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Imagining Ontological Security: Key Moments when Co-designing Housing and Service Responses With Women Who Have Experienced Homelessness
No full textThis article explores the potential of co-design to facilitate an imagining of ontological security when designing safe, long-term and affordable housing with women who have experienced homelessness. Drawing on Blomkamp’s (2018) representation of co-design as process, principles, and practical tools, we critically and reflexively examine the relational, dialogic and practical approach we took to research with women who had experienced homelessness. Through providing a co-design model and reporting on our decision-making and key moments in our interactions with 21 women in two Australian locations, we provide an example of how co-design research enables the imagining of ontological security. This article highlights the central role of values including social justice, cultural responsivity and gender equity in research, and the importance of trauma-informed principles to facilitate safety, choice, collaboration, trustworthiness and empowerment.</p
Exploring the role of green organizational culture in enhancing sustainable logistics performance among manufacturing SMEs in a developing economy
No full textAccording to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) report, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are responsible for approximately 64 percent of the total industrial environmental pollution worldwide. This is mainly a dangerous concern for developing countries. This study aims to determine the impact of green organizational culture on the sustainable logistics performance of SME manufacturing in Pakistan, with the mediating role of a big data-driven supply chain and green transformational leadership. Furthermore, employee age and work experience are control variables to measure sustainable logistics performance. The hypotheses were formulated using the resource-based view (RBV) and the theory of transformational leadership. To test the proposed hypothesis, primary data were gathered from 370 employees of SME manufacturing in Pakistan. A survey method was adopted, and the concerned firm’s HR department requested data collection. Data was collected and analyzed with the help of confirmatory analysis and structural equation modeling in SmartPLS version 3. The findings revealed the direct effect of green organizational culture (GOC), big data-driven supply chain (BDDSC), green transformational leadership (GTL), and work experience on sustainable logistics performance (SLP). However, the direct effect of employee age does not impact the sustainable logistics performance of SME manufacturing in Pakistan. Moreover, a partial mediation effect was confirmed, indicating a BDDSC and GTL between GOC and SLP in SME manufacturing in Pakistan. Furthermore, the study extends the current theoretical framework by integrating transformational leadership theory into the process of integration from the resource-based view (RBV) perspective. In this light, the current research is relevant to green transformational leadership, as the mediating link appeals to the leadership behaviour that determines the association between GOC and SLP. A theoretical resource-based view incorporating leadership theories provides a broader framework to explain organizational resources, leadership, and sustainable outcomes that are likely to occur in organizations.</p
Contemplation. A textile reflection on identity, community and resilience
No full textBackground The textiles displayed are a personal contemplation to explore the potential of community around textile making skills and their role in community building and personal transformation. These pieces reflect my roots and the knowledge passed down to me through my family. Through stitch, I think. The cloth absorbs my emotions and is influenced by place. This was inspired by existing research highlighting the disconnect between garment makers and wearers (Fletcher & Grose, 2012), and how our loss of material knowledge and obscure fashion systems fuel overconsumption (Bocken & Short, 2021). Through engaging with tacit knowledge and embodied practices, I aim to understand how skills can foster community bonds and may inspire individual and collective action towards sustainable practices. Actively engaging with local community acknowledges the significance of local context and relationships in shaping research outcomes (St John & Akama, 2021), understanding the transformative potential of community-based making practices (Wu et al., 2022). By grounding this study in Ho Chi Minh City's vibrant urban context, I seek to bridge Western discourse with localised experiences, contributing to a more inclusive understanding of sustainable fashion practices (Nguyen, 2022). Contribution By reconnecting people with the skills involved in clothing production, I am exploring how learning new skills may catalyse shifts in individuals' attitudes towards clothing consumption, nurturing a mindful approach and informed consciousness that promotes sustainable practices. My research illuminates the essential role of embodied knowledge within textile crafts by unravelling the intricate connections between material culture and community (O’Neill 2001). Through a series of four textile pieces, blending traditional craft techniques with contemplative and care practices, I aim to elucidate how skills around making transcend their utilitarian function to embody narratives of identity, heritage, and social belonging. By weaving together artistic expression with scholarly inquiry, I aim to highlight the significance of localized practices, through textiles as tangible embodiments of the intangible threads that bind us to our past and inner selves. Significance This exploration offers a unique perspective on the influence of place and heritage by illuminating the emotional narratives woven into each stitch, unveiling social and emotional meanings in textiles. The project deepens our appreciation for textile practices while highlighting the significance of preserving manual skills for sustainable fashion ecosystems. Through visual and tactile storytelling, it aims to enhance our understanding of textiles as conduits of memory, connecting past and present to shape collective identity. By promoting collaboration and community empowerment, my research contributes to global discussions on ethical fashion, environmental responsibility, and cultural resilience. </p
Sustainable Building Materials Management in Post-Disaster Situations: Global Call to Action
No full textDisasters destroy hundreds of thousands of buildings annually. Rebuilding requires staggering volumes of material. The adverse socio-environmental impacts of poor post-disaster building materials management have reached truly global and alarming proportions. If not addressed soon, these issues will metastasise to catastrophic levels, exacerbated by rising disasters and climate change impacts. The immense destruction caused by conflict-related disasters will further aggravate this crisis. Despite the advanced tools and know-how available, sustainably managing building materials post-disaster and post-conflict is hindered by policy and governance gaps, limiting the use of more sustainable approaches. Therefore, we call for all responsible international and national authorities to consider sustainable building materials management as an integral part of post-disaster and post-conflict resilience, and to take urgent and concrete policy actions to ensure resilient reconstruction in line with Sendai Framework’s Priority 4 – “Enhancing disaster preparedness for effective response and to build back better in recovery, rehabilitation and reconstruction.” This is also a timely opportunity to raise ambitions of the next generation of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs 3.0), aligning reconstruction efforts with broader climate commitments.</p
Seam
No full textSeam explores the fleeting experiences of the motorbike passenger, capturing the peripheral vision of their journey through direct recording. Through layering and colour manipulation, the film reflects not only how the city is perceived, but also how the city itself perceives movement within its spaces.The work reveals both the intimate places of community found in the city centre and the distant, planned zones of the modernised city—spaces where community recedes, giving way to cars and gated enclaves.</p
Optimized Tangential Flow Filtration for Efficient Isolation of Highly Pure and Bioactive sEVs.
No full textSmall extracellular vesicles (sEVs) have demonstrated significant therapeutic potential. However, the lack of efficient and scalable methods for sEV separation remains a critical barrier to their large-scale production as therapeutic agents. Tangential flow filtration (TFF) has emerged as a promising technique for large-scale sEV separation, but the absence of comprehensive and systematic studies makes it challenging to determine optimal TFF parameters for sEV isolation. In this study, we investigated the effects of key TFF parameters, including shear stress, molecular weight cutoff (MWCO), transmembrane pressure (TMP), and washing-filtration cycles, on sEVs separation and impurity removal. We evaluated particle concentration, size distribution, morphology, chemical properties, fluorescence, and protein content to assess the impact of these parameters. The results revealed that excessive shear stress (>9.05 Pa) during TFF led to protein aggregation and sEV damage. Using a filter membrane with an MWCO of 750 kDa and maintaining TMP between 3 and 5 psi prevented sEV leakage and achieved moderately high filtration efficiency. Based on these findings, optimal TFF parameters were identified. sEVs isolated using optimized TFF conditions (TFF-sEVs) were then compared with sEVs isolated via ultracentrifugation (UC-sEVs). TFF-sEVs exhibited comparable physical properties and purity to UC-sEVs but demonstrated superior proliferation-promoting activity and a 3-fold higher recovery rate. Quantitative proteomic analysis revealed that TFF-sEVs were enriched with extracellular vesicle membrane proteins and corona proteins, contributing to their enhanced bioactivity. In summary, optimizing TFF parameters enables efficient purification of sEVs, balancing purity, recovery, and bioactivity, paving the way for scalable production of sEVs and accelerating the clinical translation of sEV-based therapeutics.</p
Climate change impacts and pandemics
No full textThroughout history, pandemics have posed significant challenges to humans, with each outbreak leaving a unique mark on societies worldwide. The Athenian plague, which occurred around 430-426 BC, resulted in 75–100,000 deaths, representing approximately 25 % of the population at the time. The exact cause of this plague remains unclear, but it may have included diseases such as typhoid fever and Ebola. Fast forward to modern times, the COVID-19 pandemic caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus has affected virtually every nation on the planet, resulting in almost 705 million infections and more than 7 million reported deaths. However, these numbers are likely underestimated due to differences in reporting and healthcare systems across the globe. In addition to COVID-19, other notable pandemics include the 2002 SARS outbreak and the 2012 MERS epidemic, both caused by coronaviruses. While these outbreaks had higher case fatality rates than COVID-19, they did not reach the global scale of the current pandemic. </p
Lassa fever outbreak in West Africa: Rising regional cases with global implications
No full textGuinea confirmed its first fatal Lassa fever case since February 2024 in September 2024; moreover, a total of 10,121 cases have been reported in Liberia and Nigeria as of epidemiological week 45, highlighting the increasing threat posed by this viral hemorrhagic fever and its global health implications. Lassa virus (LASV), first identified in 1969 in a nurse who contracted the disease in Lassa, Nigeria, has since become endemic in Nigeria (with yearly outbreaks from 2018 to 2023), Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone. On October 3, 2024, WHO was notified about the Guinea case, involving a 63-year-old man from Guéckédou prefecture. He presented on September 19 with symptoms including fever, headache, and fatigue, was confirmed with Lassa fever three days later, and passed away on September 23. This case forms part of a broader 2024 outbreak across West Africa, with Nigeria reporting 1115, Liberia 39 and Guinea 3 confirmed cases, among a total of 10,747 reported, and a case fatality rate (CFR) ranging from 17 % to 33 % across these countries between epidemiological weeks 1 and 49. In late October 2024, a U.S. citizen reportedly died from suspected Lassa fever after returning from West Africa, highlighting the virus’s potential for cross-border spread and the importance of global surveillance.</p
Gating Mechanism for Biased Agonism at Angiotensin II Type 1 Receptors
No full textFor the interaction of angiotensin II (AngII) with AngII type 1 receptors (AT1R), two potential proton hopping pathways have been identified, each associated with distinct physiological outcomes. The octapeptide AngII (Asp1-Arg2-Val3-Tyr4-Ile5-His6-Pro7-Phe8) appears to form a charge relay system (CRS) in solution in which the C-terminal carboxylate abstracts a proton from the His6 imidazole group, which, in turn, abstracts a proton from the Tyr4 hydroxyl (OH) group, creating a tyrosinate anion. When AngII binds to the AT1R, the CRS can be reconstituted with D281 of the receptor taking up the role of the Phe8 carboxylate in the tripartite interaction, whilst the Phe8 carboxylate forms a salt bridge with K199 of the receptor. As a consequence, the Tyr4 OH of AngII is positioned with accessibility to either the Phe8 carboxylate (bound to K199) or the His6 imidazole (activated by D281), thereby creating a potential gating mechanism for AT1R receptor signaling. This study summarizes evidence based on structure activity data for various analogs wherein Tyr4 OH interaction with His6 imidazole (CRS formation) leads to G protein sequestration and vasoconstriction, whereas Tyr4 OH interaction with Phe8 carboxylate (bound to K199) engenders arrestin-mediated vasodilation and receptor desensitization. These findings, combined with quantum mechanical (semiempirical) calculations of CRS proton transfer presented herein, provide insights for the therapeutic targeting of angiotensin receptor blockers (sartans) and the development of second-generation drugs (bisartans).</p
A Comparative Review of Australia's Fashion and Textile Industry and Global Climate Perspectives Across Five Decades (1970s-2020s)
No full textNon-Technical Summary This paper reviews the evolution of the Australian fashion and textile industry over the last 50 years as it confronts the challenges of climate change. Given Australia’s susceptibility to trade policies and shifting regulations, the industry needs to adapt to climate pressures, given its significant resource consumption and waste production. This analysis highlights key events that shaped the trading landscape, regulatory changes, and the need for stronger climate policies that bridge environmental responsibility between local and global actors, aiming to reduce the industry’s impact on climate change. Technical Summary This review examines the Australian fashion and textile industry’s response to climate change from the 1970s to the 2020s, using a methodology adapted from Harvard University comparative review guidelines and incorporating PRISMA . With evolving trade policies and regulatory shifts, this paper highlights the industry’s environmental challenges. This analysis examines the influence of local and international trade regulations and the effectiveness of climate policies in fostering sustainability. Key policy insights include the integration of climate considerations into trade policies to address the environmental impacts of international transactions, aligning trade with global climate goals. Additionally, it advocates for mandatory climate disclosures encompassing onshore and offshore emissions to enhance transparency across the supply chain. This paper calls for stronger alignment between climate and trade policies and expanded producer responsibility, holding both domestic and international actors accountable for environmental impacts. Social Media Summary Reviewing 50 years of Australia’s fashion and textile industry as it adapts to climate pressures & policy shifts.</p