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"All that I've been through has made me who I am": youth conceptualisations of personal recovery in mental health
No full textBackground
Youth is a transitional period from 15 to 24 years involving developmental milestones that may be adversely affected by mental health (MH) concerns. Clinical interventions tend to focus on the reduction or cure of illness-based psychiatric symptoms. However, national and international mental policy focuses on promoting well-being and self-management through personal recovery. The leading framework of personal recovery in adults is CHIME, an acronym used to denote five key processes – Connectedness, Hope, Identity, Meaning and Empowerment. The extent to which CHIME reflects the experience of personal recovery in youth is under-researched, yet the framework often underpins youth mental health services.
Method
The present study uses a qualitative methodology to analyse interviews with 16 youth referred for treatment. Interviews focused on the lived experiences of youth recovery and its alignment with the CHIME processes and were analysed using a hybrid inductive and deductive reflexive thematic analysis.
Results
The CHIME framework was relevant to youth recovery in two ways: restoring what was perceived to be lost (restorative processes) and encouraging resilience (resilience processes). Adaptations to the CHIME framework for youth included an increased emphasis on the role of family and friends, support for grieving processes and support for identity formation during the recovery journey.
Conclusion
An adapted CHIME framework for youth can underpin targeted recovery-oriented care to support youth in moving towards emerging adulthood successfully while managing mental health concerns
Echoes of the past: Rediscovering Barometric Levelling
No full textNew advanced sensors are making barometric levelling valuable for obtaining elevation data where GNSS data are unavailabl
A Proposed New Formula to Create the Maharishi Effect: The Perúvian Example
No full textSince the beginning of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi’s global effort to end human suffering and to change the course of time for everyone on earth, the intimate relationship between individual and collective—between his technologies of consciousness for the individual on the one hand and their social impacts on the other—has been a subject of considerable theoretical and empirical interest. Central to Maharishi’s effort is what scientists have called the Maharishi Effect, “the phenomenon of the rise of coherence in the collective consciousness of any community”.
Such an effect is founded on Maharishi’s conclusion that “If the world is to change, individuals must change”. Maharishi even predicted that, on the basis of a numeric formula, a salutary change in individual consciousness would result in a comparable change in society. His predications were based on the discovery that: A) Maharishi’s technologies of consciousness, when practised individually or in a group, generate acute orderliness in the brain physiology of participants, as recorded in the electroencephalographic (EEG) signature; and B) this acute brainwave orderliness simultaneously creates orderliness, harmony, peacefulness and relief from tension in society. ‘Orderliness’ in human brain physiology has been referred to by Maharishi and others as brainwave coherence and electroencephalic ordering.
Several different formulas which predict the Maharishi Effect have been advanced, with the 1% effect of practitioners of Maharishi’s Transcendental Meditation and the √1% effect of the group practise of Maharishi’s Transcendental Meditation and TM-Sidhi program being principal among them. The purpose of the present discussion paper is to consider these various formulas and to propose a new formula which will predict the Maharishi Effect when groups of meditators come together for social benefit. Data, evidence and experience from Perú will serve as the context for this discussion
Pull-out capacity and energy absorption of cable bolts under impact loading
No full textThis study investigates the performance of high-strength cable bolts under impact loading conditions representative of rock bursts in underground environments. Although widely used, the dynamic behaviour of these cable bolts has received limited experimental attention, and their effectiveness in seismically active zones remains a subject of ongoing debate. To address this gap, a reverse pull-out test machine integrated with a drop hammer rig was employed. Tests were conducted on 70-t SUMO bulbed and non-bulbed cable bolts with encapsulation lengths of 300 and 450 mm, subjected to an impact energy of 14.52 kJ. Results indicate that non-bulbed cables, despite showing lower initial peak loads (average 218 vs. 328 kN for bulbed cables at 300 mm encapsulation), demonstrated superior energy absorption (average 11.26 vs. 8.75 kJ) and displacement capacity (average 48.40 vs. 36.25 mm). Increasing the encapsulation length for bulbed cables led to a reduction in initial peak load but improved displacement and energy absorption. The dominant failure mechanism was debonding at the cable-grout interface, characterised by frictional sliding and cable rotation. These findings provide new insights into the energy dissipation mechanisms of cables and support the development of more resilient ground support systems for dynamically active conditions
HepNet: Deep neural network for classification of early-stage hepatic steatosis using microwave signals
No full textHepatic steatosis, a key factor in chronic liver diseases, is difficult to diagnose early. This study introduces a classifier for hepatic steatosis using microwave technology, validated through clinical trials. Our method uses microwave signals and deep learning to improve detection to reliable results. It includes a pipeline with simulation data, a new deep-learning model called HepNet, and transfer learning. The simulation data, created with 3D electromagnetic tools, is used for training and evaluating the model. HepNet uses skip connections in convolutional layers and two fully connected layers for better feature extraction and generalization. Calibration and uncertainty assessments ensure the model's robustness. Our simulation achieved an F1-score of 0.91 and a confidence level of 0.97 for classifications with entropy ≤0.1, outperforming traditional models like LeNet (0.81) and ResNet (0.87). We also use transfer learning to adapt HepNet to clinical data with limited patient samples. Using 1H-MRS as the standard for two microwave liver scanners, HepNet achieved high F1-scores of 0.95 and 0.88 for 94 and 158 patient samples, respectively, showing its clinical potential
Social work as a professional project in Fiji
No full textAs social work professionalization grows in the Asia-Pacific, there is increasing recognition of the need for culturally relevant education, yet many Pacific nations lack formal definitions or recognition of social work training. In Fiji, international influences dominate definitions and ethics, creating tensions between Western frameworks and Pacific practices, which reflect deeper struggles between cultural identity and global professional discourse shaped by colonization and globalization. Using talanoa, a Pacific research methodology, and underpinned by decolonial thought, this article explores the experiences of sixty-one social workers from across Fiji and documents these tensions. It highlights the realities for many post-colonial contexts who are forced to walk within the realms of British Imperialist legacies and at times, incongruent cultural epistemologies. It warns of neocolonial risks inherent within professionalism agendas and questions whether social work benefits from efforts to organize as a homogenous, ethically unified profession
Technoeconomic feasibility of integrated organics processing facilities with anaerobic digestion and composting: An analytical framework for regional Australia
No full textTo facilitate development of sustainable municipal organic processing in Australia, this research assessed feasibility and benefits of integrated composting and anaerobic digestion processing facilities. The paper reports on development of a decision support analytical framework for techno-economic feasibility of four different scenarios based on seven organic processing facility options with reference to a case study scenario in Southeast Queensland, Australia. Under the conditions of the case study entered into the techno-economic decision support framework, the following ideal outcome was recommended: Firstly, development of a new organics processing facility should consider integrated processing and co-location with a high energy consumer industry to maximise product value and economic benefits. Results show 28% improvement in financial returns over the single technology composting facility. Secondly, both new and existing composting facilities would benefit from receiving co-mingled food and garden organics for processing through a biogas facility. Although food made up just 37% of the feedstock, it was the largest source of methane, contributing 74% of the total gas yield. Lastly, facilities would benefit from implementation of biogas upgrading to sell biomethane and carbon dioxide alongside compost. Results revealed biomethane export has potential for a 77% financial gain over a compost facility but biomethane must be valued at retail values and will be more difficult to achieve. The current waste levy imposed by the local authority in the regional case study is key to providing incentive to divert organic waste from landfill, but suitable product pricing would drive further expansion to produce energy products
Composite Polymeric Sucker Rod Guides: State-of-Practice, Causes of Failure, and Circular Economy Opportunities
No full textThe oil and gas industry generates substantial amounts of polymeric waste each year, including sucker rod guides manufactured from premium thermoplastics such as Polyphenylene Sulphide (PPS), Polyacrylamide (PAA), Polyamide (PA), and Polyether ether ketone (PEEK). It is estimated that, annually, approximately 18,600 metric tonnes of polymeric sucker rod guides are discarded worldwide, contributing significantly to landfill accumulation. This paper critically reviews the behaviour of polymeric rod guides when exposed to downhole environments where high temperature, pressure, contamination, and severe mechanical stresses act simultaneously. These components are essential in maintaining system reliability, yet research and development on polymeric rod guides remain limited, and investigations into their degradation and failure mechanisms are non-existent. In addition, there are currently no established approaches for recycling or reusing worn polymeric guides, which restricts progress toward sustainability and contributes to the increased accumulation of polymer waste in landfills. This review highlights these gaps and discusses future research directions that could improve the performance and service life of glass-fibre-reinforced polymeric components, while also creating opportunities for recycling and circular economy
Resolving Investor Protection in Climate-Related Disputes: Some Legal Reflections
No full textThe global implementation of climate measures has generated complex legal challenges at the intersection of climate
change mitigation and international investment law. While governments increasingly adopt regulatory measures to
address their climate concerns, these policies have caused a rise in investor-state disputes. This article examines the
legal challenges emerging from investor-state arbitration mechanism when states implement climate-related regulatory
policies. It investigates the tension between state sovereignty in climate policy and international investment protection
obligations. The analysis identifies systemic obstacles in the current arbitration practice and proposes approaches to
reconcile the competing imperatives of climate action and investor protection. By analysing the legal implications of climate change regulatory measures, this article advances the scholarly discourse on climate governance and international
investment law
Impact of laparoscopic vertical sleeve gastrectomy (LVSG) on lower esophageal sphincter pressure (LESP), lower esophageal sphincter length (LESL) and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) using esophageal function tests (EFTs): A systematic review and meta-analysis
No full textBackground: LVSG seems to increase the risk of GERD despite significant weight loss. We compared pre- and postoperative esophageal function test data (in conjunction with the BMI loss) to evaluate the impact of post-LVSG on lower esophageal sphincter pressure (LESP), lower esophageal sphincter length (LESL), and DeMeester Score (DMS).
Methods: Articles analyzing esophageal manometry ±24 h pH-study pre- and post-LVSG were identified using electronic databases from 1999 to 2023. The Critical Appraisal Skills Programme Checklist for Cohort Studies was used for quality assessment. The DerSimonian and Laird random effects model was used for continuous data analysis. Heterogeneity was assessed using the Cochrane Q statistic and I2 index. Leave one out sensitivity analysis was undertaken to assess the robustness and validity of our analysis. Egger’s test was used to evaluate potential publication bias in our meta-analysis.
Results: Nineteen studies totaling 668 patients were evaluated (F = 445, M = 131). A significant reduction of 3.82 mm Hg in LESP was observed after LVSG based on 16 studies (WMD 3.82, 95% CI 1.74, 5.90; p < 0.001, I2 = 88.6%). LESL did not reveal any significant difference between pre- and post-LVSG based on nine studies (WMD 0.05, 95% CI –0.15, 0.26; p = 0.625, I2 = 83.1%). DMS showed a significant increase of 11.72 post LVSG based on 12 studies (WMD –11.72, 95% CI –17.15 to –6.30; p < 0.001, I2 = 91.5%). Significant BMI loss of 13.26 kg/m2 was observed post LVSG based on 12 studies (WMD 13.26, 95% CI 11.65 to 14.88, Z = 16.07, p < 0.001).
Conclusions: LVSG is associated with a significant decrease in LESP and a significant increase in the DMS post-LVSG, leading to the worsening or development of new GERD symptoms despite significant BMI reduction. The limitations of our meta-analysis include small sample sizes, short follow-up, heterogeneity, lack of data on some confounders and inadequate quality of some studies