Fans as consumers: psychographics and tribalism in Doctor Who fandom

Traditional marketing uses the theory of segmentation to divide markets into target groups with similar characteristics so that marketing communications can be tailored to those being targeted. Segmentation may use a number of bases, such as demographics, socio-economics or geographic considerations. However, fandom is not tied by these considerations and is more appropriately described by psychographics, which describe consumers in terms of their values, opinions, beliefs, motivations and attitudes, and behavioral segmentation, which describes the way consumers behave in purchasing situations. This chapter uses the concepts of psychographic and behavioral segmentation and consumer tribes to develop a theoretical typology of Doctor Who fans as consumers

Integration of Industry 4.0 to the CBM practices of the O&G upstream sector in Nigeria

Purpose This study investigates the integration of Industry 4.0 (I4.0) technologies with condition-based maintenance (CBM) in upstream oil and gas (O&G) operations, focussing on developing countries like Nigeria. The research identifies barriers to this integration and suggests solutions, intending to provide practical insights for improving operational efficiency in the O&G sector. Design/methodology/approach The study commenced with an exhaustive review of extant literature to identify existing barriers to I4.0 implementation and contextualise the study. Subsequent to this foundational step, primary data are gathered through the administration of carefully constructed questionnaires targeted at professionals specialised in maintenance within the upstream O&G sector. A semi-structured interview was also conducted to elicit more nuanced, contextual insights from these professionals. Analytically, the collected data were subjected to descriptive statistical methods for summarisation and interpretation with a measurement model to define the relationships between observed variables and latent construct. Moreover, the Relative Importance Index was utilised to systematically prioritise and rank the key barriers to I4.0 integration to CBM within the upstream O&G upstream sector. Findings The most ranked obstacles in integrating I4.0 technologies to the CBM strategy in the O&G industry are lack of budget and finance, limited engineering and technological resources, lack of support from executives and leaders of the organisations and lack of competence. Even though the journey of digitalisation has commenced in the O&G industry, there are limited studies in this area. Originality/value The study serves as both an academic cornerstone and a practical guide for the operational integration of I4.0 technologies within Nigeria's O&G upstream sector. Specifically, it provides an exhaustive analysis of the obstacles impeding effective incorporation into CBM practices. Additionally, the study contributes actionable insights for industry stakeholders to enhance overall performance and achieve key performance indices (KPIs)

The impact of political uncertainty on the cost of capital

We investigate the impact of political uncertainty on the relationship between foreign equity portfolio flow and the cost of capital. Using panel data from 40 countries from 2001 to 2016, our results show that the year before a national election is associated with a higher cost of capital. Further analyses show that the relationship between international equity portfolio flow and the cost of capital is sensitive to political uncertainty. In line with the institutional quality channel, we find that checks and balances interact with political uncertainty to reduce the negative effects of political uncertainty on the cost of capital. The results are consistent with the hypothesis that foreign investors strategically reduce their equity portfolio investment to the recipient country before a national election which reduces risk-sharing between domestic and foreign investors

Unlock the Potential: Unveiling the Untapped Possibilities of Blockchain Technology in Revolu-tionizing Internet of Medical Things-based Environments through Systematic Review and Future Research Propositions

The Internet of Medical Things (IoMTs) has rapidly gained popularity recently, and the need for self-health assessment and the resulting reduction in treatment waiting periods have sped up the usage of IoMTs. Unfortunately, the growing usage of IoMTs has also brought up issues that have unintended effects, including a lack of data management, an unsafe network environment, privacy and security concerns. To address the problems with IoMT applications, distributed ledger technology, which forms the basis of blockchain technology (BCT), has emerged as a practical solution. The utility of BCT to support IoMT-based settings has been demonstrated by academic research. However, no analysis of the literature has been performed to comprehend BCT performance in IoMT scenarios. Therefore, the present study offers a thorough literature review of 182 studies on the use of BCT in an IoMT environment, drawn from 70 pioneering journals included in the WoS database. It also outlines recommendations for future research areas. This study adds to the body of literature in three main ways using a mix of bibliographic and content analysis. It starts out by outlining the structure of how BCT works in an IoMT setting. Secondly, it provides a roadmap that takes into account the factors that might aid in BCT proliferation in IoMT situations. Thirdly, the paper outlines the prerequisites for BCT's effective adoption and use in an IoMT environment. The implications of the recognized clusters and the factors influencing the properties and outcomes of BCT are covered in the article's conclusion. This is the first effort to investigate BCT's function within the context of the IoMT environment; this has become crucial since BCT has developed popularity in IoMT contexts. The article highlights many aspects that may help to improve comprehension of this important issue by utilizing the provided outline as a guide and identifying major knowledge gaps

REMAINS

Fisher was invited by artist and curator Kate Genever to make new work for a solo exhibition in response to their project space, The Notice Board. The Notice Board is a contemporary art project showcasing the work of international artists. Featuring month-long exhibitions on the theme: The Lands of the Free? The project connects audiences to contemporary artists work, whilst offering artists unusual exhibition spaces in the form of a Notice Board and Flagpole. Fisher responded to the unique context of the project by producing and exhibiting two new stitched painted works, 'Remains [Brick Wall Rubble]' and 'Remains [Broken Window]', both 2024 for his solo exhibition, 'Exhibition 54: REMAINS' 19- Jan - 19 February, 202

Design optimisation for cold rolled steel beam sections with web and flange stiffeners

This paper presents the analysis and design optimisation of the cold rolled steel sections for flexural strength considering the effect of cold working exerted on the section during the roll forming process. The sections included channel and zed shapes with complex longitudinal web and flange stiffeners. Nonlinear Finite Element (FE) modelling was developed to model the flexural strength of the channel and zed beams and validated against the four-point bending experiments for these sections. The material properties of steel at the section’s flat parts, corners, and stiffener bends were obtained from tensile tests and were incorporated into the FE simulations to account for the true material properties at these regions due to the cold working during the roll forming process. The strength enhancement at the section corners and stiffener bends obtained from tensile tests were also compared with the predicted values from design standards. The section strength was then optimised using FE modelling results based on the Design Of Experiments (DOE) and response surface methodology. Optimal designs for the channel and zed sections with maximum strength in distortional buckling could be obtained while changing the stiffeners’ position, shape, sizes, and considering true material properties at section corners and stiffener bends. It revealed that, for the two sets of channel and zed sections with the depths of 145 mm and 170 mm, the optimal designs provided up to 43% and 39% increase in flexural strength for the channel and zed sections, respectively; however, when the true material properties at the section corner and the stiffener’s bend regions was included, the increase in flexural strength increased up to 50% and 41%, respectively. Including flange stiffeners to the sections with longitudinal web stiffeners generally increased further the section strength. However, the levels of increase were largely dependent on the section depths and material properties

Emily Brontë’s Shelleyan Poetics of Sexual Ambivalence

This chapter affirms Emily Brontë’s status as a late Romantic and reconsiders Brontë’s poetics of sexual transgression, alterity, and gender ambiguity. Responsive to scholarship on the underappreciated influence of Percy Bysshe Shelley on Brontë’s poetic identity, and the influence of Epipsychidion in particular, this chapter explores how Brontë’s imaginative engagement with Shelley in unpublished verses and in Poems by Currer, Ellis, and Acton Bell (1846) builds upon Epipsychidion’s gender ambiguity. Contrary to Anne Mellor’s assertion that 'Brontë’s works conform to a specifically masculine Romanticism' which she had 'absorbed from her enthusiastic reading of Percy Shelley', this study resituates the sexual alterity and gender ambiguity in Brontë’s poetry within the context of Romantic perversion explored by Richard C. Sha, where literary depictions of transgressive sexuality become sites of liberation

Design aspects of a CMC coating-like system for hot surfaces of aero engine components

Ceramic Matrix Composite (CMC) is an emerging material system that can be a game changer in the aerospace industry, both civil and military. CMCs components are, in fact, lighter and less prone to fatigue failure in a high temperature environment. However, at high temperatures, the diffusion of oxygen and water vapour inside the CMC can have detrimental effects. Therefore, the presence of protective coating is necessary to extend the life of CMC components. In the present work, a three-layers coating, consisting of a silicon bond (BND), adhesively bonded to the CMC, an Environment Barrier Coating (EBC) and a softer layer 3 (LAY3), is investigated for a CMC component. An aero-engine high pressure turbine seal segment was considered. Two design aspects are covered: (i) creep law is determined and calibrated in environment Abaqus from the experimental data of each coating layer available in the open literature, to provide a suitable instrument for the creep relaxation analyses of hot components; (ii) thickness sensitivity study of each layer of the coating is conducted to minimise the interface stresses of coating with substrate in order to mitigate cracking and removal/spalling phenomena when exposed to temperature gradients and to increase their service life. These two different aspects are combined together to predict the coating stress field as a function of service time

How do advanced nurse practitioners enhance healthcare outcomes in frail older patients living in care homes?

Background: As the UK healthcare service strains to meet the demand from its ageing population for 24-hour care, there is an increased need to develop an effective way to provide quality care to frail residents living in care homes. The role of the advanced nurse practitioner (ANP) has evolved over the last 20 years, developing in part to meet the shortfall of GPs and geriatric specialist doctors. Despite research having been previously conducted in the US and Canada into how the ANP role can function within care homes, there has been limited exploration into how the role can enhance UK healthcare outcomes in relation to the 2019 NHS Long-Term Plan, which aimed to provide care closer to home for ageing patients. Aims: This paper was designed to critically review published primary research papers and evaluate the impact of the ANP role on healthcare outcomes for frail elderly care home residents. Its objective was to help guide future healthcare delivery policy within the UK. Methods: A saturated systematic search of primary research literature was conducted. An inclusion/exclusion criterion was also utilised. Key papers identified were subject to critical synthesis, using ratified critical appraisal tools from the Joanna Briggs Institute and mixed-method appraisal tool by Hong et al (2018). A thematic/narrative approach was employed to evaluate the findings of the mixed-method heterogenic-style research. Results: A total of 14 primary research papers met the criteria, which included mixed methods of study from across four English language-speaking countries. Five outcome themes were recurrent throughout the synthesis of the results, including, in order of prevalence: improved/equivalent quality of care; successful collaborative role; reduced hospitalisations; timely access to primary/secondary care; colleague/patient/family satisfaction. Discussion: Following the review of the highlighted themes, there was a consensus that ANPs positively influence the care quality of elderly patients living within care homes. Although no superiority over a physician approach was found, there was indication of supplementary benefits when including ANPs in the care home setting. These include instilling positive role models into the healthcare environment, increasing the general knowledge and education capacity of care staff, and streamlining communication—especially within advanced care planning and coordination of care. These qualities clearly encompass the current NHS priorities of the 2019 Long-Term Plan and the Enhanced Health in Care Homes Framework, which are set to be fully achieved by 2024

Sustainability in practice: a case report of an interdisciplinary online student conference

Sustainable development is interdisciplinary and applicable to all Higher Education subject areas. However, in some curricula its importance is overlooked which presents a barrier to the achievement of the United Nation Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). To address this, we organised a ‘Sustainability in Practice’ online conference that invited students to discuss ‘Sustainability, what's it got to do with me?’. The conference, embraced a transformational education approach and active learning, included keynote speakers, breakout sessions and research posters. Student feedback highlighted that they found the event valuable and inspirational: the knowledge gained and discussions with academics and peers were particularly helpful. Students also wished for further engagement, emphasising the event's value and impact on their appetite for knowledge. Insights reported will enable other institutions to replicate the conference thereby helping them to develop their own students’ knowledge and facilitate conversations on sustainability, contributing to education for sustainable development and further achieving the SDGs