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Critical debates on the 15-minute city : a systematic content analysis of the literature
Get PDFIn response to the urban challenges exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, the ‘15-minute city’ concept has emerged as a promising concept for fostering sustainable and equitable urban environments by promoting local living. Despite broad endorsement from politicians, policymakers, and practitioners, the 15-minute city has attracted growing critical scrutiny regarding its theoretical foundations and real-world applicability. This study explores critical debates on the 15-minute city through a theoretical-practical-impact lens, drawing on a systematic content analysis of 102 academic publications on the 15-minute city published between 2020 and mid-2024. The findings identify key insights to respond to critiques and guide the concept toward fulfilling its original vision of more sustainable, equitable, and resilient urban environments, while also outlining directions for future research. Key insights include: (a) adopting flexible, context-specific approaches that account for the political, social, economic, and spatial realities and dynamics of different urban areas; (b) establishing robust governance frameworks that support participatory, bottom-up, and representative planning processes; (c) integrating principles of social justice into policymaking to prevent urban gentrification and social displacement; and (d) developing innovative measurement tools to more effectively measure evaluate the social and spatial dimensions of the concept
Salient practices in mentoring teachers as researchers : the Goethe-Institut's German as a foreign language continuing professional development programme
No full textThis paper explores the research mentoring practices of experienced mentors within the Goethe-Institut’s continuing professional development (CPD) programme for teaching German as a foreign language “Deutsch Lehren Lernen”. The CPD includes a research-based learning project in each module called a “Praxiserkundungsprojekt” (PEP). Within each PEP, teachers engage in research into their own practice, with experienced teacher-mentors supporting them. Based on the qualitative analysis of 17 in-depth interviews with expert teacher-mentors from all over the world, the paper offers 11 salient practices for mentoring in-service research-based learning as a form of teacher education and training. We propose that this approach is potentially transferable to adult education contexts in general, and other practice based training contexts in which novice practitioners are actively engaged in research. A new mentor-specific practice from the narrative accounts in this context contributes to our understanding of the mutual benefits from working in a mentor-mentee relationship during research-based learning. It acknowledges the benefit of self-reflection for the mentor – contributing further to the continuing professional development of all involved. This is described as a form of professionalisation in mentoring within teacher training contexts: a form of reflection in action that mentors can model in their mentoring practice (by explicitly reflecting on their own teaching practice as a form of role modelling for the benefit of the teacher-researchers). The demonstration of commitment to reflective practice was unanimously demonstrated by the interviewees, who used this value position to underpin their mentoring
A comprehensive toolkit for protein localization and functional analysis in trypanosomatids
Get PDFAfrican trypanosomes are medically important parasites that cause sleeping sickness in humans and nagana in animals. In addition to their pathogenic role, they have emerged as valuable model organisms for studying fundamental biological processes. Protein tagging is a powerful tool for investigating protein localization and function. In a previous study, we developed two plasmids for rapid and reproducible polymerase chain reaction-based protein tagging in trypanosomes, which enabled the subcellular mapping of 89% of the trypanosome proteome. However, the limited selection of fluorescent protein tags and selectable markers restricted the flexibility of this approach. Here, we present an extended set of >100 plasmids that incorporate universal primer annealing sequences, enabling protein tagging with a range of fluorescent, biochemical and epitope tags, using five different selection markers. We evaluated the suitability of various fluorescent proteins for live and fixed cell imaging, fluorescent movies, and we demonstrate the use of tagging plasmids encoding tandem epitope tags to support expansion microscopy approaches. We show that this series of plasmids is functional in other trypanosomatid parasites, significantly increasing its value. Finally, we developed a new plasmid for tagging glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored proteins. We anticipate that this will be an important toolset for investigating trypanosomatid protein localization and function
The role of the societal context in establishing trust within the UK risk disclosure regime
Get PDFPurpose.
Trust is one of the key governance mechanisms known to facilitate the role of the regulator in enforcing adequate risk reporting. Research provides evidence on inconsistencies within the corporate disclosure regulatory regime and calls for studies to explore how policy makers enhance trust among stakeholders to encourage engagement in corporate risk disclosure. Our study contributes to the academic literature by providing evidence on the different trust relationships and identifies key issues faced within the risk disclosure regulatory regime.
Methodology.
Using a qualitative approach, this study conducts semi-structured interviews with preparers, regulators, investors and analysts.
Findings.
Participants report coordination problems among the regulators that create incoherence and lead to huge costs of compliance. Users report that there are some disclosures made by the preparer, as part of a bank’s regulatory reporting that may not be provided within the statutory reports leading to a market inefficiency. Although users demonstrate an understanding that such information may be commercially sensitive, they emphasise the need to be able to trust that the regulator is on top of ensuring that banks are financially sound. Preparers highlight that they may be reticent to disclose information with little to no evidence to avoid misinterpretations. This information may be provided to the regulator once they trust it would be kept confidential.
Originality.
The study enriches the literature on risk disclosure with informative insights into the establishment of trust within the UK banking risk disclosure regime. Moreover, our findings are based on actual data on the preparation and usage of such reports that reflect real life journeys
New insights on the cavitation development and the role of bubbles in Micro-Venturi channels
Get PDFThis study investigates hydrodynamic cavitation (HC) inception and development in micro-Venturi channels, focusing on the mechanism that drives spatially irregular cavitation events. The study reveals that cavitation regeneration is primarily governed by the interaction between residual cavitation nuclei and low-pressure vortices. Using ultra-high-speed imaging and advanced bubble dynamics analysis, it was revealed that the residual nuclei trapped in the boundary layer or reverse flow near the sidewall of the microscale reactor are the key to cavitation regeneration. Their interaction with vortices shed from the shear layer, triggering spatially distributed inception events throughout the channel. Bubble velocity analysis showed a size-dependent pattern: smaller residual bubbles migrate upstream (negative velocities) before growing and being advected downstream (positive velocities), directly linking their motion dynamics to cavitation inception. Spectral analysis of the bubble populations demonstrated two frequency components: low-frequency signals in the transient regime, reflecting slow periodic replenishment of residual nuclei and high-frequency fluctuations driven by vortex activity. With increasing upstream pressure, the system shifted to periodic attached cavitation, characterized by regular shedding-driven fluctuations in bubble content. At even higher pressures, fully developed cavitation emerged, marked by intense shear-layer activity, sporadic downstream variations, and shear-induced bubble breakup that sustained mainstream cavitation. The findings of this study illustrate how residual nuclei and their interaction with transient vortices play a pivotal role in microscale cavitation inception, thereby offering critical insights on controlling cavitation in microfluidic systems such as “HC on a chip” reactors, where stochastic nucleation and bubble transport significantly influence performance
A systematic review and narrative synthesis of evidence from randomised controlled trials: the impact of behaviour guidance techniques on dental anxiety in paediatric patients
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This review aims to evaluate the impact of various behaviour guidance techniques (BGTs) on reducing dental anxiety in paediatric patients, highlighting their effectiveness and areas for improvement.
Method
A systematic review was conducted following PRISMA guidelines, focusing on randomised controlled trials published between November 2012 and July 2024 involving children aged 6–12 in dental settings. Relevant studies were identified through comprehensive searches in MEDLINE, EMBASE, Web of Science, PubMed, and the Cochrane Library, and analysed using narrative synthesis.
Results
Eighteen studies met the inclusion criteria. Various BGTs effectively reduced dental anxiety in paediatric patients. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), particularly as a distraction or self-help approach, was notably effective, alongside technology-based interventions like virtual reality (VR) and video modelling (VM). While sedation was also effective, CBT was preferred due to its lower risk of adverse effects.
Conclusions
This review demonstrates that a range of BGTs, including CBT, VR, and aromatherapy, effectively reduce dental anxiety in children aged 6–12. CBT, particularly when combined with technology, was the most flexible and effective method. It provided both psychological and physical benefits with few risks. Sensory interventions, such as VR and aromatherapy, show promise in enhancing patient cooperation. Traditional methods like Tell-Show-Do (TSD) remain effective, but innovative, patient-centred techniques represent a shift in paediatric dental care. Future research should prioritise cost-efficiency and broader applicability in diverse settings
Mechanics of knee meniscus results from precise balance between material microstructure and synovial fluid viscosity
Get PDFThe meniscus plays a crucial role in the biomechanics of the knee, serving as load transmitter and reducing friction between joints. Understanding the biomechanics of the meniscus is essential to effective treatment of knee injuries and degenerative conditions. This study aims to elucidate the relationship between the porous microstructure of the human knee meniscus and its biomechanical function, specifically focusing on fluid dynamics at the pore scale. Here, we use two central-meniscus samples extracted from a human knee and reconstruct high-resolution geometry models from -CT scans. By eroding the channels of the original meniscus geometry, we simulate perturbed microstructures with varying porosities ( 53% to 80%), whilst preserving the connectivity of the porous structure. We numerically solve for the fluid dynamics in the meniscus using a mesh-free particle method, considering various inlet pressure conditions, characterising the fluid flow within the microstructures. The results of the original microstructure associated with a physiological dynamic viscosity of synovial fluid are in accordance with biophysical experiments on menisci. Furthermore, the eroded microstructure with a 33% increase in porosity exhibited a remarkable 120% increase in flow velocity. This emphasises the sensitivity of meniscus physiology to the porous microstructure, showing that detailed computational models can explore physiological and pathological conditions, advancing further knee biomechanics research
Do second-hand luxury retailers affect luxury brand image? Exploring the mediation of construal level theory between official and unofficial retailers
Get PDFThis paper investigates whether purchasing a second-hand luxury product via either an official or an unofficial retailer direct affects luxury brand image. This connection may be shaped by the activation of different levels of psychological construal (high vs. low) at the consumer level that mediate the consumer-brand relationship. Two online experiments were employed to observe the cause-effect connection and to assess whether the contextual conditions (i.e., retailer types) play a pivotal role in luxury brand image, especially when second-hand purchases are gaining popularity. The findings revealed that when consumers purchased second-hand luxury items from unofficial retailers, their perception of luxury brand image fell due to activation of a lower level of construal. This suggests a psychological focus on the product’s tangible elements. The opposite occurred when consumers made second-hand luxury purchases from official retailers. Our paper extends the theoretical understanding of luxury brand image through integrating construal level theory and comparing unofficial and official retailers. Managers should develop an eco-system framework to redistribute second-hand products, carefully select where these products are sold, and adjust emphases on brand attributes to suit the retail context
Close together and far apart : necrosocialities in urban Japan
Get PDFCloseness determines the possibilities of the dead to be materially and spiritually cared for by the living and to receive the consolation of an afterlife among deceased family, friends, or pets, rather than strangers. However, although current mortuary sites have responded to the rapid social and demographic changes over the last few decades by offering alternatives to traditional constructions of necrosocial closeness, they have also created new exclusionary patterns based on purchasing capacity. In order to understand how beliefs and values of necrosocial closeness are negotiated within physical and financial limitations, we focus on case studies of two major urban cemeteries in Tokyo. Based on site visits, interviews with staff, and conversations with bereaved individuals, we expand the concept of necrosocialities to include not only the relationships between the living that coalesce around death, and the relationships sustained between the living and the dead through mortuary practices, but also the material and symbolic constructions of (assumed) relationships among the dead themselves. We place this discussion in a comparative perspective, drawing from primary research in Cyprus (a Mediterranean society) and Denmark (a northern European welfare state), societies with different care systems. We conclude that the systemic nature of exclusion of socially marginalized people from necrosocial closeness constitutes a form of ungrievability, and that a framework built around necrosocial closeness is critical to creating more just, inclusive and accessible post-death arrangements with implications for broader issues of care inequality
Rapid and significant lithium isotope response to afforestation in Icelandic topsoils
Get PDFSilicate weathering plays an important role in pedogenesis and the carbon cycle. Lithium (Li) isotopes are an effective tracer for the silicate weathering intensity and have been employed extensively to quantify both modern and past silicate weathering processes. The presence of vascular plants is believed to significantly influence weathering processes and pedogenesis, but how exactly plants and their ecosystems influence the behaviour of silicate weathering and Li isotopes in soils is poorly constrained. Here, we explored this question by measuring plant organs and sequentially leached fractions from soil chronosequences in Iceland spanning 25–63 years following afforestation. We found that Li isotopes were significantly fractionated within the plants during Li transport from the roots towards the leaves, and propose that 6Li preferentially crosses vacuole membranes in cells, while 7Li is enriched in the vascular system and accumulates in the leaves. This intra-plant fractionation could be most pronounced during plant growth when plants are subject to an excess nutrient supply. The Li isotope compositions in the exchangeable, carbonate, and oxide minerals of the afforested soils were ∼ 10 ‰ higher than in those of the heathland soils, and such differences can be attributed to both the input of heavy Li isotopes from litterfall decomposition and the effect of afforestation-mediated secondary mineral formation. Overall, this study suggests that silicate weathering processes traced by Li isotopes can respond significantly and rapidly (<25 years) to forest establishment, with important implications for paleoenvironmental reconstructions and the evolution of the critical zone