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Decoupled Patch Antennas Using Electric and Magnetic Coupling Cancellation
No full textA decoupling technique for reducing the mutual coupling between two patch antennas is introduced in this paper. The antennas under investigation are two rectangular patch antennas with an air substrate, being placed within a very small distance. The decoupling is facilitated by controlling the electric and magnetic couplings between two patch resonators, involving no extra complicated structures. Only with some minor modifications to the patch's shapes, good decoupling performance can be obtained between two patches
Pneumococcal vaccination for new residents entering older adult care homes in England: national observational surveillance study.
Get PDFBackground
The incidence of invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) increases rapidly with age. In the UK, adults aged 65 years are eligible for the 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPV23) as part of the national immunisation programme, and a 20-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV20) was recently licensed for adults. Residents of care homes for older adults have a higher risk of IPD and death than the general population. We estimated the potential effect of an additional dose of PPV23 or PCV20 for new residents entering older adult care homes.
Methods
In this observational surveillance study, we used national IPD surveillance and care home resident data from England. Care homes for older adults were defined as residential care and nursing homes registered with the Care Quality Commission for adults aged 65 years and older. IPD in adults aged 65 years and older in England was assessed in the 2022–23 epidemiological year (July 1, 2022, to June 30, 2023) by sex and 5-year age bands using data obtained from UK Health Security Agency national IPD surveillance. We calculated the number needed to vaccinate (NNV) with PPV23 or PCV20 in the population of new care home residents to prevent one vaccine-type IPD case and one death compared with adults aged 65 years who were vaccinated as part of the national immunisation programme in England.
Findings
In 2022–23, there were 2574 IPD cases among 10 629 867 people aged 65 years and older in England. Of these, 603 109 were aged 65 years. Of the 2574 cases, 69·4% (1787 of 2574) were due to PPV23 serotypes and 60·8% (1566 of 2574) were due to PCV20 serotypes. Under the assumption of 36% vaccine effectiveness against PPV23-type IPD and 18% vaccine effectiveness against death, PPV23, when offered to all 603 109 adults aged 65 years in the general population, could prevent 163 (36%) of 452 cases (NNV 3700) and 31 (47%) of 66 PPV23-type IPD associated deaths over 5 years (NNV 19 455). However, vaccinating 121 587 new care home residents with PPV23 could prevent 177 (36%) of 492 lifetime cases (NNV 687) and 111 (48%) of 233 deaths (NNV 1095). In all adults aged 65 years in the general population, PCV20 could prevent 303 (75%) of 404 cases (NNV 1990) and 43 (80%) of 54 PCV20-type IPD deaths (NNV 14 026), assuming 75% vaccine effectiveness against PCV20-type IPD and 18% against death. However, vaccinating 121 587 new care home residents with PCV20 could prevent 317 (75%) of 422 cases (NNV 384) and 157 (80%) of 197 deaths (NNV 774).
Interpretation
Pneumococcal vaccination for new care home residents could prevent substantially more cases and deaths per dose and would require only 20% more doses than the current national PPV23 programme for adults aged 65 years. PCV20 is likely to have a greater impact against IPD and death than PPV23
Spatial (im)mobilities and aspirations: voice of a young adult learner in Vietnam
No full textThis paper continues the strand of research on educational aspirations for upward social mobility with an emphasis on physical mobilities as observed in a Vietnamese student from a less privileged background. The authors utilised qualitative methods including reflexive journaling and life history interviews to engage in conversations with the participant over the course of five months regarding her geographical movement, aspirations, higher education experiences, and the (im)mobilities she enacted or encountered in daily life. Drawing on the concept-clusters framework of aspirations, the authors demonstrate the social, cultural and familial association with the student’s aspirations for and within education, particularly higher education, which was framed by the current neoliberal social imaginary in Vietnam – the dominant imaginary of having a good (material) life. By mapping her spatial journey from her parental home and hometown to boarding middle and high schools for ethnic minority students, and then to university in the capital city, the authors argue that this journey is symbolic of a progression towards adulthood, independence, and importantly, escape for upward social mobility that is carried out alongside, and as a consequence of, the progression from school to higher education, and rural-urban migration
What We Learned About Burnout in Oman’s New Doctors, And Why Emotional Intelligence Matters (But Isn’t Everything)
Get PDFIn our study published in BJPsych International, we explored the prevalence and predictors of occupational burnout among first-year medical residents in Oman, with a particular focus on the role of trait emotional intelligence.
When we think of new doctors, we often picture hopeful and enthusiastic fresh graduates stepping into hospitals, eager to make a difference. Then what happens when the reality of long shifts, emotional intensity, and relentless clinical pressures sets in?
This concern led us to investigate burnout during this critical early stage of medical training.
Burnout among junior doctors is well documented globally, but in Oman, there was little local data on its prevalence or the personal and professional factors that might influence it. We sought to answer two key questions: How common is burnout among first-year residents? And does emotional intelligence help protect against it
Does citizen participation promote peace agreement implementation? Evidence from Colombia
Get PDFNumerous large-n studies suggest that inclusion promotes peace agreement implementation. This study takes a different approach. Based on a combination of survey and complementary qualitative data, it examines the actual actions and interactions involved in implementing peace agreements on the ground. In doing so, it adopts a micro-political perspective which conceptualises peace agreement implementation as an interactive, dynamic and inherently political process. Drawing on empirical evidence from Colombia, this article demonstrates the importance of the practical implementation of inclusive peacebuilding and its perceived effectiveness as it shows that citizen participation does not always enhance peace agreement implementation. Reasons for this include the deception of citizens’ participatory expectations through implementation shortcomings, participatory preferences and the misinterpretation of citizens’ preferences on behalf of state representatives, for example. The article concludes that citizen participation does not inevitably stimulate peacebuilding successes and advocates instead for increased attention to the (unintended) consequences of inclusion discourses. This has significant implications for inclusive peacebuilding research and practice
Perception of audio–visual synchronization in olfactory-enhanced 360-degree video
Get PDFThis study examines the impact of olfactory stimuli on user experience (UX) metrics in 360-degree videos under varying levels of audio–visual (AV) skew. Subjective responses and questionnaire results revealed that scents helped stabilize enjoyment and artifact tolerance scores, particularly under severe AV skews, compared to non-olfactory conditions. However, the stationary nature of the scent delivery device decreased the intensity of olfactory stimuli, limiting their potential impact. Objective analyses highlighted a masking effect in 360-degree videos, where participant visual exploration reduced sensitivity to AV skews. Despite these challenges, olfactory stimuli demonstrated resilience to AV skews, suggesting their potential to buffer negative effects and enhance immersive experiences. However, they did not significantly improve overall video quality ratings. The study underscores the need for advances in olfactory display technology, such as head-mounted scent emitters and dynamic sensory integration, to enhance multimedia experiences
Club representation in the national team: Effects on identity fusion and intra-vs intergroup attitudes
Get PDFIdentity fusion describes a psychological state in which personal and social identities are deeply aligned, fostering strong bonds with a group and influencing attitudes and behaviors, including in international contexts. However, how fusion to local (relational) and national (extended) groups interacts remains less understood. We investigated this among Turkish soccer fans (N = 379) using an experimental design to test whether local club representation in the national team influences national team fusion and behavioral intentions toward other fans. Fans viewed lineups for an upcoming international match that included either more of their local club's players or their rival's. Participants who saw a lineup dominated by rival players were less fused with the national team. Fusion with the national team was a key predictor of prosocial intentions toward the ingroup (fellow Türkiye fans). Mediation analysis showed that overrepresentation of rival players indirectly reduced ingroup prosociality via national team fusion. Hostility toward the outgroup was significantly associated with fusion to the local team, but not with fusion to the national team, nor with club representation
The Impact of Institutional Investors on Firm Carbon Information Disclosure: Evidence from Chinese Industrial Listed Firms
Get PDFIn recent years, climate change mitigation and sustainable development have gradually become an important consideration in global economic and social governance. Firms’ carbon information disclosure is of great significance in global warming alleviation, drawing widespread attention from stakeholders, including institutional investors. However, limited attention has been devoted to how institutional investors in China affect such disclosure practices. This paper aims to explore the influence and underlying mechanisms of institutional investors on the quality of firms’ carbon information disclosure by employing fixed effect regression and mediating effect analysis on panel data that covers industrial firms traded on the A-share markets of the Shanghai and Shenzhen stock exchanges (SSE and SZSE) over the period from 2013 to 2023. The results suggest that institutional investors contribute to higher-quality firm carbon information disclosure, with analyst following serving as a mediating channel. Heterogeneity analysis further indicates that institutional investors’ positive influence is stronger among state-owned firms. Overall, the study highlights the role of institutional investors in advancing firms’ low-carbon development and offers practical guidance for improving carbon information disclosure
α-Latrotoxin Actions in the Absence of Extracellular Ca2+ Require Release of Stored Ca2+
Get PDFα-Latrotoxin (αLTX) causes exhaustive release of neurotransmitters from nerve terminals in the absence of extracellular Ca2+ (Ca2+e). To investigate the mechanisms underlying this effect, we loaded mouse neuromuscular junctions with BAPTA-AM. This membrane-permeable Ca2+-chelator demonstrates that Ca2+e-independent effects of αLTX require an increase in cytosolic Ca2+ (Ca2+cyt). We also show that thapsigargin, which depletes Ca2+ stores, induces neurotransmitter release, but inhibits the effect of αLTX. We then studied αLTX’s effects on Ca2+cyt using neuroblastoma cells expressing signaling-capable or signaling-incapable variants of latrophilin-1, a G protein-coupled receptor of αLTX. Our results demonstrate that αLTX acts as a cation ionophore and a latrophilin agonist. In model cells at 0 Ca2+e, αLTX forms membrane pores and allows the influx of Na+; this reverses the Na+-Ca2+ exchanger, leading to the release of stored Ca2+ and inhibition of its extrusion. Concurrently, αLTX stimulates latrophilin signaling, which depletes a Ca2+ store and induces transient opening of Ca2+ channels in the plasmalemma that are sensitive to inhibitors of store-operated Ca2+ entry. These results indicate that Ca2+ release from intracellular stores and that Ca2+ influx through latrophilin-activated store-operated Ca2+ channels contributes to αLTX actions and may be involved in physiological control of neurotransmitter release at nerve terminals
Effects of root extract of ashwagandha (withania somnifera) on perception of recovery and muscle strength in female athletes
Get PDFAshwagandha is a supplement with the potential to improve exercise performance. However, research on its impact on female athletes remains limited. This study investigates the effects of ashwagandha on exercise recovery and muscle strength in professional female athletes, addressing a gap in understanding its role in this underrepresented population. Female footballers were randomly assigned to a 600 mg/day ashwagandha root extract group (ASH, n = 15; age: 26.0 ± 4.9 years, height: 1.66 ± 0.1 m, body mass: 61.5 ± 7.5 kg, and career: 15.2 ± 7.4 years) or a placebo group (PLA, n = 15; age: 23.5 ± 5.5 years, height: 1.66 ± 0.1 m, body mass: 61.5 ± 6.0 kg, and career: 13.1 ± 4.9 years). Recovery was assessed with total quality recovery (TQR), Hooper Index (HI) and rate of perceived exertion (RPE). Strength was assessed by hand grip, medicine ball throw (MBT), countermovement jump (CMJ) and peak power. Dietary intake was recorded prior to baseline measurements. Repeated measures ANOVA, Bonferroni test, independent t-tests and ANCOVA were used in the analysis. A significant group × time interaction effect was found for TQR (p = 0.026), with the post-hoc analysis revealing a significant difference between ASH and PLA at 28 days (p = 0.039). Perceived sleep quality from HI improved significantly in ASH compared to PLA (p = 0.038), with a significant change at 14 days. The ANCOVA analysis highlighted the significant influence of carbohydrate intake on hand grip strength (p = 0.005), MBT (p < 0.001) and body mass (p < 0.001). A dosage of 600 mg of ashwagandha root extract for 28 days may improve TQR and enhance perceived sleep quality in female footballers. Future research should investigate the optimal dosage and test across a broader range of athletic populations
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