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Limits of circularity: Examining ruptures to valuation work in Tunisia's used clothing economy
Get PDFUsed clothing has long constituted a cherished consumer good and crucial source of livelihoods in Tunisia. Yet a marked deterioration in the quality of used garment imports, as well as the proliferation of homogenous fast-fashion stocks, has diminished opportunities for value retrieval. This article sets out from this qualitative decline on the markets of North Africa's largest current importer and re-exporter of used clothing to challenge framings of the global used clothing trade as a circular economy. Circularity, which is primarily premised on possibilities of reuse in the clothing value chain, has been promoted as an economically viable solution to the apparel industry's surplus production and the catastrophic environmental impact of ever-faster cycles of production, consumption and discard. However, images of illicit textile waste dumps in the Global South have exposed how the global used garment trade shifts a disposal problem to countries with weaker regulatory frameworks. This article extends such critiques of circularity by shifting attention from the dumpsite to the economic processes by which diverse actors actually enable reuse. An ethnographic study of what the article terms valuation work sheds light on the labour-intensive, material practices that enable circularity, but that are also prone to rupture or breakdown. This in turn elucidates how qualitative changes on the global used clothing market erode profit margins and devalue labour at a particular back end of the value chain. Unpacking the contingent and site-specific processes that show how the circular economy works in practice not only exposes the social and environmental injustices the framing obfuscates; it also points to alternative forms of knowledge production that might reorient critical debates about what circularity is and can be in the future
Development of an efficient approach to boost fused deposition modeling (FDM) printing of felodipine-HPMC tablets for enhanced physical stability
Get PDFFused deposition modeling (FDM) is a widely investigated 3D printing technology for pharmaceutical applications because of its advantages, including easy access of equipment and cost-effectiveness. Despite its versatility, the FDM 3D printing process is multi-step, time-consuming and resource intensive, and requires a holistic selection of material and formulation design to achieve successful printing. The aim of this work is to develop an efficient approach to streamline FDM 3D tablet-printing processes, as well as to explore the factors that may influence the physical stability of the tablets produced. For this purpose, the polymer Affinisol™ HPMC HME 15LV and the model drug felodipine were selected for printing process evaluation, and the produced drug-polymer tablets were investigated for printing quality and physical stability. The approach began with a material-based rheological study to predict the processing temperature range for the hot melt extrusion process which was used to produce the required filament feedstock for FDM 3D printing. Flory-Huggins (F-H) theory and phase diagram were applied to guide the expected drug-polymer system physical stability with various ratios under different temperatures, suggesting that the system would be unstable when the weight fraction of felodipine is greater than 0.3. Based on these analyses, FDM 3D printed tablets with varying drug loads, printing temperatures, and infill densities were produced, and the long-term physical stability of the printed tablets under different conditions was monitored using XRD, DSC and polarized light microscopy. The results of the extrusion and printing process, as well as the observed long-term physical stability, were consistent with the findings from the predictions from the rheological study and theoretical evaluations. This suggests that an approach which combines rheological studies, theoretical evaluations and phase diagram construction could be applied as a pre-screen and optimization strategy, removing the need for full material characterization prior to FDM 3D printing of medicine. Such an approach significantly minimizes the amount of drug required, accelerates excipient selection, and optimizes the process for pharmaceutical manufacturing using FDM 3D printing. Furthermore, this methodology holds promise for broader application in other material-based FDM printing processes, offering a versatile framework for optimizing printing quality and stability across diverse systems
NMCR-6, a novel nonmobile colistin resistance gene in Vibrio bacteria: full characterization and global perspective
Get PDFObjective: Amid rising bacterial resistance, polymyxins are a critical last resort against multidrug-resistant Gram-negative infections. Understanding and predicting the emergence of novel, nonmobile colistin resistance (NMCR) genes are essential to preserving their efficacy and preventing potential resistance crises. Methods: Following the discovery of a high-level polymyxin B-resistant Vibrio harveyi strain WHSS0915, which exhibited antimicrobial resistance, we characterized the chromosomally encoded polymyxin-resistance protein NMCR-6 (WHSS0915). Through BLASTP searches against the Pan-Vibrio protein database, we identified the chromosomal eptA in Vibrio species as a NMCR (NMCR-6). We then investigated its global epidemiology and the potential determinants contributing to the spread of NMCR-6-bearing Vibrio strains. Results: We identified and characterized the NMCR-6 protein in the V. harveyi strain WHSS0915. BLASTP searches based on the protein sequence revealed 14 158 sequences with over 60% homology to NMCR-6. Thirteen subtypes, named NMCR-6.1 to NMCR-6.13 according to the year of their earliest publication were classified. Phylogenetic analyses showed NMCR-6 variants form a distinctive branch among other mobile colistin resistance (MCR)/NMCR proteins. Statistical analysis of pathogenic Vibrio hosts carrying NMCR-6 revealed a broad distribution across different sample sources, detecting it in 7 clinically significant Vibrio species, notably V. parahaemolyticus. A global geographical analysis of NMCR-6 Vibrio hosts suggested that coastal extent, latitude, and temperature influence the distribution of NMCR-6 harboring Vibrio hosts. Conclusion: Our research defined and evaluated the global epidemiology of NMCR-6 in Vibrio species, revealing the dissemination of resistance genes within pathogenic Vibrio and the associated public health risks. This knowledge will aid in predicting the emergence of new mobile colistin resistance genes
Governing through extra-territoriality: Jordan's clothing production zones as tools of imperial power and authoritarian rule
Get PDFJordan's Export Processing Zones (EPZs) for clothing production form part of political geographies of US imperialism in the Middle East, and have served to bolster Arab-Israeli normalisation and authoritarian governance. A close-up study of these extra-territorial production spaces reveals how ‘free trade’ and associated neoliberal development agendas served to lastingly reconfigure political geographies in Jordan. Preferential US trade policies – granted to Jordan in exchange for signing peace with Israel in 1994 – translated into the creation of extra-territorial production zones (EPZs) and transformed Jordan into an attractive manufacturing location for the footloose global garment industry. Fiscal and regulatory exemptions facilitated the exploitation of labour and land reserves, benefitting a narrow local elite and thus generating new business-state alliances in favour of normalisation agendas. When Transnational Corporations (TNCs) for clothing production replaced most Jordanian-Israeli joint ventures in the EPZs in reaction to the 2001 full Free Trade Agreement with the US, foreign corporate actors began to assume a prominent role in Jordan's state performances. The co-production of positive macro-economic indicators that keep Jordan eligible for loans; as well as the redistribution of extra-territorial privilege to regions where the regime's political legitimacy is contested; expose shared mechanisms of governing through extra-territoriality. Taken together, this close-up empirical exploration of the extra-territorial clothing production regime challenges the façade of economic stability that Jordan's integration into global markets generated. Instead, it foregrounds how US free trade policies widened the rift between official state politics and the lived realities of most Jordanians, producing grievances that can only be managed through authoritarian repression
A survey of perioperative medicine services with a focus on provision for older surgical patients in the UK and Republic of Ireland: SNAP-3
Get PDFBackground: Perioperative medicine aims to improve care for high-risk patients, and is endorsed by national guidelines in the UK and Republic of Ireland (ROI). However, comprehensive perioperative medicine services are not yet uniformly available. This survey addressed the current state of perioperative medicine services for older surgical patients in the UK and ROI and how these services align with current national guidance.Methods: A survey was distributed electronically to all publicly administered UK and ROI hospitals performing surgical procedures. The survey examined perioperative care against national recommendations regarding service organisation and conduct.Results: Of 339 eligible hospitals, 54.9% (186/339) responded. A hospital frailty lead was appointed in 54% (101/186) of hospitals, and 9% (16/186) had a designated anaesthetist for cognitive impairment. Hospital anaesthetic services outside the theatre were focused on preoperative assessment clinics (146/172), with few reporting routine postoperative involvement (17/166). Nurse-led preoperative assessments of frailty, cognition, and delirium risk were conducted in 49.5% (90/182), 44.3% (78/176), and 13.7% (24/175) of hospitals, respectively. The Clinical Frailty Scale was used in 87.0% (147/169) of hospitals for frailty screening. The 4 'A's Test (45.7% [85/186]) and Abbreviated Mental Test (43.0% [80/186]) were the preferred cognitive assessment tools.Conclusions: The survey highlights the variation in perioperative medicine services that exist for older surgical patients despite national guidelines advocating their widespread implementation. Opportunity exists to develop interspecialty perioperative services further and promote identification of frailty, cognitive impairment, and delirium, all of which negatively impact postoperative outcomes for older surgical patients
Career Advancement of Female Principals in Public Schools in China
Get PDFThis article reports on the factors that promote and support the career advancement of six female principals in public schools in a city on the southeastern coast of China. A qualitative research approach, through semi-structured interviews and document analysis, was adopted to explore those factors and obtain comprehensive and in-depth information. Data was coded and analyzed thematically through content analysis. Social identity theory and self-categorization theory provide the theoretical framework for this study, guiding data collection, analysis, and interpretation. The findings suggest five major factors: government policies, progressive outlook in the region, relationship building, support from mentors and family, and strong human capital. These five considerations build towards two overarching themes: deconstructed gender power relations and identity depersonalization. This study concludes with theoretical and practical implications, and future research recommendations for gender and educational leadership and management
Made-In-Jordan:Performing the Nation through the Global Garment Value Chain
No full textThe creation of Qualified Industrial Zones (QIZs) in Jordan at the end of the 1990s provided a new connection to the global economy. The tariff exemptions granted to garments exported to the American market favoured the emergence of a clothing industry ex-nihilo, positioning Jordan as an attractive production location in the global value chain (GVC). As both a political and economic construct, the QIZ sector has remained largely exogenous to the Jordanian economy. It depends on foreign capital, migrant labour and the import of input materials for production. Nevertheless, this paper shows that the garment industry today occupies a central role in economic policies in Jordan. First, to achieve a strategic reconfiguration of transnational logistics routes in a region fragmented by conflict. Second, to enhance local linkages and benefits from the export-oriented garment industry through so-called “jordanisation” policies. As this paper demonstrates, such policies have in fact reinforced the extraterritorial character of the clothing sector, perpetuating its exemption from national labour regulation and expanding the incentives granted to foreign investors. At the same time, the resulting strategic partnerships with multinational clothing producers have enhanced the scope of state action. Taken together, this paper advances an analysis of extra-territorialities of the global economy as central devices for performing the Jordanian nation state
Decolonising gender knowledge in Sub-Saharan Africa: empirical insights and theoretical innovations from early career researchers—Introduction
Get PDFThis article introduces the Thematic Collection ‘Decolonising Gender Knowledge in Sub-Saharan Africa: Empirical Insights and Theoretical Innovations from Early Career Researchers’, edited by Alicia Bowman, Evelyn Garwe and Juliet Thondhlana. It highlights the under-representation of Global South scholars, particularly early career researchers (ECRs), in gender knowledge production in the region and advocates for grounding the study of gender in Africa in local realities and knowledge systems, in line with African feminist perspectives. Moreover, the article positions the collection as a powerful step towards decoloniality not simply by amplifying African perspectives, but by actively creating space for African scholars to shape the future of gender studies. The article discusses how the Thematic Collection fostered the co-production of knowledge by empowering African scholars to develop their own research questions and methodologies, free from Eurocentric constraints, thus promoting complete epistemic freedom. It also showcases the interdisciplinary nature of the Thematic Collection, spanning gender studies, higher education, and legal, labour, and urban studies. Overall, the introduction argues that, by centring the research of African ECRs, established power dynamics can be disrupted, and the dominance of Western-centric paradigms can be challenged
The Refutation of Non-cognitivism: Dorr’s Wishful Thinking
No full textAs commonly understood, Cian Dorr influentially argues that non-cognitivism must be rejected because it classifies instances of rational inference as wishful thinking. This is wrong. Dorr’s argument, as just described, with its appeal to the notion of wishful thinking, does not refute any version of non-cognitivism. But there is no need to read his paper as putting this argument forward. Rather, his paper can plausibly be understood as putting forward an argument against non-cognitivism which needs no appeal to the notion of wishful thinking. This argument relies on a principle implicit in the paper which gives a necessary condition of rational inference. I call this ‘the No-Difference Principle’. So understood this argument refutes versions of non-cognitivism which do not incorporate minimalism about belief. Enoch and Lenman argue that this is not so. Their arguments are mistaken because they are unable to explain the case of manifestly rational reasoning Dorr actually gives. But non-cognitivism combined with minimalism about belief is untouched by any argument in, or extractable from, Dorr’s paper
The inhibitory effect of Chromolaena Odorata and Tithonia diversifolia on low-carbon steel in carbonic acid (H2CO3) environments for slurry pots in oil and gas applications
Get PDFThis study investigates the inhibitory effect of Chromolaena Odorata and Tithonia diversifolia leaf extract against the corrosion process of low-carbon steel in simulated carbonic acid (H2CO3) conditions, to develop a corrosion-resistant slurry pot for oil and gas applications. The plant extract was prepared through methanolic extraction, and its effectiveness as an inhibitor of corrosion was assessed by evaluating the weight loss and potentiodynamic polarization techniques. Examining the surface morphology before and after the period of immersion using a Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) with an attached Energy Dispersive Spectrometer (EDS). Fourier-Transform Infrared (FTIR) was used to study the functional groups responsible for the inhibition, which validated that the corrosion inhibition mechanism is significantly influenced by the hydroxyl (O-H) and unsaturated (C=C) bonds present in the extract. The results from SEM provided evidence of decreased surface degradation with the addition of the extract. The weight loss study showed a significant reduction in corrosion rate with increasing extract concentration, resulting in an 83.33 % inhibitory efficiency with 0.5 g/L of Tithonia Diversifolia extract and 80.95 % inhibitory efficiency with 0.5 g/L of Chromolaena Odorata extract. With the inclusion of the inhibitor, the potentiodynamic polarization data showed a decrease in the density of the corrosion current from 250.00 μA/cm2 to 38.00 μA/cm2 and 27.45 μA/cm2 for Tithonia Diversifolia Chromolaena Odorata extract, respectively. Likewise, there is an increase in polarization resistance from 190.08 Ω to 917.82 Ω and 909.47 Ω for Tithonia Diversifolia and Chromolaena Odorata extract, respectively. Overall, it was discovered that Tithonia diversifolia and Chromolaena Odorata are efficient and environmentally friendly inhibitors for low-carbon steel corrosion in carbonic acid solution with potential application in corrosion control mechanisms
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