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Biodiversity as a Social–Ecological Capability : Extending the Natural Resource‐Based View in Renewable Energy Systems
Get PDFBiodiversity loss is an increasingly critical sustainability challenge; yet, within the Natural Resource‐Based View (NRBV), it remains undertheorised and is often treated as a generic environmental factor rather than a structuring social–ecological mechanism. This study reconceptualises biodiversity as shaping how environmental capabilities emerge and create strategic value. Drawing on an inductive qualitative approach supported by Fuzzy Cognitive Mapping, we investigate the solar farm sector in England—an ecologically embedded sector characterised by mandatory Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) requirements, complex land‐use negotiations and multi‐actor habitat management. Our analysis identifies three interconnected orientations—instrumental, integrative and ecosystem‐based—that capture distinct logics through which firms interpret biodiversity, mobilise resources and govern biodiversity‐related capabilities. The study extends the NRBV by specifying how environmental capabilities evolve in biodiversity‐dependent infrastructures and by broadening its boundary conditions. It offers a more ecologically grounded foundation for strategy and supports nature‐positive business models
Remote sensing imagery and products used in water harvesting studies : a review
No full textRemote sensing plays a pivotal role in water harvesting studies by enabling the collection and interpretation of spatial data across extensive regions. This paper examines 290 peer-reviewed articles to assess the adoption and utilisation of remote sensing in water harvesting research. Findings reveal that remote sensing is widely used, with around 92 % of studies published in 2023 incorporating such data. The most frequently used include digital elevation models (DEMs) such as SRTM (91 studies) and ASTER GDEM (60 studies), multi-spectral datasets like Landsat (117 studies), and climatic products such as TRMM (20 studies). DEMs are predominantly used for hydrological modelling, while multi-spectral imagery sources facilitate land use and land cover (LULC) mapping, often through bespoke classification rather than the use of pre-existing global datasets. Despite the critical role of rainfall in water harvesting, the adoption of satellite-derived climatic data remains limited, with researchers often relying on in situ measurements. This review highlights the advantages of extracting multiple thematic layers from a single remote sensing source to ensure consistency in resolution and coverage. Additionally, data fusion techniques are increasingly important for integrating disparate datasets, though challenges remain in reconciling differing spatial and temporal resolutions. This review demonstrates the increasing reliance on remote sensing in water harvesting research while identifying gaps, such as the underutilization of high-resolution climatic imagery sources and products. Evidence-based recommendations are provided to guide future research, including the selection of appropriate DEMs, the adoption of satellite-derived rainfall data, and the optimisation of multi-source data fusion. The findings highlight the need for researchers to adopt a more systematic approach in documenting and detailing the remote sensing sources and products used, to enhance their utility in water harvesting applications
How are transitions from oncology to palliative care regulated across Europe? A grey literature review in eight countries : Pal-Cycles project
No full textPatients with advanced cancer often encounter significant challenges during the transition from oncology to palliative care, particularly due to hospital discharges that lack clear communication and follow-up plans. This discontinuity in care may be addressed through various regulatory strategies designed to facilitate smooth transitions. To investigate the regulatory landscape governing transitions from oncology to palliative care across eight European countries. A grey literature review followed by a comparative analysis of identified documents was carried out. A total of 20 professional guidelines, strategies, and regulations in England, Germany, the Netherlands, Portugal, and Spain were identified. Identified documents provided inconsistent guidance regarding the promotion of care continuity. Notably, several essential components for ensuring effective transitions were identified across countries: the formulation of collaborative protocols between various levels and types of care, the establishment of clear transition and referral criteria, early identification of palliative care needs, synchronization of patient information across care levels, involvement of family members in the care process, implementation of a comprehensive four-dimensional patient assessment, and regular evaluation and revision of care plans. Certain elements, such as the role of primary care professionals in identifying palliative care patients, realistic discharge timelines, effective communication with patients and families, and approaches to advance care planning and shared decision-making, were inconsistently identified across different countries. To enhance continuity of care for patients transitioning from oncology to palliative care at different levels, it is imperative to develop targeted guidance that incorporates all pertinent elements of care coordination. [Abstract copyright: Copyright © 2025. Published by Elsevier B.V.
“Football killed him and football didn't want to know”: A corpus-assisted examination of UK newspapers’ reporting on association football-related traumatic brain injury and dementia
Get PDFEcological Heritage and Relational Informal Learning for Youth Development in Southern Africa
No full textThis paper situates itself at the nexus of youth development and ecological heritage in Southern Africa, critically engaging with enduring challenges such as unemployment, poverty, and the gradual erosion of cultural identity. It examines the potential of Moringa oleifera as a key ecological resource for fostering sustainable livelihoods and reinforcing localised ecological and cultural heritage. Drawing on participatory methodologies including intergenerational learning sessions, field visits, policy dialogues, and knowledge exchanges, complemented by a short documentary, we explore how ecological heritage and relational informal learning can cultivate collective productive capabilities within emerging Moringa industries. Two key insights emerge from the study. First, relational informal learning rooted in community, land, and intergenerational ties demonstrates that ecological heritage can support sustainable livelihoods through culturally embedded knowledge, locally accessible resources, and ecologically resilient practices. Second, the interplay between intergenerational learning and ecological heritage produces collective productive capabilities that foster shared, economically oriented agency, enabling communities to create, organise, and sustain livelihood possibilities while engaging youth in socio-ecological care
Up-to-date test beam results of ATLAS ITk pixel sensors and modules
Get PDFThe ATLAS Inner Detector will be replaced by a new all-silicon Inner Tracker (ITk) in 2029 to meet the challenges of the High Luminosity LHC (HL-LHC). The ITk pixel system combines 3D sensors at the innermost layer, operating after exposure to fluences of up to 2 × 1016 neq/cm2, with thin n-in-p planar modules in the outer layers. Beam tests are essential for qualifying these sensors and modules before and after irradiation. Recent test beam campaigns in 2024 evaluated new fabrication techniques, thick planar sensors, and modules with the latest ITkPixV2 readout chip, while the 2025 program introduces novel 3D triplet and planar quad configurations. Recent test beam results will be presented here, highlighting sensor performance and readiness of the ITk pixel detectors for HL-LHC operation
Call them demons without calling them demons : How The New York Times legitimises violence in its coverage of 7 October 2023
Get PDFThe New York Times’s coverage of Gaza has been extensively studied for media bias, yet its role in legitimising mass violence has been relatively unexamined. Addressing this gap, I analyse the newspaper’s reporting from 7 October 2023, through 7 April 2024 to conceptualise what I term subtle demonisation. Drawing on Hart’s Cognitive Critical Discourse Analysis, I integrate Bakhtin’s chronotope with attention distribution to identify four destructive patterns: (1) chronotopic displacement, (2) agentive asymmetry, (3) semantic bundling, and (4) metaphordriven reclassification that construes Palestinians as existential threats requiring elimination. I find these patterns collectively construct Palestinians as demons without naming them as such, rendering their lives structurally expendable. In doing so, I extend debates on media bias by showing how the language of journalistic objectivity functions as an instrument of epistemic erasure and a mechanism of complicity in atrocity
The development of humans' moral views of other animals
No full textHumans' moral views of animals vary in important ways across development. In many cases, adults display anthropocentric moral judgments that relate to the exploitation of animals as a resource. In contrast, children appear to have a more inclusive perspective regarding animals. In this article, we review and synthesize studies examining differences in how children, adolescents, and adults make moral judgments about animals. We consider how both cultural and individual differences may relate to this developmental trajectory
Geospatial Mapping of Pediatric Febrile Illness in Uganda to Inform Precision Public Health Interventions
Get PDFBackground: Febrile illness is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality among children in low- and middle-income countries, yet the spatial distribution and environmental drivers of pediatric fever in Uganda remain poorly characterized. Methods: We analyzed data from the 2016 Uganda Demographic and Health Survey to estimate the prevalence of febrile illness among children under 5 years of age. Using a geostatistical binomial model, we evaluated associations between fever prevalence and environmental, nutritional, and sociodemographic covariates. Spatial prediction and model calibration were conducted using the PrevMap package in R, and model performance was assessed using nonrandomized probability integral transform (nrPIT) and theoretical variograms. Results: Among 14 195 children from 685 clusters, 4990 (35.1%) were reported to have had fever in the prior 2 weeks. Predicted fever prevalence varied substantially by region and month, with highest rates in the eastern and northeastern regions and in the period following the rainy season. Covariates including poverty, anemia, rainfall (2-month lag), enhanced vegetation index (1-month lag), and seasonality significantly improved model performance and reduced spatial uncertainty. Conclusions: Our findings reveal pronounced geographic and temporal heterogeneity in pediatric febrile illness in Uganda. Environmental and nutritional factors significantly contribute to this variation. These results support targeted, region-specific public health interventions and inform future research into the etiologic drivers of pediatric fever
Occurrence of Antiviral drugs in the urban rivers of Xi'an, a megacity of northwest China : Analytical methods, distribution characteristics, and ecological risk
No full textIn the post-pandemic era, the continuous input and ecological effects of antiviral drugs (ATVs) in environmental waters are of increasing concern. Here we report a comprehensive investigation into the environmental spatial distribution and ecological risk of ATVs in river waters and sediments from Xi'an, a megacity in northwest China. A rapid analytical method for 8 ATVs was developed using solid-phase extraction and HPLC-MS/MS. The method validation showed that the detection limits of ATVs in water and sediment were 0.009 – 1.356 ng L-1 and 0.003 – 1.543 ng g-1, respectively, and the method quantification limits were 0.030 – 4.520 ng L-1 and 0.008 – 5.143 ng g-1, respectively. Furthermore, the contamination of ATVs was investigated across nine urban rivers, revealing widespread presence of amantadine (AMT), acyclovir (ACV), nevirapine (NVP), tenofovir (TDF) and efavirenz (EFV). Their concentrations ranged from 0.06 to 202.26 ng L-1 in waters and from 0.3 to 9.74 ng g-1 in sediments, respectively, which were significantly lower compared to other regions worldwide. The spatial distribution of ATVs exhibited a distinct point-source pattern, and was influenced by regional consumption and human activities. Ecological risk assessment indicated that seven target ATVs posed low risk (RQ < 0.01), while AMT presented medium risk at almost half of the sampling sites. These findings highlight the need to better manage the emerging contaminants in densely populated urban centers like Xi'an, where the risks associated with ATVs are intricately linked to urbanization and human activity