11913 research outputs found
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Atomic and Near-atomic Scale Additive Manufacturing: Past, Present, and Future Outlook
No full textThe next stage of micro manufacturing is nano and atomic scale manufacturing. A state-of-the-art approach to manufacturing, atomic and near-atomic scale additive manufacturing (ACSM) seeks to manipulate materials at the atomic or near-atomic level to produce next-generation goods with previously unheard-of precision. Currently, facility for manufacturing and machining at nano and atomic scale is in developing stage, the technique used in the atomic force microscope giving a positive hope to develop a facility for machining a material or deposited a material. The historical evolution from craft-based manufacturing (millimetre precision) and precision-controllable manufacturing (micrometre to nanometre accuracy) to atomic-scale precision is built upon by this field, which is frequently referred to as Manufacturing III. An outline of ACSM is provided here, with an emphasis on current advancements, methods, uses, and difficulties, especially about additive manufacturing. The ACSM is a next stage of industrial revolution
Findings from the Process Evaluation of a Mobile Health Clinic Designed to Improve Equity of Access to Primary Healthcare for People with Substance Use Disorders and/or Homelessness in One Region in the North East of England, UK
Full text linkBackground/Objectives: New models of care are needed to address the barriers people who use substances (PWUS) and/or experience homelessness face when accessing primary healthcare. This study reports findings from the evaluation of a six-month pilot of a mobile health clinic (MHC) co-delivered by primary healthcare, local government, and lived-experience recovery organisations in the North East of England, UK. Methods: Pragmatic mixed-methods process evaluation with data sources including a patient survey, overt observations, qualitative interviews, and routine patient data. Qualitative data were analysed using inductive and deductive thematic analysis; quantitative data were analysed descriptively. RE-AIM framework dimensions were applied to inform interpretation. Results: N = 164 patients accessed the bus between 1 April and 31 October 2025, with survey data indicating that most patients were PWUS (n = 96, 84%), with experience of homelessness (n = 67, 61%) and/or lived in the most deprived neighbourhoods, with complex physical and mental health needs (Reach). Patients expressed satisfaction with the service, valuing the compassionate and comprehensive support provided. There was qualitative evidence of further re-engagement with statutory healthcare following attendance on the bus (Effectiveness). Local organisations were mostly keen to be involved in the pilot, with participation benefiting from existing local relationships and infrastructure (Adoption). The flexible yet consistent approach of those involved in service delivery was viewed as positive. There was some uncertainty around the functions of the bus and the role of some delivery staff (Implementation). Limited funding was perceived as a barrier to sustaining the bus, alongside lack of capacity within local organisations (Maintenance). Conclusions: The study highlighted the positive impact that an MHC can have on this marginalised population and provides further evidence for the need for clinical care that provides relational support and attends to the social determinants of health. The study indicates the potential for interdisciplinary working to improve access to healthcare for PWUS, and underlines that delivering healthcare at a neighbourhood level is reliant on strong community networks. Wider system change is still needed to further support the population
A human-centric framework for enhancing usability in a vineyard digital twin system
Full text linkThis paper develops and applies a human-centric framework to design a Digital Twin (DT) by applying a people led approach to a vineyard automation scenario. Current DT systems in agriculture often focus on technical performance, which creates usability challenges such as data overload, lack of role-specific interfaces, and reduced trust among non-technical users. The study applies Personas to represent user groups and introduces a human centric framework for mapping tasks and decision processes. The framework makes an original contribution by demonstrating how established human-centric methods can be systematically integrated into a coherent DT de velopment process, addressing a recognised methodological gap in the literature. The objective of this research is to evaluate how a structured, human-centric approach can improve usability, cognitive alignment, and stake
holder engagement in vineyard automation. These processes are modeled using Personas, Decision Ladders and Control Task Analysis to align system functionality with user roles and cognitive needs. The research methodology integrates Personas, ConTA, and Decision Ladders within a real-world vineyard case study. This study show cases the impact of applying a structured human-centric DT design framework on improving decision-making support, user engagement, and system efficiency in agricultural contexts. Moreover, it provides expert-informed evidence in what way human-centric methods can be operationalised in a consistent and transparent way for DT redesign. Overall, the work demonstrates how a structured, people-led approach can enhance the usability and adoption of both new and existing DT systems, offering a transferable framework with relevance beyond agriculture
Determinants of Mobile Service Users' Repurchase Intentions in Africa: Understanding the Direct and Mediating Role of AI Marketing, Digital Interactions, Brand Experience and Preference
Full text linkThis study investigates the impact of artificial intelligence mobile service marketing (AI ME), digital marketing interactions (DMI), brand experience (BE) and brand preference (BP) on mobile service users' repurchase intentions (RPI) within the framework of SOR theory. The study also examines the mediating role of DMI, BE and BP between AI ME and RPI. Questionnaires collected from 204 respondents in Africa were analyzed using SmartPLS4 and SPSS‐26 statistical software packages. The findings show that AIME, BP and DMI have significant effects on mobile service users' RPI. Furthermore, the study reveals that AI ME influences mobile service customers' BE, BP and DMI. The study also reveals the mediating role of BP between AI ME and RPI. These findings have important implications for mobile service providers and marketers to improve the effectiveness of customer‐brand interactions and enhance customer satisfaction and repurchase intentions in the mobile service industry
The Contributions of Undocumented Immigrants to Amsterdam's Informal Economy: Navigating Shadows, Shaping Communities
No full textThis study explores the pivotal role of undocumented immigrants in Amsterdam's informal economy, emphasizing their economic contributions despite systemic exclusion from formal institutions. Drawing on the mixed embeddedness theory and disadvantage theory, the study examines how restrictive immigration laws and limited market opportunities shape the entrepreneurial activities of undocumented individuals. These entrepreneurs often operate in marginalized sectors, such as hospitality, cleaning, and informal retail, where they navigate precarious conditions, exploitative practices, and lack of access to such formal and legal protections as social security, healthcare access, and regulatory standards. Public discourse in the Netherlands frequently portrays undocumented immigrants as a burden on society, overshadowing their significant contributions to local economies. By analyzing the interaction between institutional barriers and economic agency, this study underscores the resilience and ingenuity of undocumented entrepreneurs in sustaining livelihoods while highlighting the structural inequities that perpetuate their vulnerability. The findings aim to inform policy discussions on integrating undocumented workers into the formal economy, recognizing their vital role in urban economic ecosystems
Dr. Inez Beverly Prosser (1895–1934)
No full textDr. Inez Beverly Prosser was a pioneering psychologist and educator whose research examined the psychological effects of racial segregation on Black students. One of the first Black women to earn a PhD in psychology, she challenged dominant assumptions about schooling, identity, and well-being. Her doctoral research revealed how racism and exclusion shaped students’ self-esteem and educational experiences, laying groundwork for later studies that influenced the Brown v. Board of Education decision. Despite her impact, Prosser’s work has been largely erased from mainstream psychology. Remembering her challenges whose knowledge is recognised and whose voices are valued in education
Keyworkers' Experiences of Leader Recognition During the COVID-19 Pandemic
No full textThis study explores keyworkers' perceptions of managerial recognition during the COVID-19 crisis and examines how the quality of leader–member relationships shaped their motivation and well-being. Ten keyworkers were interviewed at the height of the pandemic, and thematic analysis was conducted using NVivo. Findings reveal substantial variation in how recognition was experienced across sectors, with perceptions closely tied to relational quality, fairness, and the presence or absence of bias. These results highlight that recognition functions not only as a relational exchange central to LMX theory but also as a morally meaningful practice that affirms dignity and fosters resilience during crisis. To minimise favouritism and strengthen equitable recognition, HR practitioners should implement standardised recognition systems and leader development initiatives. This study provides novel qualitative insight into manager–keyworker recognition and extends LMX scholarship by illustrating how recognition practices shaped employee outcomes in an extreme work context
An Exploration of the Characteristics of Adults Being Screened Using an Online Intellectual Disability Screening Tool
No full textResearch suggests that many adults with an intellectual disability continue to be unidentified. Screening tools can help increase identification. A digital version of the Learning Disability Screening Questionnaire (LDSQ) was developed to help improve access to it. This study explored some of the characteristics of those using the digital LDSQ in the UK and those being screened by it. Routinely collected, anonymous data relating to 2016 adults was analysed to address the above aims. We found that 66.5% of users were members of the general public, of whom 77.6% were completing the LDSQ about themselves, while 29.3% were professionals. Professionals were significantly more likely than general public users to screen people with lower levels of adaptive skills, who were older, who had received support at school and were indicated by the LDSQ as likely to have an intellectual disability. In conclusion, the digital LDSQ is being accessed by both the general public and professionals. The latter appear to screen those with greater support needs. Implications for practice are discussed
Reframing Herstories: Institutionalising Women's Phootographies in Greece
No full textIn Greece, along with the reinstatement of political freedoms, legal reforms addressing gender equality were introduced after the restoration of democracy in the mid 1970s. During this time, the visibility of women photographers, whether amateur or professionals, remained fairly limited through to the late 1980s. The high cost of photographic equipment, limited access to relevant courses and job opportunities, and disproportionate responsibilities in family and household care for some would hinder many women from engaging with photography. For the affluent dedicated amateur, clubs and societies were becoming quite technophilic and/or too focused on the male gaze. Similarly, women professionals had to navigate a competitive and hostile male-dominated field. Although some women worked as photojournalists in newspapers and magazines during this period, the rarity of individual copyright credits for photographs and the absence of
institutional interest in recording and preserving their work meant that most of these contributions are now difficult to trace. For many, only fragments of their archives now survive, if they have not been entirely lost or destroyed.
The nexus of photographic institutions that developed since the late 1970s, most of which were initiated and managed by male photographers, did not do full justice to the diversity of women’s photographies either. They favoured a particular type of independent creative photography, unsurprisingly championed by male counterparts. The establishment of academic programmes for photography in state and private educational institutions from the mid-1980s onwards became a catalyst in the professionalisation of women's photographic practice, while access
to curatorial studies at home and abroad led to the emergence of a new generation of women curators. The development of digital media and photo-sharing platforms in the new millennium also played a determining role in enhancing the visibility and dissemination of women’s work.
This paper will provide a brief account of the institutionalisation of women’s photographies in the Greek paradigm, examining historic systemic prejudice and the institutional barriers women faced. It will illustrate how the lack of visibility and documentation of women’s practice affected the remembrance of these herstories in official histories, survey exhibitions, and institutional and private collections. The paper argues that women’s creative practice in the 1990s—especially hybrid and experimental practices—went purposefully against the canon of creative photography formulated by male photographers, curators and critics. It is claimed that these efforts to rearticulate the medium can be seen as a
gendered act of creative and ideological dissent. The presentation concludes with references to contemporary collaborative initiatives by Greek women curators working to correct these historic injustices, celebrate women’s photographies on museum walls and collections, and rewrite inclusive and just herstories
The Impact of Stigma Following Migratory Marriage to the Uk: Challenges to the Racialisation of the Thai Bride
No full textThis chapter explores the social and cultural experiences of Thai women living in England following migratory marriage. Through an empirical study utilising 12 in-depth semi-structured interviews, the findings illuminate the barriers these women confront daily, predominantly due to their Thai identity and being women. Such barriers exacerbate a form of gender-based violence initiated through intersectional identity that postulates the process of stigma and racialisation. Societal perspectives of the ‘Thai bride’ or ‘mail order bride’ are underpinned through links to the sex tourism industry, resulting in sexual harassment and abuse, isolation and loneliness