Fostering an environment for social entrepreneurship: a comparative analysis across economic development levels

Social entrepreneurship has been lauded for its positive contributions to global economic and social development goals. Yet, how and in what ways varying institutional environments and economic development levels have spurred social entrepreneurial ventures remains a highly debated concept. It remains unclear whether (or not) social ventures are most likely to emerge within developing nations with weak and ineffective institutional structures or from developed nations with more established and supportive institutional mechanisms. Therefore, this study responds to this debate and provides comparative evidence on how varying national economic development levels constrain or enable social entrepreneurship behavior. The study combines data from the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor, the World Development Indicators, the Index of Economic Freedom, and the World Governance Indicators to develop a multi-level mixed-effects model. It uses a sample of 124,642 individuals from 59 (9 factor-, 27 efficiency-, and 23 innovation-driven) countries. The results indicate a positive association with informal institutional mechanisms influencing global social venture formation. However, disparate observations on how some formal institutional factors influence social venture across economic development levels were observed, raising essential questions about formal institutional support mechanisms' influence

Improving Collaboration Between Primary and Secondary Mental Healthcare via Boundary Spanning: Evaluation of a New Joined‐Up Community Mental Healthcare Model in England

Objectives: Community mental healthcare requires the collaboration of multiple services to meet the needs of local populations. Accessing mental health care in England often involves the collaboration of primary and secondary healthcare services. This paper presents the findings from an evaluation of ‘boundary spanning’ processes and practitioner roles aiming to reduce service fragmentation and improve access to mental healthcare. Methods: Forty‐one qualitative interviews with professionals across local healthcare providers were conducted in Peterborough (East England) to assess the impact of boundary spanning processes and practitioner roles and were analysed thematically. Results: Structured boundary spanning processes and professional roles were found to facilitate communication and knowledge exchange between primary and secondary mental healthcare services, leading to optimisation of GPs' decisions about individuals' treatment pathways, and to improvements in service accessibility. Yet, effectiveness was reported as conditional on GPs' engagement, as well as the decentralised structure of primary care settings. Conclusion: Community mental healthcare organisations could utilise boundary spanning interventions to flex organisational barriers between primary and mental healthcare and optimise accessibility of service users to mental health services. Boundary spanning processes and professional roles can be used to inform national and local care integration strategies

PLUS (Platform Labour in Urban Spaces) Work Package 6 Framing Social Policies (restricted London data)

An archive of the restricted London data used for Work Package 6 (Framing Social Policies) for the Horizon 2020 PLUS (Platform Labour in Urban Spaces) projec

Idiopathic Regression in Down Syndrome

Aims: Idiopathic Regression in Down Syndrome (IRDS) is reported to be present in 16% of people with Down syndrome however the clinical presentation is heterogeneous with no universal diagnostic criteria. It often presents in adolescence or early adulthood and there are often no known triggers. Common symptoms include language regression, mood symptoms, psychotic phenomena, motor symptoms and loss of previously acquired cognitive skills. We present a case series of two patients who presented to the West Norfolk Community Intellectual Disability Service with symptoms suggesting IRDS. Methods: AB (F; 34 years) has the diagnoses of Mild Learning Disability, Down syndrome, Bipolar Affective Disorder following a manic episode at the age of 18 and obsessive-compulsive disorder with predominantly compulsive acts. She was described by parents as a very sociable, active, and high achieving before she developed acute regression. Around the age of 12 years following an episode of profoundly serious pneumonia, she became catatonic, anorexic, and doubly incontinent. Clearly described episodes of depression and mania, obsessional behaviours and speech deterioration were also noted. The diagnosis of IRDS was raised by parents in 2023 and AB is currently being assessed for immunotherapy. XY (M; 46 years). Following a gastrointestinal infection aged 18 years, the family noticed he became more housebound, obsessional about symmetry, and depressed. No specialist investigations were done but he was managed for depression with several antidepressants with no improvement. He was also diagnosed with dementia and started on donepezil but nothing changed. He is currently psychotropics-free and following a retrospective diagnosis of IRDS and discussion with family, they were relieved that the correct diagnosis of XY’s condition has been found. Results: A physical illness appears to have triggered the regression in both cases. Personality and mood changes especially a manic presentation which is uncommon in people with Down syndrome were also reported. Psychotropic medications were not beneficial in at least the second case. In both cases, the diagnosis of Idiopathic Regression in Down Syndrome was an acceptable explanatory model for the family. Conclusion: We hope clinicians will make the diagnosis more promptly thus facilitating quick access to adequate treatment

Healing developmental trauma: a pilot study on the discipline of Authentic movement and attachment in adulthood

This pilot study undertaken in China explored an innovative approach to healing developmental trauma by integrating the discipline of Authentic Movement with the Adult Attachment Interview, focusing on how early parental control shaped insecure attachment patterns in adulthood. Presenting three case studies from China, the study examines participants who experienced varying levels of parental control and developed avoidant attachment patterns as coping strategies. Through the discipline of Authentic Movement practices, participants reconnected with, released, and processed suppressed emotions tied to attachment memories, allowing them to experience a sense of secure attachment. These findings provided valuable insights and practical implications for clinical practices addressing attachment-related developmental trauma

The survey of planetary nebulae in Andromeda (M31) VII. Predictions of a major merger simulation model compared with chemodynamical data of the disc and inner halo substructures

Context. The nearest giant spiral, the Andromeda galaxy (M31), exhibits a kinematically hot stellar disc, a global star formation episode ∼2-4 Gyr ago, and conspicuous substructures in its stellar halo that are suggestive of a recent accretion event. Aims. Recent chemodynamical measurements in the M31 disc and inner halo can be used as additional constraints for N-body hydrodynamical simulations that successfully reproduce the disc age-velocity dispersion relation and star formation history as well as the morphology of the inner halo substructures. Methods. We combined an available N-body hydrodynamical simulation of a major merger (mass ratio 1:4) with a well-motivated chemical model to predict abundance distributions and gradients in the merger remnant at z=0. We computed the projected phase space and the [M/H] distributions for the substructures in the M31 inner halo, namely, the Giant Stellar Stream (GSS) and the North-East (NE) and Western (W) shelves. We compared the chemodynamical properties of the simulated M31 remnant with recent measurements for the M31 stars in the inner halo substructures. Results. This major merger model predicts (i) multiple distinct components within each of the substructures; (ii) a high mean metallicity and large spread in the GSS and NE and W shelves, which explain various photometric and spectroscopic metallicity measurements; (iii) simulated phase space diagrams that qualitatively reproduce various features identified in the projected phase space of the substructures in published data from the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI); (iv) a large distance spread in the GSS, as suggested by previous tip of the red giant branch measurements; and (v) phase space ridges caused by several wraps of the secondary as well as up-scattered main M31 disc stars that also have plausible counterparts in the observed phase spaces. Conclusions. These results provide further strong and independent arguments for a major satellite merger in M31 ∼3 Gyr ago and a coherent explanation for many of the observational results that make M31 appear so different from the Milky Way

The multi-wavelength Tully-Fisher relation in the TNG50 cosmological simulation

Context. The Tully-Fisher relation (TFR) is one of the most important and widely used empirical correlations in extragalactic astronomy. Apart from its importance as a secondary distance indicator, the TFR relation serves as a test for galaxy evolution models, because it connects the baryonic and dark matter components of galaxies. Aims. We aimed at simulating the multi-wavelength TFR relation from UV to mid-infrared (MIR) wavelengths for the TNG50 cosmological simulation at z = 0, and at comparing the results with observational TFR studies. Our goal was to compare the wavelength dependence of the slope and scatter with the observed values, and to search for secondary parameters that reduce the scatter in the TFR. Methods. We selected a large sample of simulated late-type, disc-dominated galaxies from the TNG50 simulation. For each galaxy, we used the SKIRT radiative transfer code to generate realistic synthetic global fluxes in 12 UV to MIR broadbands and synthetic integrated H I line profiles. We used bivariate linear regression to determine the TFR in each band, and we searched for a second TFR parameter by correlating the residuals with different physical parameters. Results. Our TNG50 TFR reproduces the characteristic behaviour of the observed TFR in many studies: the TFR becomes steeper and tighter as we move from UV/optical to infrared wavelengths. The slope changes from ‑7.46 ± 0.14 mag dex‑1 in the NUV band to ‑9.66 ± 0.09 mag dex‑1 in the IRAC [4.5] band. Quantitatively, our slopes are well within the spread of different observational results. The u ‑ r colour or the sSFR can significantly reduce the scatter in the UV and optical bands. Using u ‑ r colour as second parameter, the modified TFR has a roughly constant intrinsic tightness of over the entire UV to MIR range. Conclusions. The combination of the TNG50 cosmological simulation and the SKIRT radiative transfer postprocessing is capable of broadly reproducing the multi-wavelength TFR. A better matched sample selection, the use of different characteristic velocity scales, and more advanced internal dust attenuation correction are steps towards a more stringent comparison of the simulated and observed multi-wavelength TFR

Parametric Optimisation of Two-Way Slabs on Beams for Early-Stage Low-Carbon Design

Floor systems contribute nearly 75% of the embodied carbon emissions associated with the superstructure of buildings, underscoring the need to identify early-stage design parameters that can reduce embodied emissions while still adhering to traditional design guidelines. This study investigates the potential for minimising embodied carbon in reinforced concrete two-way slabs on beams through a parametric grid search approach. The design space was systematically varied by adjusting slab thickness, concrete grade, reinforcement ratios, and spans ranging from 4 m to 10 m. From all generated designs meeting flexural, serviceability, and detailing requirements, those with the lowest cradle-to-gate carbon emissions were selected. Results indicate that carbon savings of approximately 3-50% can be achieved compared to conventional Eurocode-based designs, with greater reductions observed as the span increases. The most efficient configurations featured thinner slabs, lower concrete grades, and higher reinforcement densities. Emission factor variations only moderately affected embodied emissions, even at 100% changes, while optimal parameters remained stable throughout. Based on these findings, a set of early-stage design charts is proposed to aid the development of low-carbon slab systems under varying load and grid conditions

A Study of Letters Written to Glucose Monitors by Individuals Living with Type 1 Diabetes and with Experience of Disordered Eating.

In recent years, diabetes technologies have advanced significantly, as such, flash and continuous glucose monitors (FGM/CGM) are more widely accessible. To date, little research has explored the specific benefits or pitfalls that FGM/CGM use may come with for individuals with type 1 diabetes and disordered eating (T1DE). Therefore, this study aimed to explore the relationship that those living with type 1 diabetes and experience of disordered eating have with their FGM/CGM. This qualitative study asked participants to write letters addressed to their FGM/CGM. These letters were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis (RTA) to explore individuals with T1DE relationship to the device. Four themes were constructed: ‘I Don’t Always Like or Want You...I NEED You... but I Wish I Didn't’, ‘Facing the Facts’, ‘You are Intertwined with Disordered Eating’, ‘You Communicate with Others’. Each theme comprises subthemes. The themes demonstrate how participants appeared to have a dichotomous and nuanced relationship to their FGM/CGM, identifying both positive and negative aspects of their relationship to the device. There appears to be an interplay between the FGM/CGM and disordered eating which may be specific to individuals with T1DE. Implications including recommendations for integrated diabetes and disordered eating care and development to psychological care are discussed