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Community perceptions of the causes of autism and help-seeking responses : a multi-site qualitative study across northern Uganda
Get PDFUnderstanding the causes of autism in sub-Saharan Africa remains limited, contributing to stigma and delayed identification. This multi-site qualitative study examined community explanatory models of autism and related help-seeking practices in Northern Uganda. Data were generated through 25 semi-structured interviews and four focus group discussions (N = 64) across one urban and two rural districts in the Acholi sub-region. Participants included autistic young people, caregivers, health and education professionals, community, cultural and religious leaders, and government representatives. Data were analysed inductively. Four interrelated themes were identified: unknown causes; supernatural explanations; biopsychosocial attributions; and help-seeking pathways. Autism was frequently misunderstood and conflated with “mental illness” or general learning difficulties. Supernatural accounts, such as witchcraft, curses, and divine punishment, were prevalent and often gendered, with mothers disproportionately blamed. Biopsychosocial explanations included contraceptive use, obstetric complications, genetic factors, and post-conflict trauma. These causal beliefs shaped different help-seeking trajectories, typically prioritising religious and traditional interventions before biomedical care. Stigmatising interpretations were linked to social exclusion, neglect, physical abuse, and, in extreme cases, infanticide. Findings highlight the entanglement of cultural, spiritual, and biomedical models in a post-conflict, low-resource context. Interventions addressing misconceptions and maternal blame may reduce stigma, support earlier identification, and prevent avoidable harms
Second Class Particle Behaviour in Blocking ASEP
Get PDFWe consider any fixed number of second class particles in the asymmetric simple exclusion process (ASEP), constructed via a basic coupling of two ASEPs. We give the joint distribution of the positions of the second class particles and also the probability of there being a second class particle at a given site, under the natural blocking measure for ASEP. In order to find these distributions we use results about the number of particles in half-infinite and finite site ranges of ASEP. Our investigations also lead to probabilistic proofs of well-known combinatorial identities; the Durfee rectangles identity, Euler's identity, and the -Binomial Theorem
Responses of the earthworms Lumbricus terrestris and Aporrectodea caliginosa to wheat straw provision across a range of residue sizes
No full textEarthworm mediated incorporation of soil surface applied crop residues could provide benefits to belowground ecosystem services, such as an increased rate of soil formation and carbon sequestration. In addition, increased soil organic matter within the upper soil profile can increase food availability for other soil fauna and microorganisms, with potential benefits for soil structure and health. Previous research has assessed the potential mass of surface applied organic matter that can be assimilated by earthworms; however, particle size of material may limit the rate of bioturbation and influence earthworm function and behaviour. The aims of the present study were to investigate the preference and utilisation of wheat (Triticum aestivum) straw residues at different particle sizes by two common, temperate earthworm species, Lumbricus terrestris and Aporrectodea caliginosa. These were addressed within controlled laboratory experiments, where two different scales were tested: Expt 1; with 3 modal straw lengths, as determined from the field post-harvest (40, 20 and 1 cm); and Expt 2; micro particle sizes (1 cm and 1 mm). The effect of straw length on earthworm utilisation was tested by earthworm incubation experiments in plastic bags, where removal from the soil surface was measured over a period of 8 weeks in monocultures and mixed species treatments. Litter removal was investigated by mass depletion over time and depth of incorporation. Choice chambers were used to quantify straw selection and removal at micro particle size. Expt 1 showed straw removal (63 ± 6 %) was significantly higher with a L. terrestris monoculture and 1 cm length. The largest masses of straw were incorporated at 0–60 mm depth of soil. There was no evidence to support a facilitation effect of L. terrestris on A. caliginosa, and increased earthworm mortality was detected in mixed species treatments. The choice chambers of Expt 2 indicated a preference for 1 mm particle size by both earthworm species with a more rapid use by L. terrestris than A. caliginosa. These experiments highlight how retention of straw residues on the field, linked with tillage practices and further straw management post-harvest could have significant implications for plant protection and earthworm populations
Disabling atmospheres : How consumers with disabilities experience affects of abnormalcy and ableism in the marketplace
No full textTo date, understanding of atmospheres in marketing theory has concentrated primarily on how those who are able-bodied navigate, consume and experience marketplace settings. To address this, we conduct a conceptual review of marketplace accessibility literature that turns atmospheric focus to an oft negated group, consumers with disabilities (CwD). In doing so, we conceptualise disabling atmospheres by reframing a conceptualisation of consumer normalcy, examining how CwD experience ‘affects of abnormalcy’ in marketplace settings, namely: invisibility, devalue, incompetence and unwelcome. We reveal that these affects are outcomes of disabling atmospheres that are predicated on ableist tenets of Independence, Regulation and Contortion. We offer the following contributions. Firstly, we provide a much-needed additional perspective in how atmospheres are studied and thought of, moving research to consider more macro-social and macro-systemic failings of atmospheres and how they may disable, exclude and disenfranchise minority groups. Secondly, we advance marketplace accessibility literature by bringing together a theorisation of disabling atmospheres, which has been implied but never explicitly addressed. Finally, through our theorisation, we offer a provocation to future scholars and practitioners; how can we ‘disable’ the disabling atmospheres permeating our marketplaces
Random encounter modelling as a viable method to estimate absolute abundance of reef fish
No full textRemote underwater video (RUV) surveys are increasingly replacing diver-based underwater visual censuses (UVCs) in fish ecology studies, especially on coral reefs. However, extracting reliable estimates of abundance or density from video footage is a major challenge, with most studies using a metric of relative abundance, MaxN (maximum number of concurrent conspecific individuals). Here we compare a video survey density estimation method used in terrestrial wildlife management, random encounter staying time modelling (REST) to MaxN from unbaited videos and density estimates from diver-based UVC. We assess and compare the three approaches according to labour intensiveness (survey time effort per m2), species detection, abundance estimates and potential biases against size or aggregation behaviour. We found that species detection in REST was highly sensitive to sampling effort due to the minimum number of detections required for model fitting. There was also considerable variation in REST-estimated absolute densities between species compared with other methods, however, each method was able to detect compositional differences among sites. While UVC was far less labour intensive than REST or MaxN in survey and processing effort, species richness was consistently lower in UVC observations compared to that from the two video-based approaches. Pairwise generalised linear mixed models between method abundances showed that UVC abundances tended to be higher than other methods for shoaling/schooling fish. Our study identified strengths and weaknesses in each method for specific research objectives that may prioritise species detections or precision in abundance estimates. Although labour intensive, we found REST a viable alternative to MaxN if absolute abundance estimates are preferred. If precise abundance estimates are not a priority and labour is limited, we found MaxN suitable for capturing species richness. Finally, UVC ranked best in labour effectiveness in terms of both person-hours and spatial coverage, and it provided good estimates of abundance, but generally lower species richness. Ultimately, method selection depends on study-specific priorities and trade-offs
Political consumerism in contemporary China : boycotts, buycotts and motivations for participation
Get PDFThis thesis explores the origins, nature, and motivations of political consumerism in China. Although more than 210 boycotting and buycotting cases occurred in China between 2000 and 2024, the phenomenon has received little attention in the political consumerism literature. My research addresses four key questions: 1) What is the historical development of China’s political consumerism? 2) Who engages in contemporary political consumerism in China? 3) How does political consumerism relate to political participation in China? 4) What motivations drive individuals to engage in nationalist political consumerism in China? I adopt an eclectic, question-driven approach drawing from the historical documentary sources, contemporary online observation, semi-structured interviews, and previously overlooked survey data to argue that political consumerism offers Chinese people, especially the under-represented groups, a limited alternative channel for political participation within a tightly controlled regime. Boycott participation, I find, is a supplement for contentious participation, and a substitute for institutionalised participation. Counterintuitively however, although most cases of political consumerism in China involve patriotic or nationalistic themes, participants’ decisions are not always predominantly driven by political considerations. To capture this complexity, I distinguish a fourfold typology of consumer motivations – political, ethical, self-related, and economic. This gives me a structured lens for analysing political consumer behaviour. These diverse motivations undermine the dominant view of China’s political consumerism as simply an exclusionary instrument of top-down policy
AI Ethical Challenges : A Perspective of AI Developers in Postcolonial Countries
Get PDFPurpose: The study of AI Ethics is rapidly expanding, but West Africa faces a disadvantage due to the lack of available data and research. This leaves the region susceptible to the negative consequences of imported AI technologies. Our study helps to identify the root causes of unethical outcomes. It provides valuable insights for dealing with AI's unethical outcomes and understanding the social changes it may bring while addressing the pressing need for research that explores the interaction between resources, power relations, and social norms that influence AI development from the developer's perspective. Design/methodology/approach: Following critical social theory, we interviewed forty-five system developers from West Africa. We adopted the postcolonial theory to examine power dynamics in AI development, thematic analysis for the data analysis. Finding: This study examines the power dynamics in global AI development through the lens of postcolonial theory, highlighting the dominance of the Global North, particularly corporations and research institutions in North America and Western Europe. This dominance extends beyond technological control, including narratives, resources, and policymaking processes that influence AI's global trajectory. Local entities in the Global South, such as those in West Africa, heavily depend on foreign vendors for AI technologies. This reliance curtails local autonomy and perpetuates a cycle of dependency reminiscent of historical colonial practices, a phenomenon described as technological imperialism, thus driving technology mimicry and algorithm colonisation. Originality/value: Our research is a valuable and timely contribution to AI ethics, providing insightful perspectives on the ethical challenges posed by AI in West Africa. Our findings serve as an essential roadmap for shaping policy decisions related to AI education, governance, and design, aiming to promote inclusive and ethical development in West Africa. Through our rigorous theoretical analysis and practical insights, we aim to foster a culture of inclusive AI development, ethical excellence, social responsibility, and accountability in our rapidly evolving world
Testing KIFC1 dependence across cancer types. Is cell survival more dependent on centrosome clustering or Survivin expression?
Get PDFKinesin family member C1 (KIFC1) is a motor protein that helps crosslink microtubules, transports cargo such as vesicles to the cell nucleus, and promotes accurate chromosome alignment and segregation during mitosis in healthy cells. In cancer, however, KIFC1 facilitates the clustering of supernumerary centrosomes, enabling the formation of pseudo-bipolar spindles and supporting the survival of cancer cells. KIFC1 has also been reported to promote the stability of the protein Survivin. Survivin, encoded by BIRC5, is an anti-apoptotic protein and mitotic regulator also frequently expressed in cancer. Both proteins are of therapeutic interest due to their roles in mitotic progression and survival. It is shown in the literature that many studies have focused greatly on breast cancer cell lines, but not as much compared to other cancer types, such as Ovarian, Colorectal and Central Nervous System (CNS) cancers. Therefore, this project aimed to investigate the dependency of cells on KIFC1 across Ovarian, Colorectal, and CNS cancer cell lines and determine whether KIFC1’s influence on centrosome clustering or Survivin expression plays a more critical role in cell survival. While KIFC1 has been well-studied in breast cancer, its function in other cancer types remains less understood. Six cell lines from the NCI-60 panel were selected: OVCAR8 and OVCAR4 (Ovarian), COLO205 and HT29 (Colorectal), and U251 and SNB-19 (CNS), representing cells with either high or low levels of centrosome amplification (CA) in each cancer type. Bioinformatic analysis using cBioPortal confirmed frequent alterations in KIFC1 and BIRC5 in cancers, with a weak correlation at the mRNA level. KIFC1 was knocked down using siRNAs, and the expression of KIFC1 and Survivin, as well as cell viability and apoptosis, were assessed using MTS assays and immunofluorescence staining. Other software, such as Fiji and GraphPad PRISM, was used to visualise, quantify, and interpret data findings from the experiments to fulfil the experimental design. This project demonstrates that many cancer cell lines depend on KIFC1 for proliferation and survival, highlighting it as a key therapeutic target. Survivin contributed variably, but overall cell viability was more strongly dependent on non-clustering cellular mechanisms. The KIFC1–Survivin relationship differed across cell types and appeared influenced by p53 status, with mutant p53 lines showing greater sensitivity to KIFC1 loss, whereas wild-type p53 lines showed resistance. In CNS cancers, apoptosis was the primary driver of reduced cell viability. cBioPortal analyses further confirmed the clinical relevance of KIFC1 and Survivin, supporting their combined targeting at the protein level. These findings highlight both the therapeutic promise and complexity of disrupting the KIFC1–Survivin axis in cancer and support further studies targeting KIFC1 therapeutically, including the development of Proteolysis-Targeting Chimaeras (PROTACs) to target KIFC1 across various cancer types
RIS Assisted Smart Radio Environment for Enhanced Non-Orthogonal Multiplexing Indoor Positioning System
Get PDFIndoor Positioning Systems (IPS) based on Received Signal Strength (RSS) often face challenges in achieving high accuracy due to spatial and temporal uncertainties in complex indoor environments. To address these limitations, this paper proposes a novel Static Reconfiguration Algorithm (SRA) leveraging Reconfigurable Intelligent Surface (RIS) technology to optimize RSS distributions. Unlike traditional methods, the SRA eliminates the need for dynamic RIS reconfiguration, instead employing a static approach that maximizes differentiation between RSS values at predefined Reference Points (RPs). This enhances localization precision by reducing spatial correlation and improving distinguishability, even in noisy environments. Simulation results demonstrate that the SRA significantly outperforms conventional RSS-based approaches, achieving positioning errors as low as 75 cm in high-noise scenarios compared to 150 cm with traditional methods. Furthermore, the algorithm proves effective across broader RSS measurement ranges (-100 to 0 dB) and achieves superior performance even with a single Access Point (AP). The multidimensional SRA approach further enhances accuracy by leveraging diverse RSS distributions through additional APs and time-division multiplexing. These results underscore the robustness, scalability, and efficiency of the SRA, positioning it as a transformative solution for next-generation IPS in smart environments