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Knowledge and Conceptual Engineering: The Epistemology, Ethics, and Politics of Meaning Production
No full textSuppose you could change people's way of thinking about the world at its very roots, by changing the very concepts by means of which they think. Suppose, further, that this would make the world a better place; that would be quite something. Knowledge and Conceptual Engineering is a comprehensive and systematic study of the nature and normativity of conceptual engineering.
This book comprehensively deals with all the central questions in the field: the very possibility of conceptual engineering, its success conditions, the epistemic and moral permissibility of conceptual engineering, the nature of conceptual ignorance and conceptual understanding, and duties to engage in conceptual engineering. It also considers the political aspects, such as engineering social kind concepts, the nature of hermeneutical injustice, and conceptual disinformation. Mona Simion and Christoph Kelp develop a systemic and unified framework centred on conceptual functions, and espouse a functionalist approach that is wholeheartedly optimistic, in that it takes conceptual engineering to be something that we can and should do
Measuring older people’s experience of mental health care: a systematic and critical review of patient and carer-reported experience measures
Get PDFBackground: there is growing interest in measuring patient experience within mental health care and central to doing so is the development of appropriate measurement methods. whilst numerous patient-reported experience measures (PReMs) are available, systematic reviews examining their psychometric properties have excluded measures designed specifically for older people. Aims: this review aimed to identify and critically analyse all available patient and carer-reported patient experience measures designed to, or applicable in, measuring the mental health care experience of older people. Methods: Four databases were systematically searched and identified 21 reports dealing with the process of development and/or validation of relevant instruments. Results: the methodological quality and psychometric properties of the instruments were assessed according to Pesudovs et al. (2007) quality criteria, and results were heterogeneous. An inductive qualitative analysis of instrument content identified 10 key domains of patient experience applicable to OPMH: interpersonal/relational aspects, information, patient involvement, service aspects, discharge, goal setting, safety, social support, access and medication. Conclusions: the heterogeneity of study designs highlights the need for greater standardization and rigour of methodological processes for the development and validation of PReMs. Further well-designed studies to appropriately validate existing and new PReMs applicable for use within older people’s mental health services are required
Signatures of large-scale magnetic field disturbances and switchbacks in interplanetary type III radio bursts
Get PDFType III solar radio bursts are driven by nonthermal electron beams travelling along heliospheric magnetic fields, with the radio emission frequency drift rate determined by the beam speed and the plasma density profile. Analyzing beam kinematics inferred from the drift rate reveals behavior inconsistent with the emitter moving radially through smooth, monotonically decreasing density. We examine whether these features are driven by disturbances in the guiding magnetic field direction, such as switchbacks, rather than plasma inhomogeneities along the beam path. Using simulations and remote observations of 24 interplanetary type III bursts observed by Parker Solar Probe, we relate measured drift rate variations to local field deflections. In 50% of events, we identify disturbances above a 2σ noise level that can be attributed to perpendicular deflections of the field between (0.7 and 1.7) R⊙, over scales (1.8–6.4) R⊙ at heliocentric distances (9–30) R⊙. The features correspond to either density changes of (10%–30%), or deflections of the field direction by (23°–88°). Further, beam transport simulations show field direction perturbations produce additional observational signatures in type III bursts: delayed emission, intensity breaks, and enhanced emission resembling stria fine structures. In addition, we identified four bursts where the observed variations are more plausibly explained by field deflections, possibly in the form of magnetic switchbacks than by unrealistically large density changes along the field line. The results show that variations in type III burst profiles can arise from magnetic as well as density fluctuations and demonstrate the value of type III bursts as remote probes of inner-heliospheric structure at kilometric wavelengths
In vitro effects of twelve food additives on gut microbiome and its fibre fermentation capacity in adults with Crohn’s disease in remission and healthy controls
No full textBackground/Objectives: Animal studies have shown that food additives may adversely affect the gut microbiome. However, the effect of food additives on the microbiome in adults with Crohn’s disease (CD) remains less explored. This study investigated the impact of food additives on gut microbiome and fibre fermentation capacity in adults with CD and healthy controls (HCs) using in vitro faecal fermentations. Methods: Faeces from 6 HCs and 6 patients with CD in clinical remission (Harvey Bradshaw Index < 5) were used for in vitro fermentation of a fibre mix with one of 12 food additives (calcium propionate, carboxymethylcellulose, carrageenan kappa, cinnamaldehyde, maltodextrin, polysorbate-80, potassium sorbate, sodium benzoate, sodium sulphite, titanium dioxide, turmeric, and xanthan gum). Short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) were measured using gas chromatography, the microbiome was profiled with 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing and total bacterial load was measured with qPCR. Results: Maltodextrin increased acetate production in both groups. In HCs, turmeric increased acetate and butyrate production, sodium sulphite reduced acetate production, and maltodextrin reduced butyrate production. Microbiome Shannon α-diversity increased with titanium dioxide (both groups), and with carrageenan kappa only in patients with CD. In both groups, the addition of maltodextrin and polysorbate-80 induced significant shifts in microbiome structure (β-diversity). Significant shifts were seen with maltodextrin (HC: R2 = 6.8%, p = 0.001; CD: R2 = 5.1%, p = 0.004) and sodium sulphite (HC: R2 = 6.9%, p = 0.001). Maltodextrin significantly decreased the estimated absolute abundance of Escherichia–Shigella in patients CD; sodium benzoate, potassium sorbate, and calcium propionate did so in HCs. Faecalibacterium decreased in the presence of polysorbate-80 in the HC and CD groups, as well as in the presence of maltodextrin in the CD group. Total bacterial load decreased with polysorbate-80, potassium sorbate, maltodextrin and calcium propionate in both groups. Xanthan gum decreased total bacterial load in HCs. Conclusion: Certain food additives significantly affected fibre fermentation capacity and microbiome structure, with only modest differences observed according to participants’ health status
Structure, mutation, functional domain roles and medical implications of glycerol kinase
No full textGlycerol kinase (GK) is a key part of glycerol metabolism. It connects the metabolic pathways for lipids and carbohydrates by phosphorylating glycerol to glycerol-3-phosphate in an ATP-dependent reaction. This is essential for maintaining carbohydrate homeostasis, plasma glycerol withdrawal, and the utilization of glycerol by different tissues. Together, these processes impact glucose uptake and lipid metabolism. This review discusses the structure of GK, highlights the implications of mutations in the primary sequence, and provides insights on the roles of the various functional domains in the GK-catalyzed reaction. It also discussed the roles of GK in glycerol metabolism, energy production, and its connections with various cellular pathways and disease conditions. The proper regulation of GK activity is crucial, reflecting its critical role in various important cellular processes. Therefore, its regulation has been analyzed from the gene level to posttranslational modification and has implications for GK-linked disease. Separately, the critical role of this enzyme in some disease-causing organisms made it a promising target for inhibitor development. We here explore the current state of GK inhibitor research and discuss strategies for their development. Challenges in GK inhibitor research are identified, and approaches such as high-throughput screening, structure-based drug design, and computational modelling for discovering novel inhibitors are reviewed. Finally, the review highlights critical areas for further research, including the role of GK in synthetic biology and tumour development, among others
The Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur
No full textThis chapter considers the extent to which the congregation of the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur, founded by St. Julie Billiart in 1804, continues to be driven by the original charism and how it responds to contemporary socio-cultural and educational challenges in the twenty-first century. This includes but is not limited to the following: implications for the congregation’s mission of the rise of secular thinking in (western) education; the general decline in vocations to the Religious life, the nature of the congregation’s relationships with the state, the wider Church and other educational agencies, commitment to the poor and disadvantaged
UKRN Working Paper 9: UKRN Open Research Indicators: Final Report
No full textThis working paper reports on six pilot projects conducted as part of the UK Reproducibility Network’s Open Research Programme (ORP) to explore the feasibility of developing automated indicators for monitoring open research practices across UK universities. The pilots examined data quality, metadata standards, and automated extraction methods across six areas: FAIR data, open data, data availability statements, downstream effects of data sharing, pre-registration, and the use of the CRediT taxonomy. The findings highlight areas of promise, particularly pre-registration and elements of FAIRness, while also identifying major challenges related to inconsistent metadata, terminology, and workflows. The report outlines key recommendations for improving interoperability, enhancing data standards, and supporting the responsible development of future monitoring infrastructure
Rethinking supercapacitors: a guideline perspective of do's and don'ts
Get PDFSupercapacitors have gained significant attention as promising candidates for next-generation energy storage systems, bridging the performance gap between batteries and conventional capacitors. Despite the rapid growth of research in this field, persistent methodological inconsistencies and reporting inaccuracies continue to undermine its reproducibility and the ability to make meaningful comparisons. Common issues include miscalculations of capacitance, inappropriate electrode mass loading, and improper use of electrochemical parameters. Additionally, the overlap between battery-like and pseudocapacitive behaviours in nanostructured electrode materials complicates their classification and performance evaluation processes. This Perspective critically analyzes the experimental and analytical practices that shape supercapacitor research and provides a structured framework for accurate measurement, data interpretation, and material categorisation. A systematic set of guidelines (Do's and Don'ts) is proposed to mitigate recurring errors in electrode characterisation and device fabrication. Focusing on aqueous asymmetric systems, this review outlines best practices for their design, evaluation, and reporting, proposing a coherent roadmap toward their standardised development and reliable commercialisation as efficient, high-performance energy storage devices
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