5Ni0.02 Pd/DSZ catalyst may be recommended for hydrogen-rich syngas production with high H2-yield through POM
Telling stories by the sea: Digital heritage and the Kent resorts
No full text‘Lets do the time walk again! Exploring the East Kent Coast Through Digital Heritage’ is an interdisciplinary project inspired by the success of Kent Maps Online (https://www.kent-maps.online/), led by Canterbury Christ Church University in partnership with JSTOR Labs.
The new project is funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund. It aims to address the existing Heritage skills gap in East Kent seaside towns, traditionally areas of low cultural engagement.
Working in partnership with Sandwich Guildhall Museum, Deal Maritime Museum, Ramsgate Clock House and the Broadstairs Dickens Museum, the project team will provide a series of training workshops for volunteers to explore and record at-risk archives and develop a story-telling digital space using the JSTOR Labs Juncture platform. Upskilling volunteers will build confidence, boost employability, and at the same time protect local heritage.
The project will enable local people to tell the stories of their towns in a contemporary and accessible way, sharing heritage with visitors to Kent, both remotely and in person. Volunteers will create a suite of trails that will remain available via mobile app. Additional web content including a 360 tour and artists' interpretations of historic events will provide focused explorations of aspects of 19th and 20th century life in Broadstairs, Ramsgate, Deal and Sandwich. A 15-minute light show will be projected onto the Ramsgate Clock House in June 2025 as part of the Dunkirk commemoration.
In June 2026 a research trip to Greenwich Maritime Museum, will help volunteers contextualise the project in relation to London and the Medway