11237 research outputs found
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Oil consumption and growth: is there a threshold effect of greenhouse gases emissions
No full textThe paper empirically examines the threshold effect of GHG(s) emissions on the oil consumption-growth nexus. Using a nonlinear local projection approach and an extended historical dataset from 1890 to 2022, we find that the impact of oil consumption on economic growth is conditional on the level of GHG(s) emissions. More specifically, we find that economies in high-emission regimes face a slowdown in growth while those in low-emission regimes benefit from a positive shock in oil. The results have important policy implications for sustainable growth.</p
Towards a generalized framework for planetary communication
No full textWe propose a theoretical framework for how to create meaningful, comprehensible, and rigorously structured messages that are sent on space missions, informally called planetary “messages in a bottle”. During the past few decades, the frequency of such messages has increased, due to the development of new technologies and space exploration activities, thus posing new questions about who, when, where, what and how any person or group of people can send such messages. In the past, these have been sent mostly by scientists, that have tried in one way or another to create, ad-hoc, “representative” and “meaningful” content. Apart from often lacking a theoretical basis for the structure of such messages, an important question that arises is “Who speaks for Earth?” In this paper, we lay down a framework based on principles of how we organize knowledge (epistemological and ontological), with examples from our own project of sending a message to the future of humanity, inscribed on a chip that will land on the surface of the Moon in the Artemis program.</p
Hot yoga: a systematic review of the physiological, functional and psychological responses and adaptations
No full textBackground: Hot yoga is a collective term used to classify any form of yoga undertaken in warm to hot ambient conditions (≥ 25 °C). This study systematically reviewed the literature concerning hot yoga, with particular focus on acute responses to a single session and identifying prospective health benefits associated with physiological, functional and psychology adaptations following chronic practice. Methods: The review was conducted in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA), with searches performed across two main databases (PubMed and SCOPUS). Studies were included if they met the Population, Intervention, Comparison, and Outcome (PICO) criteria, were of English language, peer-reviewed, full-text original articles, and using human participants. Results: Forty-three studies investigated the effects of hot yoga (both acute and/or chronic), totalling 942 participants (76% female). The most common method of yoga performed in hot conditions was Bikram (74%), followed by generalised hot yoga (19%), Hatha (5%) and then Vinyasa (2%). Typical session duration ranged 20–90 min and occurred within 30–52 °C and 20–60% relative humidity. Hot yoga training interventions consisted of 6–36 sessions, that were completed 2–6 times per week, over 1–16 weeks. Acute hot yoga increased body temperature and heart rate, but not the energetic demands when compared to other forms of non-heated yoga. Chronic hot yoga appeared to elicit cardiometabolic (e.g. body composition, lipid profiles and macrovascular function) and functional adaptations applicable for health (e.g., bone mineral density, balance and flexibility) as well as physical performance (e.g., submaximal exercise thresholds). Adaptations appear to occur without negatively impacting kidney function or sleep quality across healthy, sedentary and athletic populations. Hot yoga also presents promising, albeit inconclusive findings concerning the alleviation of psychological and affective disorders, and optimising markers of cognitive function. However, caution is advised as case studies report ill-health following hot yoga practice. Some literature lacks rigorous, high-quality experimental designs and sophisticated measurements that allow for mechanistic investigation. Conclusion: Investigations into hot yoga demonstrate intriguing health and functional benefits. However, claims that hot yoga provides greater health benefits than other forms of yoga or traditional exercise are at present unsubstantiated. Studies describing beneficial effects of hot yoga often do not utilise robust experimental designs or methods that facilitate mechanistic insights. Hot yoga warrants further investigation as a tool to improve health and wellbeing. Researchers should consider the highlighted methodological limitations and recommendations to strengthen experimental work within future research.</p
Who said growth means losing sight of circularity? A futuristic conceptualisation of a circular fashion rental model in the UK
No full textThe modern marketplace requires simultaneous growth in sustainable production and consumption, and degrowth in the use of finite resources and waste produced. Circular economy business models present important strategies to minimise raw materials and environmental impacts while allowing economic development. Fashion is a pertinent context to examine as the world’s worst polluter. This conceptual paper examines fashion rental business models that shift the focus of traditional consumption from linear to circular and access-based. Through a two-phase methodology, a comparative analysis of four UK fashion rental startups and four modes of theorising futures, four theorised futures are produced to illustrate circular startup growth. The theoretical and managerial implications of each imagined economy are discussed, as well as how such businesses scale in each scenario and the impact on their circular principles. Finally, we discuss the implications for the macromarketing discipline’s transformative role in imagining sustainable futures.</p
Investigating the Investigators: Moral Panic, Mixed-Race Families and Their Vilification in Interwar Britain
No full textThis paper investigates the investigators behind the distinct ‘moral panic’ that targeted mixed-race families residing in Britain’s multiracial port communities during the interwar period. This period witnessed heightened social anxieties following the First World War, exacerbated by the economic downturn and the visible presence of multiracial populations, a consequence of wartime labour demands. The 1919–1920 ‘race riots’, erupting in various British port cities, served as a critical catalyst in the exposure of underlying racial prejudices and anxieties surrounding interracial relationships and mixed-race children. In our paper we explore how the ensuing ‘moral panic’ was not simply a spontaneous societal reaction fuelled by sensationalist and prejudiced reporting in the press, but was actively constructed and sustained through a confluence of official investigations and the actions of key individuals within government and society. These forces collectively contributed to a pathological legacy that profoundly impacted the treatment and perception of mixed-race families in Britain well beyond the interwar years. Our paper builds upon our collaborative work with Peter Aspinall, to whom this paper is dedicated as one of his last scholarly endeavours.</p
Music listening for fatigue after acquired brain injury: a scoping review project with patient, carer and public involvement (PCPI) data
No full textFifty percent of Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) survivors experience fatigue. Symptom management in post-acute rehabilitation, where rehabilitation adherence is essential, is lacking. Research suggests that music listening interventions could help by addressing related symptoms including pain, mood and arousal. Our objective was to explore how music listening has been used for post-ABI fatigue and whether findings, together with interview data from a post-acute ward, could inform on its use for this purpose. Synthesized data included: intervention characteristics, study design and outcomes. Joanna Briggs Institute guidelines and PRISMA checklist were applied. Nine-hundred and eighty-seven abstracts and 29 full texts were screened, with thirteen papers on nine studies included. Fatigue was reported only as a secondary outcome and not defined by type. Associated outcomes included: increased self-reported stamina, vitality, arousal, sleep and relaxation, better mood and pain management, verbal memory and attention. Interview data (patients: n = 6; staff: n = 4; caregivers: n = 2) suggest the need for time allocation for music listening, help with equipment setup, and trialling to determine duration and frequency. Future studies should screen for fatigue type and symptoms and establish with participants whether music interventions might be beneficial for energizing or relaxing, and if complimentary to cited strategies including exercise or meditation.</p
Association of everyday discrimination with drug use during the COVID-19 pandemic in the All of Us Research Program
No full textNo description supplied</p
Clinical effectiveness of music interventions for dementia and depression in older people (MIDDEL): a multinational, cluster-randomised controlled trial
No full textBackground: Dementia and depression are among the leading causes of global disease burden. Effective and scalable interventions are needed to address the impact of these conditions, and music interventions are a promising non-pharmacological approach. The aim of this study was to determine the effectiveness of music interventions on depressive symptoms among care home residents in Australia, Germany, Netherlands, Norway, Türkiye, and UK.Methods: MIDDEL was a large, multinational cluster-randomised controlled trial, using a 2x2 factorial design to examine the effects of Group Music Therapy (GMT), Recreational Choir Singing (RCS), both, or neither intervention (1:1:1:1, block randomisation stratified by site, using a computer-generated list), for care home residents with dementia and depressive symptoms. The primary outcome was the Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) at 6 months. Assessors were blinded. Intervention effects were analysed with ANCOVA for the total sample and per country. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03496675, completed.Findings: Between July 2018–Feb 2023, 1021 residents within 86 care home units were randomised. Intention-to-treat analysis of 751 residents with data at 6 months showed no significant effect on MADRS scores of either RCS vs. no RCS (B 0·4, 95% CI -1·3–2·1, p=0·68), GMT vs. no GMT (B 0·8, 95% CI -1–2·6, p=0·37), nor the interaction between RCS and GMT (B -0·6, 95% CI -3·1–1·9, p=0·63; B represents mean difference estimated from ANCOVA). Effects varied between countries. No related adverse events were reported.Interpretation: Internationally, active group music interventions as conducted in this study do not reduce depressive symptoms more than standard care in the long term. Country was the strongest predictor for differences in effects, underlining the importance of cultural and systemic differences. Intervention guidelines and health care policies need to be carefully tailored to the specific contexts of care home populations and levels of care. Future multisite trials should focus on more narrowly defined target groups or contexts to reduce the risk of heterogeneity overshadowing potential effects of interventions. While music interventions may be beneficial for PWD, there is a need to harmonise their implementation and investigate the mechanisms through which they work.</p
Health inequalities in children: a comprehensive review
No full textHealth inequalities, defined as systematic, avoidable, and unfair differences in health outcomes between populations, pose a major challenge to public health. This review examined how socioeconomic status, geographical location, and educational attainment affect children’s physical and mental health. It also highlights how the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated these inequalities. Children from lower socioeconomic backgrounds experience less access to healthcare and a higher rate of chronic diseases compared to those from higher socioeconomic backgrounds. Differences in geographical location also increase these gaps, particularly in rural or underdeveloped areas where resources are limited. Limitations in Educational attainment also have a further impact on health by limiting opportunities for health literacy and access to services. The present review explores interventions implemented by governments, hospitals, and schools to address these disparities. While nutritional programs and hospital-based initiatives have achieved some positive progress, challenges remain due to inconsistencies in implementation and funding allocation. In particular, differences in oral health and access to cancer care highlight gaps in existing measures. To overcome these disparities, a coordinated strategy that tackles the socioeconomic determinants of health is required. Politicians, healthcare providers, and educators must work together to guarantee fair allocation of resources and services. Thus, sustained commitment to these activities is required to ensure a healthier and more equitable future for all children.</p
Exploring challenges and opportunities in hospital disaster preparedness: a qualitative study on the perspectives of hospital incident command system members
No full textPurpose: This study aims to explore the perspectives of hospital incident command system (HICS) members to identify key gaps in hospital disaster preparedness and set recommendations to enhance hospital resilience and disaster response capacity in Nepal. Methods: A qualitative case study method was employed, involving semi-structured in-depth interviews as a sole method of data collection, with HICS members purposively selected based on their active involvement in hospital disaster preparedness. The interviews were conducted in person in Nepali language, transcribed verbatim, translated into English, and analyzed using an inductive thematic approach. Results: Three themes arose from the results. The first theme highlighted the need for policy and systemic reforms, including revising staffing quotas based on updated organization and management survey, developing standardized national guidelines for hospital nonstructural safety, revising tender policies to allow greater flexibility in emergency resource procurement, and updating hospital disaster preparedness and response plans to adopt a more comprehensive, all-hazards approach. The second theme entailed strategic partnerships and community engagement, demanding formal collaboration with external stakeholders, establishing a local coordination hub to streamline disaster response efforts, and pre-disaster coordination meetings with relevant partners. The third theme was concerned with hospital-level operational reforms, suggesting capacity-building efforts like cross-training and mentoring programs, extending training to alternative HICS focal persons, aligning stockpiling strategies with local hazard risks, and assessing triage areas to ensure their functionality during actual emergencies. Conclusion: Hospitals in Nepal need a coordinated effort among policymakers, healthcare administrators, frontline hospital personnel, and local stakeholders to bridge existing gaps and build a resilient healthcare system.</p
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