Bataille and the poverty of academic form

This paper argues that the dominant modes of academic address, the conference paper, the journal article, and the monograph, reinforce problematic and exclusionary assumptions concerning what counts as legitimate research, whilst also restricting academic enquiry and impoverishing intellectual life. It makes its case by exploring in some detail the intellectual commitments of one the West’s more wayward 20th century thinkers, Georges Bataille. It suggests that Bataille presents not simply a conceptual armoury (and one among many) for critiquing Western logocentrism from within, but offers an example of what a less domesticated, less stylistically narrowed mode of thinking might look like

Community-based complex interventions to sustain independence in older people, stratified by frailty: a systematic review and network meta-analysis

Background Sustaining independence is important for older people, but there is insufficient guidance about which community health and care services to implement. Objectives To synthesise evidence of the effectiveness of community services to sustain independence for older people grouped according to their intervention components, and to examine if frailty moderates the effect. Review design Systematic review and network meta-analysis. Eligibility criteria Studies: Randomised controlled trials or cluster-randomised controlled trials. Participants: Older people (mean age 65+) living at home. Interventions: community-based complex interventions for sustaining independence. Comparators: usual care, placebo or another complex intervention. Main outcomes Living at home, instrumental activities of daily living, personal activities of daily living, care-home placement and service/economic outcomes at 1 year. Data sources We searched MEDLINE (1946–), Embase (1947–), CINAHL (1972–), PsycINFO (1806–), CENTRAL and trial registries from inception to August 2021, without restrictions, and scanned reference lists. Review methods Interventions were coded, summarised and grouped. Study populations were classified by frailty. A random-effects network meta-analysis was used. We assessed trial-result risk of bias (Cochrane RoB 2), network meta-analysis inconsistency and certainty of evidence (Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation for network meta-analysis). Results We included 129 studies (74,946 participants). Nineteen intervention components, including ‘multifactorial-action’ (multidomain assessment and management/individualised care planning), were identified in 63 combinations. The following results were of low certainty unless otherwise stated. For living at home, compared to no intervention/placebo, evidence favoured: multifactorial-action and review with medication-review (odds ratio 1.22, 95% confidence interval 0.93 to 1.59; moderate certainty) multifactorial-action with medication-review (odds ratio 2.55, 95% confidence interval 0.61 to 10.60) cognitive training, medication-review, nutrition and exercise (odds ratio 1.93, 95% confidence interval 0.79 to 4.77) and activities of daily living training, nutrition and exercise (odds ratio 1.79, 95% confidence interval 0.67 to 4.76). Four intervention combinations may reduce living at home. For instrumental activities of daily living, evidence favoured multifactorial-action and review with medication-review (standardised mean difference 0.11, 95% confidence interval 0.00 to 0.21; moderate certainty). Two interventions may reduce instrumental activities of daily living. For personal activities of daily living, evidence favoured exercise, multifactorial-action and review with medication-review and self-management (standardised mean difference 0.16, 95% confidence interval −0.51 to 0.82). For homecare recipients, evidence favoured the addition of multifactorial-action and review with medication-review (standardised mean difference 0.60, 95% confidence interval 0.32 to 0.88). Care-home placement and service/economic findings were inconclusive. Limitations High risk of bias in most results and imprecise estimates meant that most evidence was low or very low certainty. Few studies contributed to each comparison, impeding evaluation of inconsistency and frailty. Studies were diverse; findings may not apply to all contexts. Conclusions Findings for the many intervention combinations evaluated were largely small and uncertain. However, the combinations most likely to sustain independence include multifactorial-action, medication-review and ongoing review of patients. Some combinations may reduce independence

The Olympus scandal – the dark side of social networks and corporate culture

Purpose This study aims to build on the well-documented case of the Olympus scandal to dissect how social networks and corporate culture enabled corporate elites to commit fraud across multiple generations of leaders. Design/methodology/approach A flexible pattern matching approach was used to identify matches and mismatches between behavioural theory in corporate governance and the patterns observed in data from diverse sources. Findings The study applies the behavioural theory of corporate governance from different perspectives. Social networks and relationships were essential for the execution of the fraud and keeping it secret. The group of corporate elites actively created opportunities for committing misappropriation. This research presents individuals committing embezzlement because the opportunity already exists, and they can enrich themselves. The group of insiders who committed the fraud elaborated the rationalizations to others and asked outside associates to help rationalise the activities, while usually individuals provide rationalizations to themselves only. Practical implications The social processes among actors described in this case can inform the design of mechanisms to detect these behaviours in similar contexts. Originality/value This study provides both perspectives on the fraud scandal: the one of the whistle-blowers, and the opposing side of the transgressors and their associates. The extant case studies on Olympus presented the timeframe of the scandal right after the exposure. The current study dissects the events during the fraud execution and presents the case in a neutral or a negative light

The effect of 3D surface roughness on acoustic wave propagation in a cylindrical waveguide

This paper studies the acoustic wave scattering and attenuation in a cylindrical waveguide (pipe) with wall roughness varying along all three dimensions and roughness height smaller than the acoustic wavelength. Using the decomposition of the acoustic wave field into deterministic and random components, small perturbation method and Fourier transform the analytical solution of a 3-D averaged acoustic wave field is obtained. The correction term describing the mechanism of wave attenuation caused by roughness and determined by the modal cross-talk is also derived. The solution for the plane wave is validated in the frequency range extended well beyond the second cut-off frequency, where the crosstalk between the fundamental and non-axisymmetric modes are observed. The analytical solution is compared with the numerical results obtained with the Monte-Carlo method and Finite Element solver. The numerical study results have demonstrated a close agreement with the analytical solution for the averaged sound field, dispersion curves, and the wave attenuation effect expressed as the wavenumber correction term. A key novelty of this work is a comprehensive analysis of wave dispersion and cut-off frequency changes due to the presence of 3-D wall roughness in a pipe

Proactive pipe management: multiaxial fatigue of water pipe grey cast iron

The UK’s water distribution networks contain large numbers of decades-old grey cast iron (GCI) water pipes which are well known to deteriorate in service, develop leaks and ultimately burst. Reducing leakage has become a priority for UK water companies to provide a resilient water service in the face of climate change, population growth and other pressures. The huge number of GCI water pipes still in service coupled with very low pipe replacement rates mean the remaining GCI pipes cannot be replaced wholesale. This paper makes use of recently published multiaxial fatigue data for GCI pipes to investigate whether the multiaxial combination of loads experienced by a GCI water pipe could be used to identify pipes at a greater risk of failure. Based on a comparison of loading scenarios, this study concluded that considering the multiaxial combination of loads applied to a pipe does have the potential to help inform pipe replacement decisions, enabling high-risk pipes to be prioritised for replacement

Mobile monitoring reveals congestion penalty for vehicle emissions in London

Mobile air pollution measurements have the potential to provide a wide range of insights into emission sources and air pollution exposure. The analysis of mobile data is, however, highly challenging. In this work we develop a new regression-based framework for the analysis of mobile data with the aim of improving the potential to draw inferences from such measurements. A quantile regression approach is adopted to provide new insight into the distribution of NOx and CO emissions in Central and Outer London. We quantify the emissions intensity of NOx and CO (ΔNOx/ΔCO2 and ΔCO/ΔCO2) at different quantile levels (τ) to demonstrate how transient high-emission events can be examined in parallel to the average emission characteristics. We observed a clear difference in the emissions behaviour between both locations. On average, the median (τ = 0.5) ΔNOx/ΔCO2 in Central London was 2x higher than Outer London, despite the stringent emission standards imposed throughout the Ultra Low Emissions Zone. A comprehensive vehicle emission remote sensing data set (n ≈ 700,000) is used to put the results into context, providing evidence of vehicle behaviour which is indicative of poorly controlled emissions, equivalent to high-emitting classes of older vehicles. Our analysis suggests the coupling of a diesel-dominated fleet with persistently congested conditions, under which the operation of emissions after-treatment technology is non-optimal, leads to increased NOx emissions

From vineyard to table: uncovering wine quality for sales management through machine learning

The literature currently offers limited guidance for retailers on how to use analytics to decipher the relationship between product attributes and quality ratings. Addressing this gap, our study introduces an advanced ensemble learning approach to develop a nuanced framework for assessing product quality. We validated the effectiveness of our framework with a dataset comprising 1,599 red wine samples from Portugal’s Minho region. Our findings show that this model surpasses previous ones in accurately predicting product quality, presenting retailers with a sophisticated tool to transform product data into actionable insights for sales management. Furthermore, our approach yields significant benefits for researchers by identifying latent attributes in extensive data collections, which can inform a deeper understanding of consumer preferences and guide the strategic planning of marketing promotions

Challenges and opportunities for characterisation of high-temperature polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells: a review

High-temperature (120–200 °C) polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (HT-PEMFCs) are promising energy conversion devices that offer multiple advantages over the established low-temperature (LT) PEMFC technology, namely: faster reaction kinetics, improved impurity tolerance, simpler water and thermal management, and increased potential to utilise waste heat. Whilst HT- and LT-PEMFCs share several components, important differences in the membrane materials, transport mechanisms and operating conditions provide new challenges and considerations for characterisation. This review focuses on phosphoric acid-doped HT-PEMFCs and provides a detailed discussion of the similarities and differences compared to LT-PEMFCs, as well as state-of-the-art performance and materials. Commonly used characterisation techniques including electrochemical, imaging, and spectroscopic methods are reviewed with a focus on use in HT-PEMFCs, how experimentation or analyses differ from LT-PEMFCs, and new opportunities for research using these techniques. Particular consideration is given to the presence of phosphoric acid and the absence of liquid water. The importance of accelerated stress tests for effective characterisation and durability estimation for HT-PEMFCs is discussed, and existing protocols are comprehensively reviewed focusing on acid loss, catalyst layer degradation, and start-up/shutdown cycling. The lack of standardisation of these testing protocols in HT-PEMFC research is highlighted as is the need to develop such standards

‘It’s about time’: policymakers’ and health practitioners’ perspectives on implementing fertility care in the Gambian health system

Background Infertility is a major health issue worldwide, yet very few examples of interventions addressing infertility in the Global South have been documented to date. In The Gambia, West Africa, infertility is recognised as a burden and the health authorities have included it in several health policies and the new National Reproductive Health Strategy however, a detailed operationalisation plan for fertility care has not yet been established. Here, we aim to understand and document the factors that influence the implementation of fertility care in The Gambia. Methods We conducted 46 semi-structured interviews with policymakers, implementers, and health practitioners in both the public and private sectors from July to November 2021. The interviews were transcribed, anonymised and analysed with NVivo Pro version 1.6.1. The analysis was initially inductive, with themes arising from the coding categorised according to the WHO health systems building blocks framework. Results This study identified several barriers to a successful implementation of fertility care in The Gambia, including (i) a lack of routinely collected infertility data; (ii) an absence of financial protection mechanisms for patients, and/or a specific budget for infertility; (iii) limited cooperation between the public and private sectors in the provision of fertility care; and (iv) gaps in fertility care training among health practitioners. Conversely, enablers included: (i) strong national infertility leadership; and (ii) the integration of infertility care within public reproductive health services. Conclusion The Gambian health system is not yet in the position to support a comprehensive fertility care package in its public health facilities. Several aspects of the implementation of fertility care must be considered in operationalising the health strategy including the systematic collection of infertility data, fertility awareness, and the provision of specialised fertility care training. Furthermore, a stronger partnership between the public and private sectors must be developed. Given the increasing availability of assisted reproductive technologies in the sub-Saharan Africa region, and the tendency to locate these technologies in the private sector, further research is needed to understand and identify the processes underlying the implementation of fertility care and to foster better integration with the existing health system

Synthesis, characterization, and magnetic and antibacterial properties of a novel iron(iii) complex (CH3)2NH2[Fe(phen)Cl4]

A novel iron(III) complex (CH3)2NH2[Fe(phen)Cl4] (1) (phen = 1,10-phenanthroline) was synthesized, its structure was fully characterized using different techniques, and its in vitro antibacterial activity against various antibiotic-resistant Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria was evaluated. The structure of 1 is made up of mononuclear [Fe(phen)Cl4]− anions and dimethylammonium cations (CH3)2NH2+. Iron(III) is hexacoordinated to two nitrogen atoms of chelating phenanthroline and four chlorides forming a distorted octahedral environment around the metal atom. Complex 1 crystallizes in a triclinic system with the P[1 with combining macron] space group. 3D Hirshfeld surfaces and 2D fingerprint plots show that H⋯Cl interactions are the major contributors in maintaining the total surface. IR and UV-visible spectra indicated the coordination of 1,10-phenanthroline to iron (III) metal. Thermal stability experiments revealed that 1 is stable up to 428 K. Magnetic susceptibility measurements indicated a paramagnetic behavior at high temperatures. In vitro antibacterial activity was explored against two Gram-positive bacteria, Staphylococcus aureus CECT 86 and Listeria monocytogenes CECT 4031, and two Gram-negative bacteria, Escherichia coli CECT 99 and Klebsiella pneumoniae CECT 143T, using the disc diffusion method. Complex 1 clearly showed good activity against these bacteria and is a potential candidate for treating bacterial infections and promoting further development in their treatment