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Towards Structurally New Cyanine Dyes – Investigating the Photophysical and Potential Antifungal Properties of Linear Substituted Heptamethine Dyes
Get PDFThe synthesis of a range of new linear substituted heptamethine dyes has been designed and described. The photophysical properties of all the dyes were investigated, with many exhibiting improved fluorescent quantum yields when compared with indocyanine green. Finally, growth inhibition studies were performed in the fission yeast Saccharomyces pombe, which suggests potential antifungals activity in the μM range
Conversations across international divides: children learning through empathy about climate change
Get PDFPrimary school curricula often largely avoid the climate crisis, and teachers feel ill-equipped to teach it. In the secondary school curriculum, the climate crisis is generally addressed only in specific subjects such as science or geography. Our own and others’ research indicates that children are curious about climate change and become less anxious when they feel agentic in facing its effects. The challenges of everyday life for children in parts of the world severely affected by the rapidly changing climate are seldom included in educational contexts. This article reports on a project that linked a school in a UK town with a school on a Fijian island to explore a holistic approach to understanding the impacts of climate change. The children aged 9 to 11 built friendships across the globe through film messages, email, written letters, and drawings. As part of getting to know one another, the children asked and answered questions about their lives. Those questions and other creative activities revealed children’s interests and priorities and the extent of their local and global knowledge and enabled us to consider a personalised approach to climate justice. By co-creating and exchanging their stories the children could begin to understand the social and emotional impacts as well as the science of climate change. We discuss the role of empathy in children’s learning about climate change, and consider how connections across international divides can be facilitated
Sign language vitality through the lens of a pioneering interactive Atlas: A first look at the sociolinguistic profile data collected by the Sign Hub project
Get PDFTo investigate the under-researched topic of sign language vitality, the authors evaluate a set of sociolinguistic data gathered as part of the Sign Hub project. The subproject Atlas aimed to create an interactive online tool for researchers, teachers, and interpreters to compare sign languages’ sociolinguistic, grammatical, lexical, and phonological features. This paper presents an analysis of ten sign languages, i.e. the first batch of socio-historical data submitted to the subproject. The authors find that nearly all of them have been subjected to oppression, and their documentation is limited. Their vitality is supported by good awareness among the hearing community and use within educational institutions, national deaf associations and local deaf clubs. Vitality is threatened by low provision of sign language media and a lack of interpreter training. The paper concludes that the Atlas has considerable utility in research on sign language vitality, which may be augmented by adding further diachronic components
George Cotzias’ achievements and levodopa therapy: Their contribution to medical science
Get PDFGeorge Cotzias was a tireless physician who conducted a variety of studies, focusing mainly on neurological diseases. After leaving his medical studies to serve the Greek army voluntarily, Cotzias was relocated to the United States of America where he continued his studies at Harvard University. His first research was on hypertension, metabolism, and energy balance issues. Later on, he became the chief director of a project on chronic manganese poisoning. It was there that he identified the common characteristics between chronic manganese poisoning and Parkinson’s disease, which led him to be referred to the cyclotron. Furthermore, he noted the presence of dyskinetic, motor fluctuation abnormalities, and hypersensitivity caused by levodopa (L-DOPA). He was a pioneer in demonstrating the revolutionary practical benefits of L-DOPA therapy. This accomplishment was a consequence of his patience and insistence to monitor closely, even with cinematographic recording, the health condition of his patients while modifying the L-DOPA dose for optimal health benefit. Cotzias also developed drugs combining L-DOPA and dopamine agonists, defined the phenomenon of the brain’s ability to store chemical memory, and established the correlation between L-DOPA and cancer. His work significantly improved the lives and longevity of many individuals. Before his death from cancer in 1977, Cotzias received numerous distinctions and awards for his outstanding contributions to medicine. After his death, his legacy was honored through the establishment of various scholarships, professorships, conferences, and a movie dedicated to his medical achievements
Kinematic Design and Analysis of a Novel Overconstraint Walking Mechanism
Get PDFWalking mechanisms offer advantages over wheels or tracks for locomotion but often require complex designs. This paper presents the kinematic design and analysis of a novel overconstrained spatial a single degree-of-freedom leg mechanism for walking robots. The mechanism is generated by combining spherical four-bar linkages into two interconnecting loops, resulting in an overconstrained design with compact scalability. Kinematic analysis is applied using recurrent unit vector methods. Dimensional synthesis is performed using the Firefly optimization algorithm to achieve a near-straight trajectory during the stance phase for efficient walking. Constraints for mobility, singularity avoidance, and transmission angle are also implemented. The optimized design solution is manufactured using 3D printing and experimentally tested. Results verify the kinematic properties including near-straight-line motion during stance. The velocity profile shows low perpendicular vibrations. Advantages of the mechanism include compact scalability allowing variable stride lengths, smooth motion from overconstraint, and simplicity of a single actuator. The proposed overconstrained topology provides an effective option for the leg design of walking robots and mechanisms
Systematic Analysis of Sequential Circuits in Digital clock and It Display Mode Comparison
Get PDFThe design idea of the seven-segment digital tube electronic clock and its potential applications against a contemporary backdrop are the main topics of this study. The seven-segment digital clock's low cost and straightforward design make it popular, especially for gadgets with tight budgets. Accurate time reading, adjustment, countdown, and warning functions are achieved through the study and design of a range of digital circuits, demonstrating the broad application potential of digital logic in time control. The circuit's synchronization, stability, and operability are checked using the Multisim simulation tool, guaranteeing the design's dependability in real-world applications. The findings of the study demonstrate the seven-segment digital clock's long-term utility in particular situations, particularly in settings where affordability and durability are crucial. However, the seven-segment digital clock is also under pressure from competitors due to the growing popularity of new display technologies like OLED and smart technology. According to the research, it can continue to be used in particular industries in the future by merging intelligent characteristics to broaden its range of applications
Learning Lessons from the Criminalisation of Coercive and Controlling Behaviour Ten Years On: The Implementation Journey in England and Wales
Get PDFThe purpose of this paper is to explore the problems and possibilities of implementing the criminalisation of coercive and controlling behaviour (CCB). It summarises key findings from three research studies conducted over a 10-year period, in partnership with three different police forces in England and Wales, since the criminalisation of CCB in December 2015. In presenting these findings collectively, it is possible to discern some of the longer-term requirements necessary for the effective implementation of CCB legislation. In so doing, the implications for jurisdictions about to embark, or considering embarking, on this implementation journey are also highlighted
Consumer Behaviour in Growth Hacking: Developing and Validating the Shareability Construct
No full textStemming from the explosion of companies’ social data and digital transformation, growth hacking has emerged as a process of rapid experimentation to achieve sustainable business growth. This paper takes a consumer behaviour approach to explore the organic virality of growth hacking. We examine growth hacking through the lens of Social Identity and Self-Expansion theories, exploring how consumers’ drives are determined by social belonging and self-expansion desires. Through a mixed-methods approach, we identify essential dimensions of organic virality resulting from growth hacking tactics, including Shareability, attitude towards the brand, fear of missing out, need for affiliation and willingness to buy/use. It zooms into developing the Shareability construct, uncovering dimensions such as word-of-mouth, referrals, recommendations, sharing attitudes and disinformation. We contribute to growth hacking research by developing and validating the shareability scale as a reliable tool to measure consumers’ propensity towards disseminating growth hacking content, providing actionable implications for growth hackers
Research Ethics and Integrity During Pandemics: Not Unique, but Vastly Magnified Challenges
Get PDFThis chapter sets the scene for the development of the PREPARED Code: A Global Code of Conduct for Research During Pandemics. Recalling the time when successive waves of the COVID-19 pandemic led to the deaths of millions and put health systems under enormous pressure, we explain how the pandemic created a demand for rapidly available, trusted scientific advice. Fast reaction systems, including accelerated research, faced significant ethics and integrity challenges. While most such challenges encountered during the COVID-19 pandemic were not unique, researchers and research ethics committees were ill-equipped to cope with their extent and scale. This chapter explains the purpose of the PREPARED Code against that backdrop, including what sets this code apart from many other research ethics codes