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Dousing the fire in the democratic forest: lessons for the Council of Europe from Russia
No full textCould the Council of Europe (CoE) have done more to confront the belligerence, backsliding and bad faith that culminated in Russia’s expulsion? This blog reflects on the role and interactions of the Committee of Ministers and the Parliamentary Assembly of the CoE in the dismal quarter century of Russian membership and lessons that might be drawn for confronting the continuing threat of democratic backsliding
A Pentecostal perspective on church leadership: a study on church leadership conversion among young Pentecostal Latinos/as, in the Florida Multicultural District of the Assemblies of God
Get PDFThis thesis focuses on young Pentecostal Latino/a Millennials who are members of the Florida Multicultural District of the Assemblies of God. The aim of this study is to describe, analyse, evaluate and understand Pentecostal leadership by highlighting factors that led 30 of these youths to become church leaders by obtaining credentials as ministers with the Assemblies of God. The research seeks to uncover the distinctive aspects of the Pentecostal Ethos that captivated these young people, motivating them to pursue church leadership. While there is substantial research on church leadership, there is a gap in studying it from the perspective of young Pentecostal Latino/a Millennials. Therefore, what factors contribute to church leadership conversion among YPLM in the FMD of the A/G?
The methodology employed in this research was qualitative, utilising an inductive investigative path. The researcher spent a year conducting interviews and taking notes. An interpretative approach was used to accumulate descriptions that formed the basis for reflecting on and analysing the experiences of these young people in their decision-making regarding leadership.
The factors contributing to the leadership conversion among young Pentecostal Latino/a millennials in the Florida Multicultural District of the Assemblies of God include their spiritual experience with God the Holy Spirit, which led to an awareness of being called by God (Supernatural Experience). Their belief in God’s on-going involvement in human affairs and the idea that individuals can experience God in a manner similar to the disciples on the day of Pentecost, highlights the impact of Pentecostal teachings and doctrines (Theological Formation Experience). Additionally, the learned experiences, expressions and frustrations within the Pentecostal community reflect the influence of church traditions (Church Traditions Experience). Finally, navigating a diverse social and cultural context while listening and obeying God to fulfil their divine purpose (The Social Impact Experience) plays a significant role.
The main contribution of this research is in Practical Theology/Pentecostal leadership, proposing a Spiritual Leadership Conversion as a form of conversion experience: offering an explanation of leadership conversion among Young Pentecostal Latino/a Millennials in the Florida Multicultural District of the Assemblies of God. These finding have significant implications for the future of the church and presents substantial opportunities for younger generations
Affective drawing: enquiring into place and a place
Get PDFWhen you sit in a room and read a book you are not looking at your environment, you perceive it, hear it, feel it; you sense its atmosphere and presence. Inadvertently you register the space that surrounds you. The representation of this intangible or unquantifiable quality is the aim and action of drawing: to engender a series of precarious encounters with things hidden, at the edge of perception.
The works and workings presented here are concerned with exploring the sense of inbetweeness which exists, unspoken or unseen between building and occupant
Label-free electrochemical detection of transthyretin for patients with cardiac amyloidosis
No full textThis paper presents a label-free electrochemical immunosensor for transthyretin (TTR), a critical biomarker in transthyretin cardiac amyloidosis (ATTR-CA). Utilizing antibody-functionalized Au screen-printed electrodes, the sensor demonstrated a concentration-dependent increase in charge transfer resistance (Rct) in response to residual native TTR in buffer conditions. A detection limit of 18 ngmL was achieved, well below the clinical threshold of 100 μg/mL, indicating high analytical sensitivity. By enabling targeted quantification of circulating TTR, this platform overcomes the limitations of current monitoring methods, which rely on indirect surrogate markers
Other areas of harmful content: enforcement by restrictions. The example of the UK
No full textDigital platforms have become central spaces for democratic debate, cultural exchange and access to information. At the same time, the features that make digital platforms powerful tools for expression can create unique risks due to their market power, their reach, and the lack of editorial control. This clearly raises urgent questions about platform content, enforcement, fundamental rights and the responsibilities of online intermediaries. This new report - Enforcing rules on illegal content and disinformation online - published by the European Audiovisual Observatory (part of the Council of Europe in Strasbourg), offers a comprehensive and timely analysis of how European legal frameworks are responding to these challenges.
Produced in collaboration with the Institute of European Media Law (EMR) and authored by twelve leading experts, the report examines how legislation targeting disinformation, illegal and harmful online content can be enforced at European and national level, and how lawmakers and regulators seek to strike a balance between freedom of expression, on the one hand, and the protection of democratic values on the other
Acceptability of self-sampling and self-testing for infections: a rapid systematic review on public users' views
Get PDFBackground
Self-sampling and self-testing have been increasingly used for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and quickly became widespread during the COVID-19 pandemic. User acceptability, preferences, and experiences are important factors affecting self-sampling/self-testing uptake. Understanding these factors is key to managing infections and planning responses to health emergencies. This review aimed to identify user views and experiences related to the acceptability, usability, motivations and preferences for self-sampling/self-testing for infections.
Methods
We conducted a rapid systematic review. We searched Medline, EMBASE, PsycINFO, CINAHL, and Web of Science, limiting records to those published in English between 2014 and 2023. We also searched manually for additional peer-reviewed and grey literature. We included reports of public users’ views on self-sampling/self-testing for any symptomatic and asymptomatic infections (except human papillomavirus) with qualitative, mixed-methods or survey data relevant to the review aim. Data were extracted into tables and qualitative findings were coded in NVivo. We synthesised data narratively.
Results
We identified 194 eligible reports, including 64 from Europe (which we prioritised for detailed synthesis) and 130 from outside of Europe. In Europe, the studied infections were respiratory (n = 42, including 37 for COVID-19), STIs/HIV/genital infections (n = 20), and hepatitis C (n = 2). Findings indicate that users found self-sampling/self-testing acceptable across infection/sampling types, populations, settings, and countries. Users wanted self-sampling/self-testing to help determine infection status and protect others. The main benefits were privacy and convenience, helping reduce the potential stigma of STIs/HIV/genital infections, and (for COVID-19) informing behaviour (e.g., socialising, self-isolating) and contributing to research. Easier to perform and less invasive sampling approaches were more acceptable. However, some participants reported challenges to self-sampling/self-testing, such as not understanding instructions, pain/discomfort in collecting samples, and lack of confidence in interpreting results.
Conclusions
This review synthesised evidence on the acceptability of SS/ST and factors affecting it across different infections, sampling approaches, settings, and populations. Evidence shows that most people with experience of self-sampling/self-testing found it acceptable and were willing to accept some discomfort in favour of several perceived benefits. This amenability to self-sampling/self-testing could be leveraged for diagnosing infections and preventing transmission. It can be used to support the viability of new models of clinical care and pandemic preparedness.
Trial registration
The review was pre-registered on PROSPERO (ref. CRD42024507656)
A semi-supervised machine learning approach to define pressing roles in football
Get PDFA player’s role for a team can be distinct from their playing position. Positions are generally attributed based on where the players line-up relative to their formation, whereas roles can be defined by frequency of their actions. Hence, the method presented in this research, attributed player roles based on event data. Player role feature selection involved a semi-supervised machine learning approach, that extracted feature importance in the form of Shapley values. These values helped define the KPIs for pressing attacking players. By using the proposed role similarity approach, it is possible for recruitment departments to identify players that occupy similar roles as current players. Furthermore, the evolution of player roles across time can be evaluated, which has applications with performance analysts, as they can interrogate the constituent roles of each player and its influence on overall team performance. Hence, the proposed method can help uncover the optimal KPIs for a given set of roles, while having practitioner applications within elite-level performance analysis and recruitment departments. Future methods should combine physical data sources, such as from tracking data, to enable greater specificity in player role classification
The roles of reflection in professional practice doctorates
No full textThis chapter explores the integral role of reflection in professional practice doctorates. It underscores the evolution of professional practice doctorates which have expanded into various fields such as healthcare, business, engineering and the performing arts. These programmes are tailored to meet the needs of professional fields by integrating rigorous scholarship with practical application, preparing candidates for advanced professional roles and leadership. Central to these doctorates is the concept of reflection, which transcends introspection to encompass a systematic critique of professional experiences through a theoretical lens. This reflective process is pivotal for curriculum design, delivery and assessment of professional practice doctorates, promoting continuous learning and ethical practice. The chapter examines how these doctorates foster a culture of critical inquiry and adaptability through active learning and workplace-based experiences, enabling candidates to apply theoretical insights to real-world challenges. By examining the multifaceted nature of reflection within these programmes, the chapter highlights its significance in shaping robust educational frameworks that not only enhance professional practice but also contribute to societal advancement through informed, reflective practitioners. Criticisms of the role of reflection, its enactment and assessment are also discussed
Is it possible to fight corruption in a post-communist captured state? The case of Bulgaria
No full textBulgaria offers a unique opportunity for a case study on the challenges of tackling corruption in a post-communist captured state. It is one of only two countries, which joined the EU without fulfilling the accession criteria on the rule of law. The EU Commission put it under the Cooperation and Verification Mechanism (CVM) to help it catch up with other EU members. Today, Bulgaria boasts a plethora of seemingly well-armed bodies dedicated to anti-corruption efforts. Nevertheless, its fight against corruption seems doomed. This chapter evaluates Bulgaria’s institutional anti-corruption framework to shed light on why the country has not seen tangible results in the fight against corruption, and to propose reforms. It argues the country developed its anti-corruption bodies in bad faith. Bulgaria created the false impression it had the political will to fight corruption, which was important vis-à-vis the CVM. However, not only it diluted responsibility and made sure these bodes are susceptible to political influences, but also it diverted attention from one of its longstanding rule of law challenges – the over-powerful Prosecutor’s Office, which is seen by experts as a major source of corruption and blackmail because it shields those in power from criminal liability and attacks their opponents
Thinking theoretically in nursing research—positionality and reflexivity in an interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) study
Get PDFThis paper explores the application of positionality and reflexivity drawing on the experience of a British Minority Ethnic (BME) group senior nurse researching nurses with the same ethnic heritage in an IPA study. It explores how using IPA informed reflexivity and positionality as a researcher who shared the same ethnicity with the research participants. The IPA study allowed for the exploration of Internationally Educated Nurses' (IENs) perspectives on their integration into British healthcare and their navigation of career progression. The central aims of an IPA study are to understand the participant's world, its description, the development of a clear, and open interpretative analysis with a descriptive focus on the social, cultural and theoretical context, and the participant's sense-making of their lived experience. In this paper, we discuss how the lead researcher employed reflexivity, stated his intentionality and positionality in the conduct of the IPA study. This paper discusses some examples of the effects of positionality and reflexivity in the conduct of research by researchers of different racial background, and explicate the influence of personal and professional experiences of a researcher in using reflexivity and positionality to ensure cross-cultural validity and reliability of an IPA research. This paper concludes that appropriate use of reflexivity and positionality in an IPA study may recognise the personal and professional influence of a researcher's experiences on the research process, including their ethnicity