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Feminism and the family: mothers and children, between love, rights and duties, in Effe magazine 1973–82
No full textThe 1970s saw intense discussions among feminists about the patriarchal family. While radical feminists called for complete withdrawal from marriage and motherhood, others attempted to reconfigure the roles of parents and children in the light of feminism. A particularly vibrant discussion unfolded in the feminist magazine Effe, published in Rome between 1973 and 1982, evolving from a largely negative to a more nuanced view of motherhood by the late 1970s. The notion of love was central. Effe writers asked how love could be separated from care and if it was really so natural. They stressed how maternal love needed to be balanced with children’s need for freedom and autonomy and reflected on their experiences as daughters as well as mothers. While excessive love could be harmful, there was radical potential in the notion of the loved and wanted child. Many proposed collective solutions to child-rearing, while others stressed the sensual pleasures of motherhood. Using a history of the emotions lens, this article teases out the complexities and contradictions of Italian feminist thinking about motherhood. Although the space for more positive evaluations expanded over time, Effe was ultimately more successful in reclaiming pregnancy as a feminist experience than motherhood itself.<br/
A finite fracture mechanics approach to assess the fatigue life of laminates exhibiting free edge effects
No full textThis study presents the application of a 3D Finite Fracture Mechanics (FFM) criterion for predicting fatigue life estimation of laminates exhibiting free edge effects. The proposed 3D FFM fatigue criterion incorporates interface properties such as the critical interlaminar stress and the incremental energy release rate as functions of the number of cycles. Material constants calibration involves computing critical interlaminar stress using effective stress distribution over an average delamination onset width while assuming a quadratic relation between critical incremental energy release rate and nominal remote maximum stress cycle. The 3D FFM fatigue criterion system of equations consists of two inequalities solved for a unique solution by assuming homothetic crack extension and utilising a non-linear constraint optimisation. The proposed methodology predicts that lower angles of ply orientation in angle-ply laminates exhibit greater finite fatigue life for a given remote cyclic load. Predictions of fatigue life estimation align well with the experimental results from the literature
Simultaneous sub-dew point cooling and deep dehumidification by Combined Sorption Dehumidification and Evaporative Cooling (CoSDEC) at low regeneration temperature
No full textDecoupled desiccant dehumidification and evaporative cooling technologies can efficiently dehumidify and cool air using predominantly low-grade heat and water. However, as the target temperature and humidity decrease, the temperature required for desiccant regeneration increases, which in turn decreases sorption capacity. In this study, we introduce the concept of Combined Sorption Dehumidification and Evaporative Cooling (CoSDEC) wherein air is simultaneously dehumidified via sorption and cooled via evaporative cooling in a pair of adjacent desiccant-coated and water-wet channels. A 900-mm proof-of-concept system employing mesoporous silica gel desiccant regenerated at 40 °C is demonstrated to dehumidify and cool 1.0 m/s of hot and humid air from 30 °C and 20 g/kg da to a minimum of 15.6 °C and 4.8 g/kg da. This yields a cooling effectiveness of εwb = 3.76 and εdp = 2.85, and a dehumidification effectiveness of MREadb = 5.2 and MREiso = 1.75. Further enhancements were achieved by decreasing flow velocity (15.4 °C and 4.6 g/kg da at 0.8 m/s), increasing regeneration temperature (15.3 °C and 2.8 g/kg da at 50 °C), or increasing system length (13.9 °C and 4.2 g/kg da at 1200 mm). The remarkable capability of CoSDEC to efficiently dehumidify and cool air to substantially low humidity and temperatures using a low-temperature heat source and water represents a significant achievement in heat-driven air conditioning technology. The potential for further reduction in temperature and humidity levels through the optimization of operational and design parameters underscores the promise of a combined sorption dehumidification and evaporative cooling system.</p
Key considerations for a prostate cancer mRNA vaccine
No full textProstate cancer has the second highest cancer mortality rate in the UK in males. Early prostate cancer is typically asymptomatic, with diagnosis at a locally advanced or metastatic stage. In addition, the inherent heterogeneity of prostate cancer tumours differs significantly in terms of genetic, molecular, and histological features. The successful treatment of prostate cancer is therefore exceedingly challenging. Immunotherapies, particularly therapeutic vaccines, have been widely used in preclinical and clinical studies to treat various cancers. Sipuleucel-T was the first cancer vaccine approved by the FDA for the treatment of asymptomatic or minimally symptomatic metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC), ushering in a new era of immunotherapy. In this review, the latest immunotherapy strategies for prostate cancer are considered with key tumour-associated antigens (TAA) and tumour-specific antigens (TSA) highlighted. The key components of mRNA vaccines include in vitro transcription, stability, and immunogenicity. Finally, strategies to circumvent in vivo mRNA degradation and approaches to optimise in vitro transcription (IVT) process are also discussed.<br/
Enhanced efficiency assessment in manufacturing: leveraging machine learning for improved performance analysis
No full textThis paper introduces EATBoosting, a novel application of gradient tree boosting within the Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) framework, designed to address undesirable outputs in printed circuit board (PCB) manufacturing. Recognizing the challenge of balancing desirable and undesirable outputs in efficiency assessments, our approach leverages machine learning to enhance the discriminatory power of traditional DEA models, facilitating more precise efficiency estimations. By integrating gradient tree boosting, EATBoosting optimizes the handling of complex data patterns and maximizes accuracy in predicting production functions, thus improving upon the deterministic nature of conventional DEA and Free Disposal Hull methods. The practicality of our approach is demonstrated through its application to a PCB assembly process, highlighting its capacity to discern subtle inefficiencies that traditional methods might overlook. This methodology not only enriches the analytical toolkit available for operational efficiency analysis but also sets a precedent for incorporating advanced machine learning techniques in performance evaluation across various industries. Looking forward, the continued integration of such innovative methods promises to revolutionize efficiency analysis, making it more adaptive to complex industrial challenges and more reflective of real-world production dynamics. This work not only broadens the scope of DEA applications but also invites further research into the integration of machine learning to refine performance measurement and management
Rethinking resource scarcity: towards ecofeminist decolonial degrowth
No full textThis article critically examines the concept of resource scarcity within the context of capitalist accumulation and colonial legacies. Employing an ecofeminist approach, it challenges dominant narratives of scarcity that obscure systemic processes of resource deprivation in the global South and care economies. The analysis reveals how the rhetoric of scarcity serves capitalist interests and perpetuates colonial exploitation, leading to unequal resource allocation between productive and reproductive economies, and between the global North and South. Drawing on ecofeminist theory, enriched by decolonial and Marxist critiques, this article argues that resource scarcity is not merely relative within planetary boundaries, but fundamentally a consequence of capitalist modes of production and colonial exploitation of women, racialised populations, and the more-than-human world. Scarcity is artificially manufactured through processes of overaccumulation, overdevelopment, and corporate violence. The article advocates for an ecofeminist decolonial degrowth political economy as a form of climate reparation. This approach explicitly aims to expand the care economy, challenging the growth paradigm and redistributing resources between production and reproduction, and between North and South. It envisions the development of plural, interdependent economies that resist capitalist domination and pave the way for post-capitalist modes of living that prioritise human flourishing and ecological sustainability.<br/
Conservatively managed non-functioning pituitary macroadenomas - cohort study from the UK Non-functioning Pituitary Adenoma Consortium
No full textObjective Surveillance is often adopted for asymptomatic non-functioning pituitary macroadenomas (macroNFPAs). Due to low-quality evidence, uncertainty remains on optimal frequency of imaging/biochemical monitoring and indications for surgery. We assessed the natural history and outcomes of patients with macroNFPA who had monitoring as initial management choice from the UK NFPA Consortium. Design This was a multicentre, retrospective, cohort study involving 21 UK endocrine departments. Methods Clinical, imaging, and hormonal data of 949 patients followed up between January, 1, 2005 and March, 1, 2022 were analysed. Results Incidence rate for tumour enlargement was 9.8 per 100 patient-years (95% CI, 8.8-10.8), with cumulative probabilities 1.6%, 8.1%, 18.4%, 29.2%, and 43.6% at 6-month, 1-year, 2-year, 3-year, and 5-year follow-up, respectively; rates were higher in tumours abutting/displacing optic chiasm than those not in contact with it. Amongst macroNFPAs not in contact with optic chiasm showing enlargement within 6 months, none impacted visual fields. In tumours with enlargement and continued monitoring (median 2.6 years), further growth occurred in 60.5% (33.8% probability at 2 years), stability in 35.5%, and shrinkage in 4.0%. Rates of new pituitary hormone deficits were 4.0%-4.9%, mainly driven by tumour enlargement. After transsphenoidal surgery, rates of hypopituitarism reversal were 12%-17% and those of additional anterior pituitary hormone deficits were 12%-15% (permanent vasopressin deficiency 3.5%). Conclusions Our data provide evidence for monitoring protocols. MacroNFPAs not in contact with optic chiasm require less frequent imaging, and first follow-up scan can be delayed to 1 year. After first enlargement, variable tumour behaviour can occur. New hypopituitarism in stable tumours is rare, challenging necessity of regular pituitary function assessment
Behavioral gerontology at home: Retaining self-care skills in an older adult with major neurocognitive disorder through stimulus control and subtle prompt hierarchies from spousal caregiver
No full textMajor neurocognitive disorder (MND), also known as dementia, affects approximately 85,000 older people in the United Kingdom. Most people with MND are cared for at home, requiring over 700,000 informal caregivers, many of whom are spouse carers. The present study examined a spousal caregiver intervention to maintain personal hygiene-related life skills (i.e., showering) in Flo, a 79-year-old woman with Alzheimer’s disease. The simplified multiple-component intervention, including reducing distracting discriminative stimuli in the bathroom and a subtle prompting procedure, was used successfully. Rick, the participant’s husband, reported high levels of social validity, noting reduced stress and improved well-being. Results are discussed in terms of the importance of behavioral strategies for enhancing personal care at home, demonstrating the use of individually tailored, low-effort interventions to support caregivers, and enhance the quality of life for individuals with MND
