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Finding common ground on the threshold: an experiment in critical urban learning
Get PDFThe paper explores the role of academic institutions in urban commoning, which involves sharing and collaborating to manage common resources. Specifically, it analyses the impact of an experimental programme, Practices of Urban Inclusion, on fostering new forms of collaboration and cultures of sharing. The programme was co-designed and co-run by a network of four architecture and urban planning schools and three civil society organisations across four European countries. The paper mobilises the concept of 'threshold spaces' by Stavros Stavrides, to discuss if and how urban knowledge and learning can be co-produced and circulated ‘on the threshold’ between academic and civil society organisations. Practices of Urban Inclusion is thus seen as a threshold space that attempted to bring different subjectivities and forms of knowledge into connection by foregrounding experiential knowledge, fostering collaborative learning, and connecting temporalities. The paper reflects on the key characteristics of the programme and highlights some of its commoning and un-commoning outcomes. We suggest that conceptualising knowledge co-production through ideas of commoning and threshold spatiality allows for more nuanced understandings of the dynamics of academia-civil society collaborations
Using text-based vignettes in qualitative social work research
Get PDFText-based vignettes are widely used within qualitative social work research yet there is little guidance on how to construct and integrate them into the research process. This article discusses the uses, benefits, and limitations of written vignettes as part of semi-structured interviews and focus groups with social workers and related professionals. It provides clear guidelines on how to design a vignette. This includes the choice of scenario, characteristics of the protagonist, type of vignette, research setting, length, vignettes in semi-structured interviews and pre-testing. Text-based vignettes have been successfully used in social work research on six continents in a variety of research contexts including single context, comparative, cross-sectional, longitudinal and replication studies. Written vignettes are a useful tool to elicit (professional) values, attitudes, and decision-making processes in a time efficient manner that produces focused, in-depth knowledge without the need to use real practice examples that could potentially include sensitive data or breach confidentiality. Vignettes have been used to explore a wide range of topics including but not limited to adult safeguarding, care planning, child protection and multi-agency working together. There is some debate whether vignette responses mirror real life actions. The value of vignette data goes beyond documenting real-world decision making. It can uncover tacit social work knowledge and unquestioned beliefs to show how they interplay in decision making
The effects of globalization on supply chain resilience: outsourcing techniques as interventionism, protectionism, and regionalization strategies
Get PDFGlobalization may cause companies to broaden their customer bases, operate internationally, and serve more customers. However, it also entails dangers, including shifting circumstances, disruptions, and elevated prices. To address these issues, outsourcing has evolved, lowering outputs and service costs. To mitigate these risks, businesses employ strategies such as interventionism, protectionism, and regionalization. By investigating and simulating the interplay of outsourcing approaches to equip businesses with supply chain resilience (SCRES), this study aims to close the knowledge gap between the existing knowledge and global supply chain (GSC) risk management practices. To choose the best alternative for our case study company, we analyzed four distinct outsourcing techniques, namely offshoring, reshoring, nearshoring, and farshoring; furthermore, we investigated the outsourcing elements typically taken into account to achieve resilience. The results indicated that the reshoring method would be the most promising one for this company, under specific circumstances, in terms of attaining resilience in the manufacturing industry
Membrane vesicles of clostridioides difficile and other clostridial species
Get PDFMembrane vesicles are secreted by growing bacterial cells and are important components of the bacterial secretome, with a role in delivering effector molecules that ultimately enable bacterial survival. Membrane vesicles of Clostridioides difficile likely contribute to pathogenicity and is a new area of research on which there is currently very limited information. This chapter summarizes the current knowledge on membrane vesicle formation, content, methods of characterization and functions in Clostridia and model Gram-positive species
Greater rate of weight loss predicts paediatric hospital admission in adolescent typical and atypical anorexia nervosa
Get PDFHospital admissions for eating disorders (ED) are rapidly increasing. Limited research exists evidencing the factors that lead to hospital admissions or their outcomes. The current study aimed to identify predictors of hospital admission in adolescents with anorexia nervosa (AN) or atypical anorexia nervosa (AAN). Prospective observational study including participants (n = 205) aged 11–18 and diagnosed with AN or AAN at initial ED assessment, across eight London clinics. Physical health parameters at assessment, including heart rate, blood pressure, temperature and rate of weight loss, were compared between adolescents who were admitted to a paediatric ward following assessment and those who were not admitted. The mean rate of weight loss prior to assessment was significantly higher, and mean energy intake significantly lower, in the admitted vs not admitted groups (1.2 vs 0.6kg/week, p < 0.001 and 565 kcal/day vs 857 kcal/day, p < 0.001), independent of degree of underweight. No significant differences were identified between groups in all other parameters of physical risk. Underweight adolescents with AN were equally likely to be admitted as non-underweight adolescents with AAN. Conclusion: This study provides evidence on predictors of hospital admission, from a sample representing the London area. The assessment of weight loss speed, duration and magnitude are recommended as priority parameters that inform the risk of deterioration and the likelihood of hospital admission in adolescent AN and AAN. Further research investigating outcomes of these hospital admission is needed. What is Known: • Hospital admissions for eating disorders (ED) are rapidly increasing. • Limited research exists evidencing the factors that lead to hospital admissions, or their outcomes. What is New: • This study provides evidence on predictors of hospital admission in young people with typical and atypical anorexia nervosa. • Weight loss speed, duration, and magnitude are recommended as priority parameters that inform the risk of deterioration and the likelihood of hospital admission in this patient group
'It hurts my heart': Afghan women in London negotiating family relationships and (im)mobility regimes across borders
Get PDFThis paper aims to contribute new insights into transnational care relationships by drawing on qualitative longitudinal data, to explore the complexities and nuances of Afghan women's dynamic family relations across multiple countries and continents. Rather than treating transnational families as a homogeneous unit, we present rich case studies to explore relationships with particular relatives, such as mothers, sisters and in‐laws, to understand the different dynamics within specific familial ties. Paying attention to the specificities of spatial contexts and infrastructures in framing opportunities and obstacles to transnational care, we apply the concept of immobility regimes. Beyond a simple bi‐national focus on countries of origin and residence, we explore how the women navigate these regimes, across multiple countries and different visa regimes to arrange in‐person visits with geographically dispersed kin. We consider the role of ICTs and the limitations of poor connectivity, especially in countries like Afghanistan, and the gender power dynamics that may limit women's access to technologies
A Novel MIMO antenna integrated with a solar panel and employing AI-equalization for 5G wireless communication networks
Get PDFIn this paper, we propose a novel MIMO antenna array configuration that incorporates metamaterial isolation surfaces to enhance overall performance. We demonstrate that the directivity of this antenna array can be precisely electronically reconfigured using PIN diode switches. Additionally, we show the feasibility of integrating solar panels with the proposed MIMO antenna array. Adopting solar panels in 5G base stations is expected to reduce dependency on traditional grid power sources, thereby decreasing energy usage and operational expenses, and supporting the goal of achieving net-zero emissions in communication systems. Furthermore, we demonstrate the effectiveness of an artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled equalizer in mitigating degradation in channel capacity caused by signal power fluctuations, thereby enhancing the reliability and efficiency of wireless communication systems. We demonstrate multifaceted benefits of combining these technologies
Ex vivo analysis of the association of GFP-expressing L. aethiopica and L. mexicana with human peripheral blood-derived (PBD) leukocytes over 24 hours
Get PDFLeishmania parasites are transmitted to mammalian hosts through the bite of sandflies. These parasites can infect phagocytic cells (macrophages, dendritic cells, and neutrophils) and non-phagocytic cells (B cells and fibroblasts). In mice models, the disease development or resolution is linked to T cell responses involving inflammatory cytokines and the activation of macrophages with the M1/M2 phenotype. However, this mechanism does not apply to human infection where a more complex immunological response occurs. The understanding of interactions between immune cells during Leishmania infection in humans is still limited, as current infection models focus on individual cell types or late infection using controlled human infection models (CHIMs). This study investigated the early parasite infection in freshly isolated peripheral blood-derived (PBD) leukocytes over 24 h. Flow cytometer analysis is used in immunophenotyping to identify different subpopulations. The study found that among the L. aethiopicaGFP-associated leukocytes, most cells were neutrophils (55.87% ± 0.09 at 4 h) and monocytes (23.50% ± 0.05% at 24 h). B cells were 12.43% ± 0.10% at 24 h. Additionally, 10–20% of GFP+ leukocytes did not belong to the aforementioned cell types, and further investigation revealed their identity as CD4+ T cells. Data not only confirm previous findings of Leishmania infection with PBD leukocytes and association with B cells but also suggest that CD4+ T cells might influence the early-stage of infection
Sex, lies, and memoirs: on writing intimate ethnography, dealing with silence and ethically ambiguous storytelling
Get PDFThis article uses the notion of intimate ethnography to further a discussion on social constructions of family ties, secrets and complex strategies of storytelling. Using the example of a book published about one’s own family history, the author presents several ethical dilemmas where engagement with intimate ethnographies is fraught with pitfalls and can tear apart people, families and individuals; however, it can also give a brief and illuminating holistic experience of mutual horizontal connectedness, human harmony, and communion across time and space. The article argues that the intimacy in this ethnography traces the residues of violence and oppression, but also moments of harmony and happiness to create a holistic, complete, anthropological picture of myself and the world that makes me – with its bright and dark sides
Pickering emulsions stabilized by cellulose nanocrystals extracted from hazelnut shells: production and stability under different harsh conditions
No full textCellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) are biodegradable particles that have emerged as promising stabilizers for Pickering emulsions. This study investigated the effectiveness of CNCs in forming the Pickering emulsion from hazelnut shells (HS), an agricultural waste. Following the alkaline and bleaching treatments applied to HS, CNCs were obtained from treated hazelnut shell with acid hydrolysis. The physicochemical characteristics of CNCs were investigated using dynamic light scattering, XRD, FTIR, SEM, and TEM. A high crystalline (69.6 %) CNCs with a spherical shape were obtained. Contact angle and interfacial tension tests were conducted and showed that CNCs had amphiphilic nature. Pickering emulsions were investigated for their size, zeta potential, and stability under varying CNC concentrations. The results showed that when CNCs concentration increased from 0.5 to 2.0 wt%, droplet diameter decreased approximately 1.8 times and zeta potential increased. Creaming was not observed during 28 days of storage in a concentration of 2.0 wt% CNCs. The CNC stabilized emulsions exhibited high stability within a range of pH, temperatures, and salt concentrations. This study demonstrated that CNCs extracted from HS as environmentally friendly and cost-effective materials, could serve as a new stabilizer for Pickering emulsions especially for high temperature and low pH sensitive products such as mayonnaise