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‘Don’t fucking clap me’: applauding Bryony Kimmings and Deborah Pearson’s maternal dramaturgies in British play development
No full textThe smell of spud-stress: a pilot study testing the viability of volatile organic compounds as markers of drought stress in potato (Solanum tuberosum)
Get PDFIntroduction: Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are products of plant secondary metabolism with the potential for signalling early stress response. This pilot study investigated the potential of VOCs as markers for drought stress in potato. We hypothesised that differences in VOC emissions between cultivars may reflect genotypes with greater adaptive efficiency to drought stress.
Methods: Using thermal desorption collection and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) techniques, we profiled the VOCs emitted by two potato cultivars, Maris Piper and Désirée, under well-watered and drought conditions, across a four-week period (n = 3 per cultivar, treatment, and time-point).
Results: We identified 23 compounds, and tentatively identified another 49 compounds, including sesquiterpenes, alkanes, monoterpenes, and methylbenzenes. Statistical analysis revealed that seven compounds showed significant differences between cultivars and drought/well-watered treatments. Two farnesene isomers, a xylene isomer, 2,6-dimethyldecane, decahydronaphthalene, and 2-methyldecalin were identified as tentative markers of drought stress.
Discussion: Our findings suggest that VOCs could be used for detection of drought stress in potato plants, contributing to improved irrigation management and the breeding of more drought-tolerant varieties. Further research is needed to validate these findings and explore the underlying mechanisms
Social and societal issues in AAL
Get PDFActive Assisted Living (AAL) systems use advanced technology to help older, impaired, or frail people live independently and stay active in society. These systems rely on automated data monitoring in home or care environments, processing video, image, audio, environmental, and motion data through artificial intelligence (AI), particularly machine learning. Thus, AAL systems offer considerable opportunities for efficient health monitoring, increased autonomy, and enhanced quality of life for older adults. However, AAL technologies also present ethical, legal, and social challenges, particularly around privacy due to the sensitive nature of the data collected and the vulnerability of the populations served. Beyond privacy, the broader social implications of AAL must be considered, including the potential reshaping of care relationships and work within the sector. This chapter provides an in-depth overview of the social and societal issues surrounding AAL, offering a comprehensive literature review that highlights the challenges in implementing these systems in everyday life. Specifically, the chapter discusses cultural differences, biases, the normalization of surveillance, the reshaping of care work and relationships, and matters of trust and adoption, alongside the opportunities AAL technology offers for prolonged independent living
Internalized stigma is a predictor of mental health secrecy and loneliness in young people with clinical depression symptoms: a longitudinal study
Get PDFYoung people with depression experience loneliness and internalized stigma. Stigma might make disclosing depression to others difficult, thus increasing loneliness and reducing the opportunity for treatment. Knowing whether internalized stigma predicts loneliness and secrecy reinforces the need for stigma reduction efforts. The aim of this research was to examine the independent effects of internalized stigma and clinical depression on loneliness and mental health secrecy in young people with a range of depressive symptoms (Mood and Feelings Questionnaire score ≥ 27). A total of 275 young people (Mage = 20.53, SD = 2.17) were recruited and completed the Internalized Stigma of Mental Illness Inventory, the 5-Item Link's Secrecy Scale, and the UCLA Loneliness Scale at baseline and again at 1-month follow-up (N = 172, Mage = 20.40, SD = 2.00). Results showed that internalized stigma was associated with baseline loneliness (β = 0.57, 95% CI: 7.87–11.75, p < 0.001), baseline secrecy (β = 0.40, 95% CI: 0.23–0.45, p < 0.001), and secrecy over time (β = 0.20, 95% CI: 0.04–0.30, p = 0.009). This work highlights the need to develop targeted interventions to reduce stigma and encourage mental health disclosure and help-seeking behaviors among young people with depression
What works, how and in which contexts when using digital health to support parents/carers to implement intensive speech and language therapy at home for children with speech sound disorder? A realist review
Get PDFPurpose
Digital health solutions to support parent-implemented interventions alongside direct speech and language therapist (SLT) input could help increase intervention intensity for children with speech sound disorder (SSD) to meet evidence-based recommendations. This realist review explores the factors which could make intensive parent-implemented digital interventions for children with SSD effective, and how this complex intervention might work in different contexts.
Methods
Realist review methodology was adopted to explore what works, why, how, for which parents/carers, and in what circumstances. Realist methods aimed to understand the active ingredients, contexts, and associated outcomes of this complex intervention.
Preliminary theories were developed to describe how and why digital parent-implemented interventions work for children with SSD. Data was extracted from 43 papers to test and refine preliminary theories. Behaviour change theories were used to explain how the intervention works in practice.
Results
A set of 20 explanatory theories were developed to depict how and why digital parent-implemented interventions work in different contexts. Theories covered five areas:intervention intensity; parent/carer-SLT partnership; parent-training; parent-child-SLT
dynamic; child-participation. The theories describe mechanisms of the intervention and how these are responded to in different situations. Findings highlight the importance of intensive intervention for children with SSD.
Conclusions
This realist review adds new in-depth insight into how digital parent-implemented interventions work, for whom, and why. This new understanding has potential to support future successful digital parent-implemented interventions and increase intervention intensity for children with SSD globally. Implications for services and the potential of emerging digital health approaches to promote parent-implemented interventions are discussed
Shrub height and crown projection area are effective predictors in aboveground biomass models for multi-stemmed European hazel
Get PDFWhile numerous allometric models exist for estimating biomass in trees with single stems, models for multi-stemmed species are scarce. This study presents models for predicting aboveground biomass (AGB) in European hazel (Corylus avellana L.), growing in multi-stemmed shrub form. We measured the size and harvested the biomass of 30 European hazel shrubs, drying and weighing their woody parts and leaves separately. AGB (dry mass) and leaf area models were established using a range of predictors, such as the upper height of the shrub, number of shoots per shrub, canopy projection area, stem base diameter of the thickest stem, and the sum of cross-sectional areas of all stems at the stem base. The latter was the best predictor of AGB, but the most practically useful variables, defined as relatively easy to measure by terrestrial or aerial approaches, were the upper height of the shrub and the canopy projection area. The leaf biomass to AGB ratio decreased with the shrub’s height. Specific leaf area of shaded leaves increases with shrub height, but that of leaves at the top of the canopy does not change significantly. Given that the upper shrub height and crown projection of European hazel can be estimated using remote sensing approaches, especially UAV and LIDAR, these two variables appear the most promising for effective measurement of AGB in hazel
Life from death: multi-species fertility rituals within a Romano‐British ritual shaft in Southern England
Get PDFRomano-British shaft deposits are an important part of the ritual make-up of the province. However, understanding the meaning of these features is often difficult due to the lack of textual sources. This paper discusses a first century AD shaft from Surrey, England, using a multi-proxy approach to investigate potential ritual significance. Its unique assemblage, containing one of the largest deposits of human and animal remains ever excavated from a single Romano-British feature along with the first recorded instance of Romano-British use of red ochre on bone (a dog baculum, or penis bone), allowed for a series of cosmological connections to fertility be identified
Using fuzzy cognitive mapping to assess the sustainability impacts of transitioning to pasture-fed production in the UK beef sector
Get PDFOne hundred percent pasture-fed beef production has been suggested as a promising approach for sustainable ruminant farming, due to the potential benefits that can accrue across a range of sustainability domains. This study aimed to investigate the impacts across the four domains of sustainability of a wholesale switch from conventional to 100% pasture-fed beef production in the UK. We used fuzzy cognitive mapping (FCM) as a method for extracting knowledge from multiple stakeholders to create representative systems models of both conventional and pasture-based beef production systems. We then conducted a scenario analysis to assess how a switch to a pasture-fed system could affect components of sustainability in the UK beef sector. The FCMs indicated that vegetation quality, grass use efficiency, and soil health were central components of the pasture-fed approach, while economic and regulatory aspects, and climate change targets were more central to mainstream production approaches. The most marked changes under the 100% conversion scenario were an increase in income from subsidies (27.3%) in line with ‘public money for public goods’, a decrease in ability to export beef (unless advice to reduce consumption of animal protein is followed) (23.5%), a decrease in land used for farming vs other uses (e.g., natural capital) (11.23%), and a decrease in the use of feed from agricultural co/byproducts (7.5%), freeing up these feed sources for more sustainable monogastric production. Therefore, the mapping and scenario analysis suggests that while upscaling the pasture-fed approach may reduce productivity, it would likely increase public goods provision and reduce feed–food competition in the UK
A kinematic analysis of extratropical cyclones, warm conveyor belts and atmospheric rivers
Get PDFMid-latitude weather systems play a significant role in causing floods, wind damage, and related societal impacts. Advances in numerical modeling and observational methods have led to the development of numerous conceptual models in mid-latitude synoptic and dynamical research. As these models proliferate, integrating new insights into a cohesive understanding can be challenging. This paper uses a kinematic perspective to interpret mid-latitude research in a way that synthesises various concepts and create a schematic diagram of an atmospheric river lifecycle. Our analysis demonstrates that, despite varying methods, definitions, and terminology used to describe extratropical cyclones, warm conveyor belt airflows, and atmospheric rivers, the underlying mechanisms driving their formation and development are consistent. Thus, while studying these features independently is valuable, it is important to recognise that they are all part of a larger atmospheric flow pattern. We hope this kinematic approach will serve as a bridge to link research on these phenomena
The role of coercion in the productivity and creativity of complex verb formation: a constructional approach
Get PDFThis article examines the notions of productivity and creativity with respect to complex verbs in English. Verb-forming suffixation involves the attachment of the suffixes ‑ize, ‑ify, -en and -ate to a base to form complex verbs such as hospitalize, densify, sharpen and hyphenate. Sampson (2016) describes productive processes that conform to existing patterns as F-creativity, or Fixed-creativity, and those that deviate from those patterns as E-creativity, or Enlarging/Extending creativity; Bergs (2018) and Uhrig (2018) view the F–E dichotomy as a cline. Coercion effects can account for linguistic productivity and creativity; Audring & Booij (2016) propose that the coercive mechanisms of Selection, Enrichment and Override lie on a unified continuum. This article integrates the F–E creativity and coercion continua, and analyses a database of conventionalized and recently coined complex verbs (Laws 2023) for instances of coercion. The results reveal that coercive mechanisms, particularly Selection and Enrichment, facilitate productivity and creativity in more complex constructional schemas underlying verbal derivatives, and that these coercive patterns have become increasingly more entrenched over time. E-creativity of complex verbs is defined here as ‘Unruly’ coercion and the nature of attested examples is discussed