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Expanding the ‘Third Space’ between Western and non-Western knowledge: Nakane Chie’s Japanese Society as anti-Eurocentric theory
No full textDecolonial theorists have frequently employed dichotomies such as North–South, East–West, White–Black and Metropole–Periphery to characterise the exclusion of knowledge produced by marginalised populations around the world. This article argues that such dichotomies overlook a body of knowledge that lies in the liminal space between these polarities: the Third Space of ideas. It proposes that a more diverse history of sociological thought requires an acknowledgement of thinkers who developed putatively ‘Western’ ideas towards anti-Eurocentrism. Through a case study of the Japanese anthropologist Nakane Chie and her 1970 book Japanese Society, this article shows how concepts of ‘hybridity’ and ‘contamination’ are essential for reconstructing how so-called ‘non-Western’ scholars innovated Western theories in anti-Eurocentric directions. This article shows how the sociological canon could be expanded through an attention to how different schools of thought have evolved transnationally.<br/
Analytical Bergsonism
No full textThis paper discusses the phenomenon of “analytical appropriations;” movements based around analytic translations of non-analytic thinkers or traditions. It uses this discussion to propose a new instance of such appropriations: Analytical Bergsonism. Recent years have seen a notable increase in engagements between analytic philosophers and the philosophy of Henri Bergson (1859–1941), who has generally been considered as standing outside the analytic tradition. During and Miquel (2020, 17-42) have recently suggested that we should begin to take seriously the possibility of an “analytic Bergson.” However, no definition or metaphilosophical discussion of what this is supposed to be has been provided. This paper discusses similarities between three analogous analytic appropriations of non-analytic thinkers or systems of thought (Analytic Feminism, Analytical Thomism, and Analytic Theology), and uses an overview of their general structures to provide a descriptive and normative groundwork for Analytical Bergsonism. The paper also addresses several objections against the movement.<br/
Application of microarray patches for the transdermal administration of psychedelic drugs in micro-doses
No full textThroughout history, psychedelic compounds have been used for religious, spiritual and recreational purposes. A plethora of studies have reported the use of psychedelic compounds in the treatment of various conditions, such as alcoholism, addictions, depressive state to borderline schizophrenia, personality disorder, among other mental disorders. Psychedelic microdosing, a common technique in recent years, involves the consumption of small doses of psychedelic drugs for therapeutic purposes. This study investigated the potential of hydrogel-forming microarray patches (HF-MAPs) to deliver N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT), 5-methoxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine (5-MeO-DMT), and mescaline (MES) in small doses through the skin. To this purpose, HF-MAPs were prepared using poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) and poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) (PVP), using citric acid as the crosslinker. Two different reservoirs, containing PVP and PVA as the main components and poly(ethylene)glycol 400 (PEG400) and glycerol as plasticising agents, were used to deliver all the drugs from the HF-MAPs. Franz cells studies in excised neonatal porcine skin demonstrated that the permeation of DMT, 5-MeO-DMT and MES was better from the PEG400 reservoir, showing a permeation of 60.71 %, 59.61 % and 41.85 % respectively. Pharmacokinetic studies in rats showed that HF-MAP technology as a strategy for microdosing psychedelic compounds was also demonstrated with DMT. AUCt0-final for the HF-MAP cohort (7186 ± 1296 ng/mL*h) was significantly greater than the IM cohort (1803 ± 53.25 ng/mL*h) (p = 0.0020), with a relative bioavailability of ∼ 72 %. Considering their pharmacokinetic profile, the frequency of DMT dosing could be reduced with HF-MAP when compared to the IM route.<br/
Organic manures integrated with cover crops affects both cover crop and commercial crop performance including soil health: Effect on cover crop growth, nitrogen uptake and soil mineral N
No full textCover crops have many simultaneous roles that enhance the sustainability of agriculture compared to leaving land fallow in arable systems. In high rainfall climates, an important role of cover crops is to sequester nutrients, protecting them from loss to the environment. In many livestock intensive regions, organic manures are applied in autumn with land left fallow over winter and then a cash crop is planted in the spring. This practice of extended fallow, combined with the poorly synchronised application of nutrients to cash crop nutrient demand, further adds to the potential for large losses of nutrients specifically nitrogen (N) to the environment through leaching and volatilization. Therefore, if cover crops could respond to these nutrients through increased biomass growth and nutrient uptake, they could reduce these losses. Therefore, it is important to choose the correct species which grows adequately to deliver these potential benefits. In the region this study is conducted, Northern Ireland, there has been little research to investigate not only what optimum cover crop species are but also what species could respond to additional nutrients in the slurry. This study comprises two experiments, in consecutive years, including a combination of three factors: cover crop species (five species; a mixture and a control representing fallow); pig slurry. Consequently, it was found that with good growing conditions, in the trial year of 2018/19, species such as forage rape and tillage radish could significantly (p < 0.05) increase the amount of N contained in their biomass and the soil (to 15 cm) by 70 and 63%, respectively, in response to slurry. Alternatively, when slurry was applied to fallow land (conventional practice), low amounts (14 and 0% in the two trial years, respectively) of the N from the slurry were detected in weed biomass or retained in the soil. This demonstrates a large loss of N from the system. Thus, the integration of responsive cover crops with slurry is a better practice to abate N loss than conventional practice, if slurry applications can not be delayed
Immunomodulatory effects of bioactive polysaccharides from Pleurotus pulmonarius on LPS-stimulated THP-1 human macrophages
No full textEdible mushrooms represent valuable reservoirs of bioactive compounds with significant potential for pharmaceutical and nutraceutical applications. Their immunomodulatory effects have been linked to various nutraceutical and therapeutic benefits. This study investigates the immunostimulatory effects of soluble polysaccharides from Pleurotus pulmonarius (PPp) on THP-1 macrophages. Initial assays revealed high carbohydrate and β-glucan content in PP soluble extracts. Isolated soluble Pleurotus pulmonarius polysaccharides (PPp) induced dose-dependent (10 - 80 μg/mL) proliferation of THP-1 cells and upregulated expression of TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6 genes. Additionally, PPp inhibited nitric oxide (NO) production (15% - 45%), downregulated inducible Nitric Oxide Synthase (iNOS) gene expression (33% - 83%), and suppressed Programmed Cell Death-Ligand 1 (PD-L1) gene expression (69 - 95%) in LPS-stimulated THP-1 human macrophages. These findings suggest that soluble Pleurotus pulmonarius polysaccharides (PPp) modulates signaling pathways, balancing NO generation and iNOS expression in LPS-stimulated macrophages, signifies the ability of soluble Pleurotus pulmonarius polysaccharides (PPp) to regulate immunity level by polarizing LPS-stimulated macrophages. This study significantly contributes to advancing our understanding of Pleurotus pulmonarius polysaccharides’ immunomodulatory properties, offering insights into the nutraceutical value of Pleurotus pulmonarius (PP) as a promising functional food
AFM-based functional tomography – to mill or not to mill, that is the question!
No full textThe electrical response of ferroelectric domain walls is often influenced by their geometry underneath the sample surface. Tomographic imaging in these material systems has therefore become increasingly important for its ability to correlate the surface-level functional response with subsurface domain microstructure. In this context, AFM-based tomography emerges as a compelling choice because of its simplicity, high resolution, and robust contrast mechanism. However, to date, the technique has been implemented in a limited number of ferroelectric materials, typically to depths of a few hundred nanometers or on relatively soft materials, resulting in an unclear understanding of its capabilities and limitations. In this work, AFM tomography is carried out in YbMnO3, mapping its complex domain microstructure up to a depth of ≈1.8 µm along with its current pathways. A model is presented, describing the impact of interconnected domain walls within the network, which act as current dividers and codetermine how currents distribute. Finally, challenges such as tip-blunting and subsurface damage are identified through TEM studies, and strategies to address them are also put forward. This study highlights the potential of AFM tomography and can spur interest within the ferroics community for its use in the investigation of similar material systems.<br/
Can I phone a friend? Exploring the use of digital devices in clinical exams
No full textBackground: Objective structured clinical examinations (OSCEs) are used globally to assess health professional learners' clinical skills and applied knowledge. Despite innovations with simulated participants, manikin technology and real patient involvement, there remains a gap between ‘real-life’ practice and ‘OSCE experience’. For example, although mobile phone use is increasingly common in clinical practice; however, it would represent a significant disruption to established assessment practices in OSCEs. We aimed to explore student use of mobile phones during OSCE assessment, with a focus on exam security, equity and relevance to practice. Methods: Cultural Historical Activity Theory (CHAT) allows us to conceptualise and analyse complex systems such as those of OSCE assessment. We recruited a range of stakeholders in a UK medical school setting to participate in focus group interviews exploring our stated aim. Transcripts were analysed using CHAT as a theoretical lens to construct an activity system of assessment and identify emerging tensions around the use of a potentially disruptive technology: students' own mobile phones. Findings: Seven examiners, 13 medical students, and two simulated participants participated in three focus groups. Three sources of tension were identified: between the tools of assessment and practice, of exam security and exam relevance, and of medical students as people and professionals. Discussion and Conclusion: This study exemplifies how a seemingly small disruption in a complex system (introducing a mobile phone—a tool used in everyday practice) can help us understand and describe the unwritten rules of assessment.</p
Role of the extracellular matrix in cancer: insights into tumor progression and therapy
No full textThe extracellular matrix (ECM) serves not only as a structural scaffold but also as an active regulator of cancer progression, profoundly influencing tumor behaviour and the tumor microenvironment (TME). This review focuses into the pivotal role of ECM alterations in facilitating tumor metastasis and explores therapeutic strategies aimed at counteracting these changes. We analyse targeted interventions against collagen, including approaches to inhibit its biosynthesis and disrupt associated signalling pathways critical for tumor architecture and cell migration. Additionally, therapies addressing hyaluronan are reviewed, highlighting methods to suppress its synthesis and enzymatic strategies to degrade it, thereby mitigating its tumor-promoting effects. The discussion extends to innovative approaches for modulating ECM stiffness, focusing on the roles of cancer-associated fibroblasts and lysyl oxidases, which are key contributors to ECM remodelling and mechanical signalling. By strategically modifying these ECM components, these interventions aim to enhance the efficacy of existing cancer treatments, tackle resistance mechanisms, and achieve more durable therapeutic outcomes. Insights from recent studies and clinical trials highlight the promise of these strategies in overcoming treatment resistance and improving patient outcomes. Advancing our understanding of ECM biology leads to the development of innovative and more effective cancer therapies.<br/
The impact of weather variability on renewable energy consumption: insights from explainable machine learning models
No full textThe pursuit of carbon neutrality is reshaping global energy systems, making the transition to renewable energy critical for mitigating climate change. However, unstable weather conditions continue to challenge energy consumption stability and grid reliability. This study investigates the effectiveness of various machine learning (ML) models at predicting energy consumption differences and employs the SHapley Additive Explanations (SHAP) interpretability tool to quantify the influence of key weather variables, using five years of data (2017–2022) and 196,776 observations collected across Europe. The dataset consists of hourly weather and energy consumption records, and key variables such as Global Horizontal Irradiance (GHI), sunlight duration, day length, cloud cover, and humidity are identified as critical predictors. The results demonstrate that the Random Forest (RF) model achieves the highest accuracy and stability (R2 = 0.92, RMSE = 360.17, MAE = 208.84), outperforming other models in predicting energy consumption differences. Through SHAP analysis, this study demonstrates the profound influence of GHI, which exhibits a correlation coefficient of 0.88 with energy consumption variance. Incorporating advanced data preprocessing and predictor selection techniques remains the RMSE of RF but reduces the RMSE by approximately 25% for the XGBoost model, underlining the importance of selecting appropriate input variables. Hyperparameter tuning further enhances model performance, particularly for less robust algorithms prone to overfitting. The study reveals the complex seasonal and regional effects of weather conditions on energy demands. These findings underscore the effectiveness of ML models at addressing the challenges of complex energy systems and provide valuable insights for policymakers and practitioners to optimize energy management strategies, integrate renewable energy sources, and achieve sustainable development objectives.<br/
Radiocarbon mortar dating of newly uncovered medieval ceiling paintings at Stavanger Cathedral, Norway
No full textRadiocarbon dating was carried out on mortar substrates beneath newly uncovered wall paintings on the vaulted ceiling of Stavanger Cathedral, one of only three such examples in Norway and the first uncovered in the last 50 years. Bulk mortar samples were retrieved from three locations closely associated with the wall paintings and radiocarbon mortar dating was conducted on both organic (wood/charcoal) and inorganic (lime lumps from the lime binder) subsamples.Charcoal/wood dates produced a range of calibrated ages, from the early 11th to late 13th century AD. Variation in ages is consistent with wood of different ages (‘old wood’ effect) being used as fuel in lime production or as aggregate in the mortar.Ramped pyrolysis radiocarbon dating was applied to lime lumps extracted from two of the bulk mortars (spatially separated). The 5–6 fractions of CO2 trapped at different thermal decomposition ranges produced radiocarbon ages that were in excellent internal statistical agreement for each sample and also in excellent statistical agreement between the two samples from different sampling locations. These dates are furthermore in statistical agreement with the youngest of the charcoal/wood samples dated.The results securely date the mortar substrate of the painting's plaster to 1216–1271 cal. AD (99.7 %) and raise the likelihood that the mortar and associated paintings pre-date a fire in Stavanger in 1272, traditionally associated with a phase of rebuilding of the cathedral. As the first in-depth published scientific dating at Stavanger Cathedral and more broadly to medieval wall paintings in Norway, the results highlight the potential of ramped pyrolysis or thermal decomposition mortar dating approaches to understanding not only building archaeologies, but the cultural heritage embedded in these structures.<br/