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Navigating agroecological urbanism: examining linkages and interdependencies within alternative food networks
Get PDFIn pursuing agroecological urbanism – a strategic endeavor to dismantle disempowering structures within urban food systems through cultivating mutual interdependencies – alternative food networks (AFNs) emerge as pivotal catalysts for transformative change. Indeed, there are increasing arguments for AFNs working on diverse issues to pool resources and address food system challenges from multiple perspectives under a common frame. However, a pressing need exists for greater clarity on tensions and challenges in establishing a network of AFNs within a shared framework, such as that fostered by agroecological urbanism. This study explores impediments to organizing AFNs into transformative networks, drawing insights from two diverse urban contexts – Preston, England, and Vitoria-Gasteiz, Basque Country – using a case study methodology comprising online semi-structured interviews and participant observation. Our findings underscore three primary barriers to this process: divergent conceptualizations of food questions, education and awareness-raising as a limited convergence point, and constrained resources. Such barriers generate a practical divorce between social and environmental goals in the experiences analyzed. Central to this division is also the pivotal question of the subject of justice – whether AFNs advocate primarily for urban citizens’ interests or prioritize peri-urban and rural farmers’ concerns. The analysis highlights the need to develop inclusive socio-ecological narratives within the overarching framework of agroecological urbanism as a critical step in fostering collaborative coalitions among AFNs that move beyond individualized change. Building these coalitions would depend on funding availability for long-term strategic collaborative efforts, emphasizing the crucial role of public authorities in such processes
Identification and Quenching of Nugget Galaxies in the RESOLVE Survey at z = 0
Get PDFWe present a complete census of candidate nuggets, i.e., dense galaxies likely formed by compaction with intense gas influx, within the volume-limited redshift z ∼ 0 REsolved Spectroscopy Of a Local VolumE (RESOLVE) survey. These nuggets span all evolutionary stages and 3 orders of magnitude in stellar mass (M * ∼ 108 to 1011 M ⊙) from the dwarf to the giant regime. We develop selection criteria for our z ∼ 0 nugget candidates based on structure and introduce the use of environmental criteria to eliminate nugget-like objects with suspected non-compaction origins. The resulting z ∼ 0 nuggets follow expectations with respect to structure (i.e., density, size), population frequency, and likely origins. We show that the properties of our nugget census are consistent with permanent quenching above the gas-richness threshold scale (halo mass M halo ∼ 1011.4 M ⊙), cyclic temporary quenching below the threshold scale, and feedback from active galactic nuclei (AGN) assisting in permanent quenching. As predicted in simulations, most nuggets quench within a halo mass range of M halo ∼ 1011.45 to 1011.9 M ⊙. We find ∼0.29 dex scatter around the star-forming main sequence for candidate blue nuggets below the threshold scale, which is consistent with temporary quenching as seen in simulations. A transitional population of green nuggets appears above the threshold scale. AGN also become more common in nuggets above this scale, and we see a likely AGN excess in nuggets versus comparably selected non-nuggets. Our results provide the first observational confirmation of the mass-dependent, AGN-mediated shift from cyclic quenching to halo quenching in nuggets
Maturation and biomechanical risk factors associated with Anterior cruciate ligament injury: Is there a link? A systematic review
Get PDFObjective To establish the potential link between sex-specific maturation and biomechanical factors associated with ACL injury during dynamic tasks.
Design Systematic review
Literature search Five databases (CINHAL®, Cochrane Library, PubMed®, Scopus®, and SPORTDiscus) were searched and monitored until 27 May 2024.
Study selection criteria Cross-sectional, cohort, case-control, or interventional studies reporting one or more biomechanical variable linked with ACL injury and which assessed participants across two or more maturation phases were considered eligible.
Data synthesis Studies were assessed for risk of bias using a modified version of the Newcastle Ottawa Scale and overall quality of evidence was rated using GRADE. Metrics and effect sizes were presented where available.
Results Eighteen included studies examined 400 males, 1377 females, and 315 participants of undefined sex across various maturation phases. The methodological quality of most studies (n = 16) was considered good, and satisfactory for two. Knee abduction angle, knee abduction moment, knee flexion angle, and ground reaction forces were most commonly reported. Knee abduction angles and moments and knee flexion angles were greater in late and post-pubertal females than males and pre-pubertal females during both landing and cutting tasks. When normalised for body mass, ground reaction forces were generally greater in males compared to females overall and for less mature participants for both sexes. Overall quality of evidence was low or medium across the four biomechanical measures.
Conclusion Sex-specific maturation considerations are important in the targeted development and implementation of ACL injury risk identification and prevention strategies
Theroy and Application Analysis of IoT-Enabled Integrated Circuits
No full textIn recent years, integrated circuit technology has been used in an extremely wide range of applications in various fields. Taking advantage of the small size and low power consumption of embedded, multiple large devices in a single small chip. In essence, this is a disruption and innovation to traditional fields. This article discusses the application and future development of integrated circuits in the context of the trend towards the Internet of Things and the Internet. Read through this article to find out why the Internet and loT-enabled ICs are the main trends for the future, how they can be interwoven with Internet and IoT technologies. As well as innovative developments for the medical and transport sectors, such as smart cars, portable healthcare, etc. In the final part of the paper, the author's view on the remaining shortcomings of the IC industry and his outlook on the future development of the industry is presented
Achieving ‘something that everybody has invested in’: perspectives of diverse stakeholders during co-creation of a transition to residency curriculum
Get PDFCo-creation of education within the context of student inclusion alongside diverse stakeholders merits exploration. We studied the perspectives of students and teachers from different institutions who participated in co-creating a transition to residency curriculum. We conducted post-hoc in-depth interviews with 16 participants: final-year medical students, undergraduate, and postgraduate medical education stakeholders who were involved in the co-creation sessions. Findings build on the Framework of Stakeholders’ Involvement in Co-creation and identify the four key components of co-creation with diverse faculty: immersion in positive feelings of inclusivity and appreciation, exchange of knowledge, engagement in a state of reflection and analysis, and translation of co-creation dialogues into intended outcomes. Despite power dynamics, participants valued open communication, constructive feedback, mutual respect, and effective moderation. The study broadened our understanding of the co-creation process in diverse stakeholder settings. Incorporating key elements in the presence of power relations can enrich co-creation by leveraging wider expertise
DeepRISBeam: Deep Learning-Based RIS Beam Management for Radio Channel Optimization
Get PDFIn the rapidly developing field of wireless communication, the control of beams in Reconfigurable Intelligent Surfaces (RISs) has emerged as a promising element beyond 5G wireless communication systems. Due to their distinctive reflecting elements, Reconfigurable Intelligent Surface (RIS) is essential in several operations, including beamforming and beam steering. However, the optimization of these functions necessitates complex solutions. In this study, the authors introduce the Feedback DNN strategy, which combines the Feedback Neural Network and Deep Neural Network techniques specifically designed for channel estimation. This methodology utilizes deep neural networks to provide the RIS and user equipment communication path, enabling improved beamforming and steering capabilities. This study highlights the incorporation of machine learning (ML) within the field of communication engineering, intending to enhance the reliability and effectiveness of wireless communication systems. The contributions encompass a novel methodology for managing RIS beams, sophisticated approaches for channel estimates, optimization of beam operations, and the potential to enhance the performance of wireless systems by utilizing RISs via a Feedback DNN (called DeepRISBeam). The proposed approach is compared against other state-of-the-art ML approaches regarding their training accuracy. At the same time, it evaluated Bit Error Rate performance in high- and low-mobility vehicular communication scenarios
Kinect Station: Using Microsoft Kinect v2 as a Total Station Theodolite for Distance and Angle Determination in a 3D Cartesian Environment
No full textA Kinect sensor has been utilized as a cheap and accurate alternative to 3D laser scanners and electronic distance measurement (EDM) systems. This research presents an inexpensive and easy-to-setup system that utilizes the Microsoft Kinect v2 sensor as a surveying and measurement tool and investigates the possibility of using such a device as a replacement to conventional theodolite systems. The system was tested in an indoor environment where its accuracy in distance and angle measurements was tested using virtual markers in a 3D Cartesian environment. The system has shown an average accuracy of 97.94 % in measuring distances and 99.11 % and 98.84 % accuracy for area and perimeter, respectively within the Kinect’s surveying range of 1.5 to 6 meters. The research also tested the system competency for relative angle determination between two objects
Legislation, Policy and Equality: Evaluating deaf people’s access to the National Health Service
Get PDFThe Equality Act 2010 imposes a duty on healthcare providers to make an adjustment for people who are disabled to enable them to access the service in such a way that is equal to a person who is not disabled. Existing research shows that many deaf people have had poor experiences when accessing the National Health Service (NHS), which has resulted in negative outcomes when reasonable adjustments have not been made. Although medical settings have a duty to make adjustments for deaf people, it is unclear what the ‘reasonable adjustment’ should be. Therefore, this thesis aims to investigate what the ‘reasonable adjustment’ duty implies, as outlined in the Equality Act 2010, in the specific context of paramedic practice, as no official definition has been given within the legislation.
This qualitative study uses an Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) framework which investigates the lived experiences of both deaf people and paramedics when communicating in medical emergency encounters. Analysis of the interviews with these two participant groups are drawn together into common themes to gain an understanding of the issues experienced by both groups, what they were concerned about, and how interaction was facilitated with each other. This research also draws upon NHS hospital policies across England to understand how hospitals intend to make the ‘reasonable adjustment’ duty that is placed on them through the Equality Act 2010. The policies are then reviewed alongside the identified themes from both participant groups to explore similarity or discrepancy between policy aims and outcomes, including whether the adjustments that need to be made for deaf BSL users are understood.
The findings in this thesis demonstrate that qualified British Sign Language interpreters are essential to facilitating deaf people’s access to healthcare, and NHS policies struggle to meet the anticipatory duty outlined in the Equality Act. This study concludes that medical settings and personnel must be prepared for when emergency situations arise, and must have clear policies and expectations about how to obtain a qualified interpreter within a reasonable timeframe, and the communication methods that are acceptable until a qualified interpreter arrives