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Physicochemical and microbial analysis of sugarcane press mud reveals ligninolytic and plant growth-promoting bacteria with soil amendment potential
No full textPress mud is an acidic by-product of sugarcane processing that is commonly discarded, despite containing components with potential agricultural value. This study assessed sugarcane mill press mud through physicochemical, microbiological and enzymatic analyses to evaluate its environmental implications and suitability as a soil amendment. The material was slightly acidic (pH 6.4) and rich in essential nutrients, including potassium (1061.06 ppm), magnesium (624.96 ppm), calcium (461.06 ppm) and phosphorus (513.11 ppm). However, elevated metals such as aluminium (2083.22 ppm), iron (2342.57 ppm), manganese (85.90 ppm), zinc (60.84 ppm), copper (17.70 ppm), lead (3.10 ppm) and chromium (4.18 ppm), together with the detection of the pollutant 2,4-di-tert-butylphenol (2,4-DTBP), suggest the need for proper regulated application to mitigate environmental risks. Microbial profiling across acidic (6.4), neutral (7.0) and alkaline (9.5) conditions revealed diverse bacterial taxa. Acidic conditions yielded Escherichia coli (PQ001953), Bacillus licheniformis (PQ001957) and Moraxella catarrhalis (PQ047632); neutral conditions favored Herbaspirillum seropedicae (PQ008927), Enterococcus faecium (PQ012564) and Micrococcus luteus (PQ012569); while alkaline conditions supported Bacillus subtilis (PQ012572), Listeria ivanovii (PQ060442) and Paracoccus pantotrophus (PQ012574). Notably, E. coli, H. seropedicae and M. luteus exhibited pronounced ligninolytic enzyme activity, indicating a capacity to degrade complex organic substrates. Plant growth trials using mustard (Brassica campestris) demonstrated that a 5:1 soil-to-press-mud ratio significantly enhanced plant growth relative to untreated soil. Collectively, these findings indicate that when applied in controlled quantities, press mud, represents a promising bioresource with valuable ligninolytic and plant growth-promoting microbial communities, while warranting careful oversight due to its contaminant load
Effects of unilateral and bilateral training on performance in team sports athletes: a systematic review and meta-analysis
No full textObjective
Team sports athletes rely heavily on unilateral movements, yet the comparative performance benefits of unilateral training (UT) versus bilateral training (BT) remain controversial. This meta-analysis systematically examined the effects of UT and BT on strength, jumping, sprinting, and agility in team sports, while considering sport type and training program as potential moderators.
Methods
A systematic search of PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and CNKI databases was conducted to identify controlled trials meeting the PICOS criteria. Primary outcomes were strength, jumping (contermovement jump [CMJ], horizontal jump [HJ], reactive strength index [RSI]), sprinting, and agility. Pooled effects were calculated using standardized mean difference (Hedges’ g) through a three-level meta-analysis model, with subgroup and moderator analyses conducted.
Results
Fifteen studies involving 355 team sports athletes (basketball, soccer, rugby, and ice hockey) were included. The meta-analysis showed no significant differences between UT and BT in overall strength, jumping, sprinting, and agility. However, UT significantly outperformed BT in unilateral strength (g=0.68, p=0.007), unilateral CMJ (g=0.37, p=0.025), and unilateral HJ (g=0.45, p=0.03). No significant differences were found in bilateral strength, bilateral jumping, and RSI. Subgroup analysis revealed no overall differences across sports, but in basketball, UT had significant advantages over BT in sprinting (g=-0.37, p=0.04) and agility (g=-0.77, p=0.04). Regarding training types, UT using plyometric training outperformed BT in strength (g=0.54, p=0.03) and sprinting (g=-0.30, p=0.03), while UT with compound training had significant advantages in agility (g=-0.74, p=0.04).
Conclusion
UT outperforms BT in improving unilateral strength and jumping ability, while producing comparable effects in bilateral performance, sprinting, and agility. These findings underscore the value of UT in team sports involving unilateral movements. Future research should explore its long-term effects, recovery from injury, and neuromuscular adaptations to better optimize training
Homeowner responsibility in flood risk management – the fairness of financial support for property-level flood resilience
No full textGovernments worldwide are diversifying their flood risk management (FRM) strategies to deal with flood risks. This requires the involvement of multiple policy domains as well as non-state actors – including homeowners. Homeowners can get involved in FRM through property-level flood resilience (PFR) measures. Various initiatives have been launched to financially support homeowners in the implementation of these measures, such as government grants and insurance mechanisms. However, even with financial support, transferring responsibility to homeowners has justice implications: many may lack the economic, social, or cultural capacity to implement PFR, and strict eligibility criteria can exclude certain groups from benefiting. This paper examines the justice implications of financial support for PFR by analysing how different mechanisms align with four conceptualisations of distributive justice: libertarian, utilitarian, Rawlsian, and egalitarian. England and Flanders serve as illustrative cases. England has developed multiple types of financial support and has a longer history of working with PFR, while in Flanders support remains limited and highly localised. By focusing on the justice dimensions of financial support for PFR – rather than a strict comparison of the two contexts – the analysis reveals how the presence of absence of support mechanisms can reinforce or mitigate inequality. These insights are important if PFR is to become mainstreamed and integrated into FRM
Tackling synthetic opioid misuse: an impending crisis
No full textThere is growing concern regarding the increasing prevalence of synthetic opioids and their association with mortality and a range of health and social harms. Recognition, assessment and management of synthetic opioid use is a key challenge for practitioners working in hospitals, prisons and community services. This article gives an overview of the range and characteristics of synthetic opioids, key risks, the prevalence of synthetic opioid-related deaths in England, and prevention and management approaches. It highlights five areas critical to addressing the synthetic opioid crisis: improved access to medication for synthetic opioid addiction; increased naloxone availability and referral to addictions services following opioid overdose; strengthening prevention efforts targeting risk factors such as illicit drug markets and emerging trends in drug use; optimising pain management to reduce the use of prescription opioids and minimise the risk of associated synthetic opioid addiction; raising awareness among healthcare providers, patients and the general public about the dangers of synthetic opioids, including their potency, addictive nature and potential for overdose
Queering disasters, climate change and humanitarian crises
No full textThis book marks a significant contribution to the development of queer disaster studies - exploring how disaster-related experiences and needs of sexual and gender diverse (LGBTIQA+) people manifest and differ across national, cultural, and regional boundaries from the Global North and South; from culturally diverse communities, drawing together researchers and professionals working in government, non-government agencies, emergency management, community, and humanitarian organisations. Uniquely, it contains contributions from sexual and gender diverse people with lived experience of disasters, climate change and humanitarian crises and people who have been subject to heterosexist discrimination in disaster relief and recovery-related services, as employees and volunteers.
A crucial, overdue contribution to achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 5: Gender Equality, this book identifies areas to further the development of just and equitable disaster, climate change and humanitarian crises policy, programs, and services that include and address the needs of sexual and gender diverse people
Handbook on smart health
No full textHumans like tools. Health, one of continuous humanity’s concerns, attracts significant investment and effort to create tools that promise to improve our health. Medicines, surgical instruments and hospital infrastructure at large, are all expressions of tools devoted to improve health. The last decades digital tools entered the scene, continuously making progress complementing all other non-digital tools. Although initially computing systems were used to make administration more efficient, soon started to help with the diagnosis process, with the process of finding better cures to some conditions, supporting surgical procedures, and much more. The Covid pandemic offers a good example on how computing help speeding the processes of designing and producing vaccines. Robots helping with surgical procedures are not science-fiction anymore. Intensive Care Units are fully packed with an array of sensing devices interconnected and monitored by computing systems, on which lives depend. There is also a significant number of smaller digital tools in the form of apps running on smaller computing devices such as ‘smart phones’ and ‘smart watches’ which are targeting softer aspects of health and well-being. Some of questionable efficacy, nonetheless popular and contributing to an increasing number of citizens becoming more aware of healthier lifestyles, all of which is, in general terms, positive in itself. Life is a continuum, and as there and there are examples of very positive uses of digital tools in healthcare, also catastrophic failures and everything in between. This is a continuous process of engineering, trials and errors, learning and innovation. This Handbook is part of that journey.
The content of this Handbook provides a wide range of samples of the innovation being developed throughout our planet in the various aspects that concern to health. It includes content addressing different levels of the complex system which are used to deliver health. We cover here the more general background of the area, different strategies of delivery, the rich infrastructure, both Hardware and Software, algorithms and applications, as well as the interaction between technology and society. This use of technology in general is becoming increasingly controversial, given the gradual continuous increase in power, which bring both more benefits for our health as well as higher risks if something goes wrong. This is composed with laws which are continuously playing catch up with innovation. All of these topics are addressed from various angles in this publication and we hope this provides a holistic update to a wider range of professionals, innovators and decision-makers, and that it provides a ground for more innovation to be created.
My appreciation goes to the many colleagues who contributed insights on their innovation as well as feedback on other contributions, helping to shape up this landmark publication
Lived experiences of migrant and refugee parents: challenges encountered during their journey and settlement in Europe
Full text linkParenting in the context of migration presents a unique set of challenges for refugee parents, who must navigate the cultural norms and expectations of both their home and resettlement countries while balancing their daily parenting responsibilities and practices. This study aims to provide a critical analysis of the experiences, needs, and challenges faced by migrant and refugee parents during their journey and settlement in Europe, as recounted through their personal narratives. Utilizing a qualitative approach, the researchers collected twenty-seven life narratives of migrant and/or refugee parents through purposive sampling. An analysis of the narratives identified four overarching themes that represent the primary challenges faced by refugee families and the need for support. These macro-themes include up rootedness, spatio-temporal uncertainty, trauma and abuses, and parental powerlessness. Parental powerlessness emerged as a synthesis of the causes of trauma from the previous three challenges and highlights the increased loss of parental identity and self-conflict that refugee parents experience. The study reveals that refugee parents face various challenges and barriers, such as language barriers, lack of information and awareness, and cultural differences. It is crucial for healthcare providers and policymakers to consider these findings and develop targeted interventions, such as utilizing interpreters, cultural mediators, and providing culturally sensitive and appropriate healthcare and educational services, as well as implementing specific policies to enhance the health and well-being of refugee parents and their children
Kurdish women: redefining freedom through resilience
No full textWhen we speak of struggle, we evoke an image as old as human civilization: the eternal tension between oppression and freedom, silence and voice, captivity and liberation. But rarely in history does this dichotomy find such vivid expression as in the ongoing journey of Kurdish women in Rojava (northern Syria) and Southern Kurdistan (northern Iraq). Their story is one of defiance, resilience, and transformation, a tale that marries poetry and resistance, and a story that demands both our admiration and our solidarity. [...
Designing feedback activities to help low-performing students
No full textMany students struggle with making sense of feedback information and in applying and transferring it to new contexts. Research literature suggests that low-performing students are especially at risk because they often do not understand assessment criteria and cannot utilise information they receive. This paper addresses this problem through investigating assessment processes which aim to support the influence of feedback on student improvement. It focusses on an empirical study of an undergraduate course at university level in which students resubmit assignments after having applied feedback information received on initial drafts. Such designs help educators to strengthen student improvement from feedback processes by engaging students directly with feedback comments and assessment criteria. Data from the designs enable comparison of improvements between low-performing versus high-performing students and shows that while all students improved, the gap between low-performers and their peers narrowed
The Cambridge Handbook of the Right to Freedom of Thought
No full textThis Handbook is the first attempt to map out how the right to freedom of thought finds expression in positive law, how it is protected, and applied across the globe. It contains chapters written by legal experts in the selected jurisdictions, grouped by region, as well as context-setting chapters by leading scholars in the field.
At present there is no authority on what, precisely, is meant by the ‘right to freedom of thought’. There is no consensus on what the right protects, or how it can be used. There is little clarity on what exactly ‘thought’ means in this context, or what ‘freedom’ means. To begin developing the right, or for the right to achieve significant legal effect, it is necessary first to determine how thought is protected, how it is defined, and how the right can be given practical effect in different countries, against the background of different legal systems and relevant cultural traditions