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Colin Jones : fox and hedgehog historian of France
Get PDFColin Jones is one of the most prolific and wide-ranging historians of France today. In the more than twenty books and sixty articles he has published thus far in his career, he has considered both Paris and the provinces; the lives of ordinary people and those of elites; social practices and material culture as well as discourses and the emotions. His work spans the early modern and modern periods, and the themes he has treated run the gamut from sex work, charity and consumption to medicine, art and gender. It is not only the breadth and interdisciplinarity of his work, however, that has attracted the attention of scholars and the general public. It is also the liveliness of his writing. The verve and sensitivity with which he approaches the past are reminiscent of the late eighteenth-century Parisian flâneur avant la lettre Louis-Sébastien Mercier and his ‘thick description’ of city life. Mercier’s Tableau of the capital provides a rich source for much of Jones’ writing, inflecting his microhistorical methodology and colourful approach to his many and varied subjects.Non peer reviewe
Copper-catalyzed one-pot functionalization of styrenes : application towards pharmaceutically relevant phenylethylamine triazole scaffolds
Get PDFFunding: T.A.H. thanks the University of St Andrews for a PhD studentship. T.M.R. thanks the University of St Andrews and the EPSRC for a PhD studentship. A.J.B.W. thanks the EPSRC Programme Grant “Boron: Beyond the Reagent” (EP/W007517/1) for support.A Cu-catalyzed, one-pot synthesis of 1,2,3-triazolyl phenylethylamine scaffolds is reported. This method utilizes a single copper catalyst to promote aziridination via nitrene addition, ring-opening with azide, and copper-catalyzed azide–alkyne cycloaddition to afford 1,4-disubstituted 1,2,3-triazole phenylethylamine scaffolds. The utility of this process is demonstrated in the synthesis of pharmaceutically relevant cores from simple styrene motifs.Peer reviewe
Overcoming barriers to NHS adoption of innovative IPC products : a qualitative study of SMEs in the Liverpool city region
Get PDFFunding: This research was supported by The Bloomsbury SET (Science, Economics, Technology) innovation partnership programme, awarded through Research England’s Connecting Capability Fund.Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) result in prolonged hospital stays and an increased incidence of infections caused by antimicrobial-resistant bacteria. Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) play a crucial role in developing innovative Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) solutions, but they face substantial challenges in navigating the complex NHS procurement system. This study, carried out in the Liverpool City Region in 2022, investigated these barriers. The methodology involved qualitative data collection through an online survey and five semi-structured interviews with SMEs involved in IPC innovation. The survey targeted 114 SMEs, and the interviews were conducted remotely with management teams. Data were analysed thematically using NVivo software, allowing for the identification of key barriers and recurring themes across the dataset. Key challenges identified included high market-entry costs, navigating complex regulatory and procurement frameworks, and limited access to key NHS stakeholders. These issues were compounded by fragmented decision-making processes within NHS Trusts, making it difficult for SMEs to secure product adoption. Despite these barriers, SMEs remain committed to innovating IPC solutions, driven by the potential to improve patient care and address antimicrobial resistance. This report recommends streamlining support mechanisms for SMEs, improving access to NHS decision-makers, and advocating for policy reforms to simplify the procurement process. By facilitating collaboration between SMEs, the NHS, and other stakeholders, the adoption of innovative IPC products can be accelerated, ultimately benefiting patients and addressing the significant public health threats posed by HAIs and antimicrobial resistance.Peer reviewe
Synthesis, characterization, crystal structure, DFT study, antimicrobial and anticancer activities of a novel Cu(II) complex derived from N-(furan-2-ylmethyl)-1 (5-methyl-1H-pyrazol-3-yl)methanimine
Get PDFFunding: Suman Mandal is thankful to the University of Kalyani for providing financial support in the form of University Research fellowship. Nitis Chandra Saha thankfully acknowledges the receipt of financial assistance in the form of Personal Research Grant from the University of Kalyani.Reaction of Cu(II) nitrate with the pyrazole-based Schiff base ligand, N-(furan-2-ylmethyl)-1 (5-methyl-1H-pyrazol-3-yl)methanimine, (MPAFA) ( L ), resulted in the formation of a binuclear Cu(II) complex, [Cu(MPAFA)(NO3)]2 ( 1 ). The molecular structure of this neutral binuclear complex has been confirmed by single-crystal X-ray diffraction study. Each Cu(II) centre has a distorted square pyramidal conformation with an N3O2 donor set. DFT calculations also confirmed the structural features of the complex 1 . The TD-DFT absorption spectra supported the experimental results, indicating that the simulated peaks align reasonably well with the experimentally resolved peaks. The EPR spectra of the complex in the polycrystalline state at 298 K and in MeOH solution at 77 K, exhibited spectra with characteristic dx2−y2 ground state. Cytotoxic potential of the free ligand and the synthesized Cu(II) complex have been analysed using MTT cytotoxicity assay in MCF7 human breast cancer cell line. Complex 1 showed more potent cytotoxicity (IC50 = 40.5 ± 2.4 μM) than the ligand L . Furthermore, L and 1 have been found to exhibit effective antifungal activity against Colletotrichum siamense (AP1) and Fusarium equisetum (F.E) fungi. They also displayed promising antibacterial activity against both the gram-negative bacterium Klebsiella sp. (KS) and the gram-positive bacterium Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).Peer reviewe
Wheatley’s Poems, Archibald Bell and the Dillys : a Book Historical revaluation of the Wheatleyan moment
Get PDFDavid Waldstreicher characterised the Wheatleyan moment as one in which the publication of personality acquired political significance in the history of Transatlantic slavery and American liberty. This article adduces some book historical evidence to that position. Spurred by close study of a particular copy of Wheatley’s Poems, and making close reference to Wheatley’s poems and letters, the article offers a fuller account of the literary, religious and professional life of her publisher, Archibald Bell. It also speculates that the larger firm of E. and C. Dilly, with its many salient American connections, may have been a route to Bell for Wheatley and her agents in London. The article considers the Dillys’ attitudes to American affairs and publications relating to Transatlantic slavery. It closes with a reassessment of the publication of Wheatley’s Poems as a complex, plural moment in rendering creative, religious and political subjectivity saleable in print, simultaneously setting the print marketplace to work for creative, religious and political ends.Peer reviewe
Beyond locomotion : how specialized motor patterns enable a vertebrate to struggle free from capture
Get PDFThis research was supported by BBSRC [Grant IDs BB/T002352/1,BB/T002549/1,BB/T003146/1,BB/X005038/1]Animals captured by predators can still survive the attack by struggling to release themselves. We investigated how Xenopus tadpoles use struggling movements to free themselves from head restraint. High-speed video tracking revealed a stereotyped sequence of body flexions with distinct kinematics during capture and release. We further recorded motoneuron activities along the body axis during fictive struggling to reconstruct biologically realistic spatio-temporal motoneuronal firing patterns, to drive the movement of a 3D biomechanically detailed tadpole model. Simulations showed that struggling - characterized by long-duration, low-frequency, caudorostral muscle activation - was optimized to generate freeing forces. Notably, hydrodynamic thrust alone proved insufficient for release. However, direct mechanical interactions between the tadpole’s body and the restraining object generated additional reactive forces that facilitated escape. These findings demonstrate how animals use coordinated motor outputs and body mechanics to interact with the gripping object to generate maximal freeing forces as the fundamental survival strategy.Peer reviewe
A social network analysis of an epistemic community studying neoliberal conservation
Get PDFResearchers typically operate in epistemic communities: groups that share common approaches to research agendas and sociopolitical action and define areas of debate. Although productive in their own spheres, a lack of understanding among these communities can undermine scientific progress. Thus, analyzing epistemic communities is important for understanding the politics of knowledge production. Social network analysis sheds light on these dynamics by mapping the collaborative networks that shape academic output. We used 255 publications examined in Apostolopoulou et al.’s review of neoliberal conservation literature and 2135 additional publications in a social network analysis. We compiled a coauthorship network for 318 authors and found a dispersed and polycentric network with low connectivity and relatively small clusters of scholars collaborating within tightly knit groups. Although the structure is conducive to innovation and diversity, building new connections among dispersed coauthor groups could enrich knowledge sharing to drive novel approaches. We identified central actors in building collaborations among communities and communicating ideas across the network. We considered actor attributes, such as gender and geographic location, alongside centrality measures. We found that seventy percent of the 20 authors with the highest betweenness centrality were men, and only one male author was affiliated to an institution in the Global South. Our analysis of thematic clusters in the literature highlighted the spatial patchiness and partialness of the literature across different subfields. Scholars should undertake more work on identified themes in currently excluded geographic regions through effective interdisciplinary collaborations and with local communities of research and practice and grassroots movements. There is a need to strengthen the field's intellectual diversity and to have a deeper engagement with issues of class, gender, and race. This would allow neoliberal conservation to reimagine conservation in ways that are not only environmentally sustainable, but also socially just.Peer reviewe
Impact of sudden stratospheric warmings on the stratosphere-to-troposphere transport of ozone
Get PDFFunding: J. L. and Y. W. are supported by the U.S. National Science Foundation award AGS‐1802248.Sudden stratospheric warmings (SSWs) can significantly impact tropospheric weather systems. Previous studies suggest that SSWs may also influence stratosphere-to-troposphere transport (STT), but their spatial and temporal distribution and mechanisms are not fully understood. The complex relationships between SSWs and the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) have also made it difficult to isolate the effects of SSWs on STT. From an idealized ENSO simulation with the WACCM4 model using a stratospheric origin ozone tracer, we investigate the effect of SSWs on the STT of ozone under different ENSO phases. We find a significant increase in lower tropospheric ozone from the SSW onset up to 3 months later over the Arctic, North America, and Europe, regardless of the ENSO phase. This study highlights the significant influence of SSWs on STT on a subseasonal scale. Our results also emphasize the need to consider SSWs when addressing the ENSO impact on STT.Peer reviewe
Creating authentic historical costumes to augment virtual humans for cultural heritage
Get PDFBenefiting from the simulation of 3D technologies, the evolution of virtual humans allows them to have a realistic human-like appearance and behaviour, interacting with users and the environment. Today, the application of digital avatars has expanded to computer visualization exhibitions, movies, animations, game engines, etc. This paper investigates a methodology for applying virtual humans to support the digital reconstruction of cultural heritage in virtual reality applications, focusing on converting 2D design sketches of historical costumes into a tangible reality within an immersive VR environment. Through the creation and application of authentic historical outfits, this approach enriched the authenticity of digital avatars, and further expanded the interpretation and representation of cultural heritage for educational and cultural institutions. In addition, this paper evaluated the impacts of avatars on enhancing learning and visiting experiences on the promotion of cultural history diversity. This research is beneficial for exploring how immersive VR technologies bring about equitable quality education and promote learning opportunities in the context of cultural heritage. At the time of writing, the results of this research are adopted in immersive exhibits in the Timespan Museum, West Highland Museum, Finlaggan Museum and Taigh Chearsabhagh, aimed at providing an immersive virtual time travel experience to strengthen lifelong cultural education values and further support the sustainable development goals
Mycophenolate and azathioprine efficacy in interstitial lung disease : A systematic review and meta-analysis
Get PDFObjectives Mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) and azathioprine (AZA) are immunomodulatory treatments in interstitial lung disease (ILD). This systematic review aimed to evaluate the efficacy of MMF or AZA on pulmonary function in ILD. Design Population included any ILD diagnosis, intervention included MMF or AZA treatment, outcome was delta change from baseline in per cent predicted forced vital capacity (%FVC) and gas transfer (diffusion lung capacity of carbon monoxide, %DLco). The primary endpoint compared outcomes relative to placebo comparator, the secondary endpoint assessed outcomes in treated groups only. Eligibility criteria Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) and prospective observational studies were included. No language restrictions were applied. Retrospective studies and studies with high-dose concomitant steroids were excluded. Data synthesis The systematic search was performed on 9 May. Meta-analyses according to drug and outcome were specified with random effects, I2 evaluated heterogeneity and Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation evaluated certainty of evidence. Primary endpoint analysis was restricted to RCT design, secondary endpoint included subgroup analysis according to prospective observational or RCT design. Results A total of 2831 publications were screened, 12 were suitable for quantitative synthesis. Three MMF RCTs were included with no significant effect on the primary endpoints (%FVC 2.94, 95% CI −4.00 to 9.88, I2=79.3%; %DLco −2.03, 95% CI −4.38 to 0.32, I2=0.0%). An overall 2.03% change from baseline in %FVC (95% CI 0.65 to 3.42, I2=0.0%) was observed in MMF, and RCT subgroup summary estimated a 4.42% change from baseline in %DLCO (95% CI 2.05 to 6.79, I2=0.0%). AZA studies were limited. All estimates were considered very low certainty evidence. Conclusions There were limited RCTs of MMF or AZA and their benefit in ILD was of very low certainty. MMF may support preservation of pulmonary function, yet confidence in the effect was weak. To support high certainty evidence, RCTs should be designed to directly assess MMF efficacy in ILD.Peer reviewe
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