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Investigating the impact of social media influencers on B2B customer engagement in Kuwait
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Exploring the brand building processes of micro B2B professional service firms in Uganda
No full textHoarding as Insurgent Domestic Agency: Mattering Bodies
No full textDomesticity under siege stands as a direct counterpoint to the concept of home as a haven—a stable, nostalgic ideal. Approaching from a spatial practice, I see an alternative to viewing the hoarded home solely through a pathologicallens; instead, I perceive it as a practice that disrupts and presents an alternative spatial logic, defying normative understandings of both the body and its use of space. Rather than a passive backdrop, the hoard functions as a spatialand corporeal assemblage, where bodies and objects co-produce an insurgent form of inhabitation.The hypotheses put forward here examine the besiegement of the home through hoarding, juxtaposing its definition provided by Cognitive Behavioural Theory of Hoarding as a disorder of excessive attachment and an inability of using space as intended, against new materialist and poststructuralist theories of agency and spatial practice. The hoarder’s home is frequently perceived as an assault on the normative domestic order, yet this perspective overlooks the interwoven dynamics of memory, identity, and materiality that shape the hoarded environment. Drawing on Deleuze and Guattari’s assemblage theory, the hoard is not a static collection but a non-linear, affective terrain, where objects, bodies, and space dynamically interact.I propose that hoarders challenge dominant spatial norms through their bodily relationship with space. Unlike the discrete, autonomous body that maintains fixed boundaries, the hoarder’s body is porous, dissolving the separationbetween inside and outside, self and object. This aligns with Barad’s intra-action, where subject and object emerge in relation, and Anzieu’s Ego-Skin, in which the hoard acts as an externalised bodily extension, retaining affective traces ofthe self. Memory, too, is reconfigured—the hoard forms an embodied, material memory-scape, aligning with Bergson’s and Deleuze’s sense of memory as a continuous and dynamic process of becoming rather than a fixed repository ofdiscrete, retrievable moments.Shifting the focus from pathology to agency, this paper reframes hoarding as a radical spatial practice. The hoarded home is not inert but an insurgent domain, where domesticity is redefined through non-linear spatiality, memory, andmatter. This challenges existing architectural framings of bodies, proposing that hoarding constitutes an alternative spatial negotiation and a site of resistance
The First Genome Assembly Of The Dogwhelk Nucella lapillus, a Bioindicator Species For The Marine Environment
Get PDFThe dogwhelk (Nucella lapillus) is a predatory marine gastropod widely distributed across temperate intertidal zones. Renowned for its ecological role in controlling prey populations, N. lapillus is also an important bioindicator species for marine pollution through imposex. The molecular genetic basis of imposex, characterised by the abnormal development of male sex organs in females and reductions in fertility and lifespan, however remains poorly understood due to the absence of a reference genome sequence. Here we provide the first genome assembly comprising 2.41 Gb of sequence, predicted to encode 47,238 proteins. This inaugural assembly lays the foundations for implementing genomic approaches to better quantify and characterise imposex, in addition to elucidating adaptations to life within changeable intertidal ecosystems. To counter challenges of DNA fragmentation and contamination often associated with the sequencing of marine organisms, we found that a hybrid approach that integrates complementary long-read data from PacBio HiFi and Oxford Nanopore Technology (ONT) platforms helped maximise the final assembly. This innovative combination may be a useful approach for similar marine species
Development and Initial Validation of the Multidimensional Quality of Relationship Scale (M-QoRS)
Get PDFThis study presents the initial validation of the Multidimensional Quality of Relationship Scale (M-QoRS), which was designed to capture the dynamic nature of both unidimensional and multidimensional intimate relationship quality. Confirmatory Factor Analyses of online survey data from 745 people tested a series of models, ultimately revealing a bi-factor solution as the best fitting structure. This final model includes a Relationship quality general factor and four domain-specific latent variables, namely Quality of communication, Conflict management, Feeling connected, and Overall happiness with one’s relationship, all explaining variability in 17 manifest variables. An originally included Sex and Intimacy factor was dropped as a result of model respecifications. The M-QoRS also shows optimal reliability as well as criterion, construct, and known-groups validity. Cross-validation tests also confirm that this structure could be replicated in other samples. Being designed within the context of mobile health (mHealth) apps and digital wellbeing promotion, the scale can be a useful instrument for evaluating online relationships programs and interventions.</p
Mechanical properties of 3D printed concrete: a RILEM 304-ADC interlaboratory study – compressive strength and modulus of elasticity
Get PDFTraditional construction techniques, such as in-situ casting and pre-cast concrete methods, have well-established testing protocols for assessing compressive strength and modulus of elasticity, including specific procedures for sample preparation and curing. In contrast, 3D concrete printing currently lacks standardized testing protocols, potentially contributing to the inconsistent results reported in previous studies. To address this issue, RILEM TC 304-ADC initiated a comprehensive interlaboratory study on the mechanical properties of 3D printed concrete. This study involves 30 laboratories worldwide, contributing 34 sets of data, with some laboratories testing more than one mix design. The compressive strength and modulus of elasticity were determined under three distinct conditions: Default, where each laboratory printed according to their standard procedure followed by water bath curing; Deviation 1, which involved creating a cold joint by increasing the time interval between printing layers; and Deviation 2, where the standard printing process was used, but the specimens were cured under conditions different from water bath. Some tests were conducted at two different scales based on specimen size—“mortar-scale” and “concrete-scale”—to investigate the size effect on compressive strength. Since the mix design remained identical for both scales, the only variable was the specimen size. This paper reports on the findings from the interlaboratory study, followed by a detailed investigation into the influencing parameters such as extraction location, cold joints, number of interlayers, and curing conditions on the mechanical properties of the printed concrete. As this study includes results from laboratories worldwide, its contribution to the development of relevant standardized testing protocols is critical
Evaluating the Economic Impact of Digital Twinning in the AEC Industry:A Systematic Review
Get PDFThis study conducts a comprehensive systematic review of the economic impact of Digital Twin (DT) technology within the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) industry, following the PRISMA methodology. While DT adoption has been accelerated by advancements in Building Information Modelling (BIM), the Internet of Things (IoT), and data analytics, significant challenges persist - most notably, high initial investment costs and integration complexities. Synthesising the literature from 2016 onwards, this review identifies sector-specific barriers, regulatory burdens, and a lack of standardisation as key factors constituting DT implementation costs. Despite these hurdles, DTs demonstrate strong potential for enhancing construction productivity, optimising lifecycle asset management, and enabling predictive maintenance, ultimately reducing operational expenditures and improving long-term financial performance. Case studies reveal cost efficiencies achieved through DTs in modular construction, energy optimisation, and infrastructure management. However, limited financial resources and digital skills continue to constrain the uptake across the sector, with various extents of impact. This paper calls for the development of unified standards, innovative public–private funding mechanisms, and strategic collaborations to unlock and utilise DTs’ full economic value. It also recommends that future research explore theoretical frameworks addressing governance, data infrastructure, and digital equity - particularly through conceptualising DT-related data as public assets or collective goods in the context of smart cities and networked infrastructure systems
“Trapped in an echo chamber of whiteness”:Exploring real-world barriers in understanding and challenging white supremacy in body image research in the global north
Get PDFThere is an urgent need to decentre white-centric epistemologies and methodologies in body image research. However, systemic change will be difficult to achieve without understanding body image researchers’ perceptions of the scale of the problem and the barriers they face in disrupting white supremacy. The present study aims to: i) explore researchers’ perceived impact of white supremacy in the field, and ii) identify barriers in adopting anti-racist research practices. Forty-seven body image and appearance researchers (aged 24–57 years; M = 33.96, SD = 7.31) across career stages participated in an online survey examining their understanding of white supremacy’s influence on the field, barriers in adopting anti-racist research practices on multiple levels, and their perceived responsibility and impact. Descriptive data indicated some perceived influence of white supremacy on body image research currently (M = 2.87; SD = 2.11; range = 1–7). Participants attributed greater responsibility for addressing white supremacy to researchers who were more advanced in their career, with late-stage researchers most frequently ranked most responsible (n = 21). Participants rated their own responsibility as moderately low (M = 2.02; SD = 0.93) but their own actions as slightly impactful (M = 4.65; SD = 2.08; all ranges 1–7). Reflexive content analysis highlighted the importance in contextualising researchers’ situatedness within white-centric power structures (Category 1), characterised by homogenous white spaces and groups (Category 2), which contributed to multiple barriers within the research process (Category 3). Based on these findings, we made recommendations for targeted and practical solutions to move the field forward
Tactile Embroidery Reproduction Exploiting Machine Vision for Visually Impaired Engagement
Get PDFBest conservation practices for historic textiles such as their display behind glass and in low light conditions to prevent damage and deterioration create significant barriers for visually impaired audiences. Alternative sensory experiences, particularly tactile exploration, have proven essential for increasing engagement with historical and cultural objects for these visitors. Leveraging state-of-the-art machine vision approaches, we present a comprehensive workflow to generate machinable 3D models across multiple materials. We evaluate these reproductions with visually impaired participants using the replica experience framework, analysing preferences across material types, tactile features, and representation techniques. Our preliminary findings demonstrate that combining contextual audio guides with tactile objects significantly enhances understanding and engagement. Notably, providing multiple material versions of the same artefact better accommodates the diverse preferences and tactile sensitivities found within the visually impaired community, suggesting material diversity should be a key consideration in developing inclusive museum experiences