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Stuck up, peeled off, covered up, shared and scribbled out: Doing ordinary politics with political stickers
Get PDFStickers are pervasive, if often small and subtle, tools of political activism. Despite their enduring popularity, stickers do not fit into popular models of political action that presume either a spectacle of protest or formal institutions and debate. In this paper, we argue that stickers enable and facilitate public interchange as a process of sociomaterial claims-making. However, in order to recognise how stickers are used to do politics, there is a need to shift from semiotic interpretations of stickers as representational signs in favour of an action-oriented, pragmatist approach that examine stickers in action in people’s lives and shared worlds. Connecting with recent calls in geography to reconceptualise political and communicative action as lively, emergent, and materially-mediated, we tour through the sticky, peeling, covered, shared, and scribbled geographies of stickers in everyday, ordinary political action
Strategies and interventions used to provide communication education for midwifery students. A scoping review
Get PDFAimTo examine the current literature on educational strategies and interventions developed with the objective of teaching or enhancing communication skills of student midwives during their pre-registration education programmes.DesignA scoping review based on the Joanna Briggs Institute framework was conducted using predefined criteria and reported according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) Checklist.MethodsA comprehensive search was conducted using various databases (Medline, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), EMBASE, PsycINFO, Maternity and Infant Care Database (MIDIRS), Web of Science and Education Resources Information Centre (ERIC)) in October 2023.ResultsA total of 120 titles and abstracts were screened. A final number of eight articles were subjected to quality appraisal and included in the scoping review. Five themes were identified which describe educational strategies and interventions including: simulation-based training, the use of role-play, pedagogical approaches, theory-based information workshops and debrief and reflection.ConclusionsThis review highlights a gap in research focusing on the importance of communication skills training for student midwives throughout midwifery education. Despite the limited numbers of studies, different interventions and educational strategies have been recognized for enhancing these skills. To equip midwives with strong communication skills, a combination of interventions is recommended, including communication-focused workshops tailored for midwifery education and debriefing and student reflection sessions specifically designed to enhanced communication skill
Mapping the landscape: surf therapy program delivery
Get PDFSurf therapy is a structured intervention which utilizes surfing as a vehicle to achieve therapeutic benefit (International Surf Therapy Organization [ISTO], 2019). Surf therapy is presently delivered internationally within a diverse array of contexts and populations. Despite the publication of many internal evaluation studies, little research has examined themes common to the process of surf therapy across programs. The present study recruited a sample of ISTO-affiliated surf therapy programs (n = 33) to engage with an online survey, Mapping the Stoke, examining core aspects of surf therapy structure and process internationally. Findings indicated both similarities across current program delivery internationally, with examples of primary similarities including target age (adolescents and young adults) and population (mental health), recruitment (self-referral), and structure (group sessions), geographic delivery (major cities) and challenges (funding). Areas of greater diversity included support staff (roles/qualifications), therapeutic aims, measures (outcome) and therapeutic structures. The present study outlines concrete structures and processes which appear integral to the delivery of surf therapy across cultures
Spillover Dynamics in DeFi, G7 Banks, and Equity Markets During Global Crises: A TVP-VAR Analysis
Get PDFDecentralized finance (DeFi) has become of significant interest for investors in both the financial and digital sectors. We use a time-varying parameter vector autoregression (TVP-VAR) approach to estimate the static and dynamic connections between and within DeFi, G7 banking, and equity markets. We focus on critical events such as the COVID-19 pandemic, the cryptocurrency bubble, and the Russia-Ukraine conflict. The results highlight interconnectedness and significant spillovers within and between the markets, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Notably, there were significant spillover effects from the G7 banking and equity markets to Japan and DeFi assets. The findings demonstrate a robust connection between DeFi platforms, G7 banking, and stock markets throughout these tumultuous periods. Policymakers, investors, and entrepreneurs are recommended to keep a close eye on changes in traditional banking and equity markets to adjust the risk of DeFi assets
Pre-Processing-based Fast Design of Multiple EM Structures with One Deep Neural Network
No full textDeep learning plays a vital role in the design of electromagnetic (EM) structures. However, in current research, a single neural network typically supports only one structure design and requires a complex framework to accommodate multiple structure designs. This paper proposes using one neural-assist design for facilitating multiple EM structures. We employ two filling methods to control the vector length, an identification method to ensure accurate prediction results, and a random auxiliary vectors method to increase the data volume and reduce loss. Subsequently, we design a forward neural network (FNN) and an inverse neural network (INN) using the proposed method. The developed neural network is used to complete the dual-passband frequency selective surface (DP-FSS), space-time-coding digital metasurface element (STCDME), single/dual absorbing metasurface (SDAM), and dual-stopband frequency selective surface (DS-FSS) designs. The mean absolute error (MAE) loss values for the FNN/INN predictions and actual results for these four structures are 0.019/0.116, 0.035/0.602, 5.14/0.146, and 0.018/0.07, respectively. Finally, we design four structures with the well-training network, fabricate DP-FSS and DS-FSS, and measure them in an anechoic chamber. The measurement and simulation results are in good agreement. The proposed method significantly reduces the complexity of multiple EM structure designs, decreases the need for multiple neural networks, and simplifies the design framework, thereby contributing to the development of AI-assisted EM structures
Implementing responsible innovation: the role of the meso-level(s) between project and organisation
Get PDFMuch of academic discussion of responsible innovation (RI) has focused on RI integration into research projects. In addition, significant attention has also been paid to RI structures and policies at the research policy and institutional level. This article reports experiences of RI implementation with a focus on the intermediate i.e. meso-level. The research described here included a series of interviews that aimed to clarify researchers' perspectives on RI as well as barriers to and benefits of RI implementation. Two cases of engagement with research projects, with the aim of promoting RI, were undertaken. The analysis of the data demonstrates the crucial contribution that the meso-level of a research programme can make in interpreting, implementing and perpetuating RI across related activities. The article provides strong evidence that the scholarly debate surrounding RI should pay more explicit attention to this meso-level, ultimately strengthening RI theory and practice
Integration of Building Services in Modular Construction: A PRISMA Approach
Get PDFModular construction is gaining worldwide attention. Building services are the systems that make buildings comfortable and efficient. Mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) systems provide heating, cooling, lighting, energy distribution, and water services. Modular construction integrates building services into prefabricated modules at the manufacturing site, which are then transported to the construction site. A systematic review (SR) of building services integration within modular construction is thus necessary. Prior to the SR, a quantitative analysis of the retrieved 115 publications from the Scopus database was explored. Using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guide, 13 relevant publications from the Scopus database and via the Research Rabbit application were profiled. MEP systems integration approaches and research needs were examined. Recent literature emphasizes technology integration and sustainability, while early studies laid the framework for modular approaches. The findings highlight the potential of digital technologies like building information modeling (BIM) and recommend a holistic framework for the entire building’s lifetime, from design to operation. Future research directions include performance studies, modular building service adaptation, and industry-wide standards building. Researchers and practitioners seeking to improve modular construction methods and integrate complex building services will gain insights from this study
Machine Un-learning: An Overview of Techniques, Applications, and Future Directions
No full textML applications proliferate across various sectors. Large internet firms employ ML to train intelligent models using vast datasets, including sensitive user information. However, new regulations like GDPR require data removal by businesses. Deleting data from ML models is more complex than databases. Machine Un-learning (MUL), an emerging field, garners academic interest for selectively erasing learned data from ML models. MUL benefits multiple disciplines, enhancing privacy, security, usability, and accuracy. This article reviews MUL’s significance, providing a taxonomy and summarizing key MUL algorithms. We categorize modern MUL models by criteria, including model independence, data driven, and implementation considerations. We explore MUL applications in smart devices and recommendation systems. We also identify open questions and future research areas. This work advances methods for implementing regulations like GDPR and safeguarding user privacy
Depression and Health-Related Quality of Life Among Older Adults With Hearing Loss in the ACHIEVE Study
Get PDFHearing loss is associated with cognitive/physical health; less is known about mental health. We investigated associations between hearing loss severity, depression, and health-related quality of life among older adults with unaided hearing loss. Data (N = 948) were from the Aging and Cognitive Health Evaluation in Elders Study. Hearing was measured by pure-tone average (PTA), Quick Speech-in-Noise (QuickSIN) test, and the Hearing Handicap Inventory for the Elderly (HHIE-S). Outcomes were validated measures of depression and health-related quality of life. Associations were assessed by negative binomial regression. More severe hearing loss was associated with worse physical health–related quality of life (ratio: .98, 95% CI: .96, 1.00). Better QuickSIN was associated with higher mental health–related quality of life (1.01 [1.00, 1.02]). Worse HHIE-S was associated with depression (1.24 [1.16, 1.33]) and worse mental (.97 [.96, .98]) and physical (.95 [ .93, .96]) health–related quality of life. Further work will test effects of hearing intervention on mental health
Information leakage prior to market switches and the importance of Nominated Advisers
No full textThis study tests the information leakage hypothesis prior to the public announcement of firms switching between the Alternative Investment Market (AIM) and the Main Market (MM) in the UK. We find significant abnormal stock returns 60 trading days prior to the announcement of these switches. The results are robust after controlling for switching anticipation, rumors, other major corporate announcements, and firm performance a year prior to the switch. We also show that having a reputable Nominated Adviser (Nomad) significantly moderates the abnormal stock returns prior to market switches. However, this effect does not hold when Nomads also act as brokers in firms that switch markets. Overall, these findings provide novel evidence about abnormal stock returns prior to the announcement of market switches in the UK and the role of Nomads. As such, we shed light on the significance and the limits of decentralized regulation on informed trading activity