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Normalization of degraded expert work in globalized finance: the experiences and consequences of organizational control over outsourced expert workers
No full textAn important element of the crisis in expertise is the growing insecurity and degradation of the working conditions of many expert occupations. Building on theoretical work on the crisis of expertise, this paper examines the status and conditions of expert financial workers who find themselves in challenging and unwelcome working conditions. Using in-depth interviews with financial assistants employed in the outsourced fringes of the global banking industry, we portray how management in the outsourcing firm extracts, standardizes and exploits the expertise of its workers while using sophisticated cultural and normative techniques to normalize work degradation. Specifically, we show how workers’ aspirations, willingness and responsibilities are mobilized to cultivate elements of expertise deemed valuable to management. A paradoxical situation arises whereby management values the expert work conducted within the financial system, while simultaneously degrading the conditions of those executing the work. The notion of expertise emerges as a hidden yet powerful mechanism of organizational control, raising questions of the socially constructed, precarious, fluid and incomplete nature of expertise
Lifespan and fecundity impacts of reduced insulin signalling can be directed by mito-nuclear epistasis in Drosophila
Get PDFThe changing demography of human populations has motivated a search for interventions that promote healthy ageing, and especially for evolutionarily-conserved mechanisms that can be studied in lab systems to generate hypotheses about function in humans. Reduced Insulin/IGF signalling (IIS) is a leading example, which can extend healthy lifespan in a range of animals, but whether benefits and costs of reduced IIS vary genetically within species is under-studied. This information is critical for any putative translation. Here, in Drosophila, we test for genetic variation in lifespan response to a dominant-negative form of the insulin receptor, along with a metric of fecundity to evaluate corollary fitness costs/benefits. We also partition genetic variation between DNA variants in the nucleus (nDNA) and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), in a fully-factorial design that allows us to assess ‘mito-nuclear’ epistasis. We show that reduced IIS can have either beneficial or detrimental effects on lifespan, depending on the combination of mtDNA and nDNA. This suggests that, while insulin signalling has a conserved effect on ageing among species, intraspecific effects can vary genetically, and the combination of mtDNA and nDNA can act as a gatekeeper
Contaminating plasmid sequences and disrupted vector genomes in the liver following adeno-associated virus gene therapy
Get PDFAdeno-associated viruses (AAVs) are common vectors in gene therapy but can frequently cause liver complications in patients. The mechanisms underlying AAV-related liver toxicity remain poorly understood, posing challenges for effective prevention and intervention. Here we conducted a case study of a child with spinal muscular atrophy type 1 experiencing substantial hepatitis after receiving onasemnogene abeparvovec, undertaking long- and short-read metagenomic sequencing of liver tissue. We identified manufacturing plasmid sequences with complex structures and recombination. Vector genomes had extensive disruption a nd c on catemerization as well as numerous vectorhuman fusion junctions. We also identified human betaherpesvirus 6B in the liver. Further work and investigation of more patients is needed to establish whether the presence of manufacturing plasmid sequences or helper viruses contribute to the formation of these complex concatemeric DNA structures in the liver, and whether these are a factor in the development of liver toxicity after AAV gene therapy
Cholangiocarcinoma 2026: status quo, unmet needs and priorities
No full textCholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is a cancer that originates within the bile ducts. Traditionally considered to be a rare neoplasm, increased awareness of CCA alongside advancements in diagnosis and the rising prevalence of certain risk factors have contributed to a global increase in incidence and mortality. CCAs are highly heterogeneous from the clinical, histomorphological and molecular perspectives but commonly share a poor prognosis. These tumours usually develop and progress silently; by the time they are detected, it is often too late for curative surgical intervention. In such cases, current therapeutic approaches offer modest survival improvements and are generally considered palliative. Although well-known risk factors predispose individuals to developing CCA, the majority of cases are considered sporadic, occurring without any identifiable underlying condition. Over the past decade, substantial collaborative efforts have been made to improve our understanding of the aetiopathogenesis of these tumours, aiming to identify novel biomarkers and therapeutic targets to develop more effective treatments. The ultimate goal is to improve patient outcomes and overall well-being. However, there are significant gaps in our understanding of the molecular mechanisms that drive cholangiocarcinogenesis. In this international Consensus Statement, which is endorsed by the European Network for the Study of Cholangiocarcinoma, we provide a critical overview of the latest advancements in the field of CCA. We highlight the key aspects of CCA aetiopathogenesis and clinical management and provide insights into promising new treatments. Finally, we provide a set of consensus recommendations and future research priorities for CCA based on a Delphi panel questionnaire involving international experts
Effectiveness of an environmental nutrition and physical activity intervention in early childhood education and care settings: A multicentre cluster randomised controlled trial (NAPSACC UK)
No full textBackground: Early childhood education and care (ECEC) provision is widespread. NAPSACC UK is an intervention in ECECs designed to improve nutrition and physical activity policies, practice and provision through ECEC staff workshops, self-assessment and assistance over one year. It was adapted for the UK from the USA and we tested whether it reduced energy consumption and increased physical activity.
Methods: Repeated cross-sectional, multicentre, two-arm, single-blind, parallel-group, cluster-randomised controlled trial including ECEC providers in the UK. The randomisation was conducted by a statistician who was blinded to ECEC provider identity, with allocation within each local authority area and by ECEC Index of Multiple Deprivation scores to minimise differences between arms. Participants were not blind to allocation. Co-primary outcomes after 12-months were child average total energy consumed per eating occasion in the ECEC (lunch or snack) and child accelerometer-assessed total physical activity on ECEC days. Secondary outcomes were moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, sedentary time, energy served and consumed at lunch and snacks, diet quality, and Body Mass Index z-score. The senior statistician and majority of co-investigators were blinded. Analysis was intention-to-treat. Trial registration is ISRCTN33134697 and is completed.
Findings: Between 14 March 2022 and 25 March 2024 we enrolled 52 ECEC providers (25 intervention; 27 control) and 835 2-5 year-olds (401 intervention, 434 control). The co-primary outcomes were assessed 12 months after baseline with data provided by 382 children for nutrition and 244 children for physical activity. There was no evidence of a difference in the co-primary outcomes compared to control of average kcal per eating occasion in ECEC (adjusted geometric mean ratio 0.86 (95% CI 0.72–1.03; p = 0.09)) or total physical activity (adjusted mean difference (aMD) −2.13 min (95% CI −10.96 to 6.70; p = 0.64)). There was evidence of lower lunch energy served (aMD −69.1 kcal per occasion (95% CI −116 to −22.2; p = 0.004)) and consumed (aMD −67.7 kcal per occasion (95% CI −118.6 to −18.7, p = 0.009)) with the intervention. There was no evidence of differences in other secondary outcomes. No adverse events were reported.
Interpretation: NAPSACC UK did not improve average kcal per eating occasion in ECEC or physical activity. Lower lunch energy servings and consumption closer to recommendations were observed as secondary outcomes. The lower fidelity to the intervention than intended and staffing pressures give insight into interpretation of the null result. Therefore, we recommend that policy-level and statutory changes, which require low agency by individual ECEC settings are research and policy priorities for nutrition and physical activity in ECEC
Art knowledge training shapes understanding, inspires creativity and stimulates thinking
Get PDFAccording to aesthetic cognitivism theory, art represents a
source of knowledge that promotes understanding, creativity
and thinking. However, it remains unclear exactly which
features of art knowledge shape understanding and thinking.
Our pre-registered study examined whether different types
of art knowledge training (full audio-visual, brief visual or
passive control) impact judgements of understanding, creative
inspiration, thought stimulation and intellectual challenge
and whether these effects generalize to new contexts. Using
a training intervention paradigm and a multilevel Bayesian
modelling approach, we found that participants (N ~ 50/
training group) assigned higher ratings of understanding,
creative inspiration and thought stimulation judgements to
trained rather than to untrained artworks, as a function of
art training type. Particularly, full audio-visual art training,
which included visual and auditory descriptions, led to higher
ratings than no training. The effects of training generalized
to unseen artworks produced by the same artist but not to
artworks by different artists. Compared to the passive control
group, these effects were more robust for the full audio-visual
than brief visual art training group. These findings highlight
how art knowledge training can promote art understanding,
creative inspiration and thought stimulation and generalizes
to new settings that involve a similar artistic style
Parafoveal preview differentially modulates word frequency and contextual predictability effects during reading
No full textDespite more than five decades of research into eye movements in reading, questions remain about the relationship between lower-level lexical and higher-level semantic factors. We explored the simultaneous effects of word frequency (lower, higher), contextual predictability (lower, higher), and parafoveal preview (valid, invalid) on the processing of target words embedded in short passages of text. Using a repeated-measures design, 80 participants read 240 two-line passages, each containing a four- or five-letter target word. Corpus-based word frequencies and Cloze predictabilities were used as continuous variables in Bayesian mixed-effect analyses of fixation time and skipping measures. Key findings included robust main effects of frequency, predictability, and preview validity, as well as two-way interactions between Frequency × Preview in gaze duration, and Predictability × Preview in gaze duration and skipping. Frequency effects on gaze duration were greater under invalid preview conditions, suggesting that higher-frequency words facilitate corrective processing when preview is misleading. Predictability effects on gaze duration and skipping were enhanced under valid preview, indicating that contextual facilitation depends on coherent parafoveal input. No interaction was observed between frequency and predictability nor a three-way interaction, supporting the view that lexical access and contextual integration operate via distinct mechanisms. These findings highlight the critical role of parafoveal information in shaping the expression of lexical and contextual influences during reading
Additively manufacturing printed circuit boards with low waste footprint by transferring electroplated zinc tracks
Get PDFRecyclable, degradable and printed electronics are gaining attention as solutions to the growing e-waste problem, but achieving high-resolution, high conductivity circuits with low end-of-life waste footprint remains difficult. Here we show the demonstration of a Printed Circuit Board Assemblies where over 99% of mass degrades into low-toxicity products in controlled or soil environments. Our “growth-and-transfer” process electroplates conductive bulk zinc onto a sacrificial carrier before transfer to a biodegradable substrate. This yields 5 µm track resolution, 3 mΩ/sq sheet resistance, and a shelf life over one year. Performance, lifetime, and degradability were tested, showing rapid degradation in soil under composting conditions. Life Cycle Assessments benchmarked against conventional fibreglass-copper circuit boards reveal a 79% reduction in Global Warming Potential. High-value components, chips, and LEDs are recycled by rinsing in a mild acetic acid solution, with minimal component damage. Our work shows how additive bulk metal growth, benign degradation, and chip recovery could combine to realise high-performance circuit boards with design-for-circularity principles
Structure–optical–dielectric correlations in ordered double perovskites Sr₂(Co₁₋ₓZnₓ)TeO₆ (0 ≤ x ≤ 1)
No full textThe double perovskite series Sr₂(Co₁₋ₓZnₓ)TeO₆ (x = 0, 0.25, 0.50, 0.75, 1) has been synthesized and systematically investigated to establish the correlations between structure, optical response, and dielectric behavior. Powder X-ray diffraction and Rietveld refinement confirm that Sr₂CoTeO₆ crystallizes in the monoclinic P2₁/n structure, Sr₂ZnTeO₆ in I2/m, and the intermediate compositions in I2/m as well. Structural refinements reveal opposite compositional trends in Co/Zn–O and Te–O bond lengths, directly influencing the vibrational dynamics: Raman spectra display progressive blue-shifts of Te–O stretching modes, particularly near 750 cm⁻¹. Optical diffuse reflectance measurements, analyzed via Tauc and derivative absorption spectroscopy fitting, show a systematic widening of the band gap from 3.21 eV (x = 0) to 4.13 eV (x = 1), consistent with the reduction of Co⁺² contributions near the band edge. Dielectric spectroscopy further highlights a strong dependence on composition. While Zn-rich members exhibit insulating behavior with stable permittivity and low loss over 100 Hz–1 MHz, the Co-rich end member Sr₂CoTeO₆ displays an anomalous dispersion with a crossover from Maxwell–Wagner interfacial polarization to dipolar polarization at ∼300 kHz, as confirmed by Cole–Cole analysis (εs ≈ 320, τ ≈ 3.3 μs). This unusually high transition frequency stabilizes the dielectric response over a broad frequency window. Taken together, these results demonstrate clear structure–optical–dielectric correlations across the Sr₂(Co₁₋ₓZnₓ)TeO₆ series. The Co-rich composition combines a high permittivity and frequency stability, underscoring its potential for dielectric capacitor applications, while Zn substitution tunes the material toward wider band gaps and enhanced optical insulation
From leaves to litter: use of anthropogenic nesting materials in hibernation nests of the European hedgehog
No full textUrbanization and human population growth have significantly increased the presence of anthropogenic materials in natural environments, prompting growing interest in how wildlife may be adapting to these changes. One such behavioral response is the incorporation of anthropogenic materials into animal nests, a phenomenon that has raised concerns due to its potential harmful effects, such as entanglement or ingestion. While this behavior has been documented widely in birds, it remains underreported in other taxa, partly due to the difficulty of locating nests. In this study, we describe multiple instances of anthropogenic materials (including plastic) being incorporated into the hibernation nests of European hedgehogs, Erinaceus europaeus. Four nests were dissected, of which two nests contained anthropogenic materials, including a plastic bag, foil and expanded polystyrene. These findings suggest that hedgehogs may opportunistically use available anthropogenic materials in nest construction, potentially as a response to urban environments. Our findings help broaden the understanding of mammalian responses to urbanization and emphasize the need to investigate whether the incorporation of these materials is likely to be harmful or adaptive to hedgehogs and for mammals generally
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