Assessing the contribution of local journalism:the local newspaper as accidental social infrastructure

The value of local journalism is a pressing question for society because of the challenge posed to established business models by digital platforms. However, while local journalism is understood to be of benefit to people, discussion of the nature of those benefits and the ways in which they are accrued is dominated by a comparatively narrow focus on its outputs. Using the case of the legacy commercial local newspaper, this paper argues that local journalism as a process, practice and presence can be considered part of the accidental social infrastructure—part of the fabric which underpins strong communities, even if its intended purpose is something else. Data drawn from interviews with people working with local newspaper archives demonstrates how local journalism facilitates the development of social capital and processes of sociality. It demonstrates an expanded conceptual lens to articulate its benefits

Designing sustainable supply chain metrics for the Indonesian fashion industry:A DEMATEL-Based ANP approach

The development of the fashion industry, while providing significant impact to the economy, also has negative environmental and social consequences. Thus, many countries, including Indonesia, require the fashion industry to adopt sustainable supply chain management. To ensure the success of their implementation, it is necessary to determine the key indicators that might influence the implementation of a sustainable supply chain, especially in the context of the Indonesian fashion industry. This study aims to determine key performance indicators (KPIs) in implementing sustainable supply chain management for the Indonesian fashion industry. This study utilised a Decision-Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory based Analytical Network Process (DEMATEL-based ANP) method to analyse and prioritise the indicators for three sustainability dimensions. This study reveals several variables for assessing the sustainable supply chain performance, which include operating costs, customer satisfaction, environmental compliance, implementation of environmentally friendly technology, and education and training. The outcomes of this study could be further used by the fashion industry to assess current performance and discover opportunities to improve its positive impact on society

A systematic scoping review of multidisciplinary teamworking in surgical services:the need for bariatric surgery research

This review aims to identify and map the extent and nature of published research investigating multidisciplinary teamworking in surgical services and evaluate the relevance of the evidence base to bariatric surgery. A systematic search of CINAHL, Embase, and Scopus databases was conducted from inception to June 2022, focusing on observational studies that examined multidisciplinary teamworking in surgical services. Data were synthesized narratively. Of the 483 articles screened, eight studies met the inclusion criteria. Most studies focused on oncology teams (n = 4), were conducted in the context of multidisciplinary team (MDT) meetings (n = 4), and employed quantitative methodologies (n = 5). Sample sizes for qualitative studies ranged from 11 to 88 participants, while quantitative studies involved 47 to 1,636 participants; where patient cases were the unit of analysis instead, sample sizes ranged from 50 to 298 cases. The composition of professional groups varied across studies, though all included nurses. Despite the widespread recommendation and adoption of multidisciplinary teamworking in surgical care, only eight relevant studies were identified, and none addressed bariatric surgery specifically. These findings highlight a significant gap and underscore the need for further research on multidisciplinary teamworking in surgical services, particularly in the field of bariatric surgery

"Who Killed the Writer? Intertextual Clues in Cristina Rivera Garza’s ‘El perfil de él’” in Fifty Shades of Latin American Noir: Alternative Models of Criminality and Detection, ed. Carolina Miranda.

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Stock Overpricing, Underwriting Fees, and Stock Price Crash Risk

This paper systematically examines the impact of stock overpricing on stock price crash risk and its underlying mechanism based on data from Shanghai and Shenzhen A-share listed companies between 2011 and 2023. The research findings indicate a significant positive correlation between the degree of stock overpricing and stock price crash risk. Furthermore, by examining the mediating effect of underwriter sponsorship fees, the study verifies the pathway through which overpricing indirectly increases risk by raising issuance costs and intensifying conflict of interes

The unbroken chain of human relations in the compassionate care of patients with heart failure:a phenomenological study

Objectives Recent diagnostic and therapeutic advances worldwide have led to an increase in the survival rate of patients with heart failure and their frequent hospitalizations. Nevertheless, survival rates remain significantly lower in Iran. Compassionate care shows promise in improving outcomes in this context. Consequently this study aimed to uncover the meaning of nurses providing compassionate care to patients with heart failure drawing from their lived experiences.Methods A qualitative hermeneutic approach reflective of Heideggerian phenomenology was used as a philosophical framework. The sampling strategy was purposive. Individual and semi-structured interviews were conducted with nurses (n=14) working in cardiology departments. The seven-steps of hermeneutic analysis were used to make sense of the data collected.Results Data analysis revealed two themes and six subthemes along with one constitutive pattern. Nurses had experienced the delivery of humanizing compassionate care, along with the paradox of providing compassionate care for patients with heart failure. The first theme included the following sub-themes; ‘put yourself in the patient’ s shoes’; ‘superiority of altruism over duty’; ‘relying on the pillar of honesty in giving information to patient’; and ‘respecting the patient’s cultural beliefs’. The second theme also included sub-themes related to ‘Satisfaction through compassion’ and ‘compassion fatigue’. In this study, a constitutive pattern was revealed; “the unbreakable chain of human relations in compassionate care delivered to heart failure patients”.Conclusion Findings can be used as a guide for nurses’ delivery of compassionate care. Compassionate care may be usefully promoted to improve outcomes in this context but must be paired with psychological support for the workforc

The Association Couple Burnout and Sexual Function in Primiparous Women During One Year After Childbirth:A Cross-Sectional Study Using Structural Equation Model Analysis

Background:Identifying factors leading to couple burnout is crucial, especially considering the high prevalence of sexual dysfunction within the first year postpartum. This study addresses the relationship between couple burnout and sexual function.Objectives:The present study aimed to examine the association between couple burnout domains and female sexual function domains within one year after childbirth using structural equation model analysis.Methods:This cross-sectional study utilized a structural equation model for analysis. A total of 352 primiparous mothers, with infants aged two to twelve months, participated. Health centers affiliated with Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran were listed, and 14 centers were randomly selected as recruitment sites. Sampling was conducted through convenience sampling. Data collection included a demographic characteristics form, the Pines Couple Burnout Measure (comprising physical, emotional, and mental exhaustion domains), and the Rosen Female Sexual Function Index (comprising desire, arousal, vaginal lubrication, orgasm, satisfaction, and pain domains). Descriptive analysis, including mean, standard deviation, frequency, and percentage, was performed using SPSS 16. Inferential statistics were conducted using Smart PLS version 8, employing confirmatory factor analysis with a significance level set at 0.05.Results:A significant inverse correlation was observed between arousal and physical (β = -2.13, P = 0.03) and emotional exhaustion (β = -0.16, P = 0.003), but no correlation was found with mental exhaustion. Additionally, a significant correlation was found between pain and emotional (β = 0.26, P &lt; 0.001), mental (β = 0.31, P &lt; 0.001), and physical exhaustion (β = 0.27, P &lt; 0.001). Desire, lubrication, satisfaction, and orgasm were not associated with any domains of couple burnout.Conclusions:Two sexual function domains, pain and arousal, emerged as predictors of couple burnout during the first two to twelve months postpartum in primiparous mothers. Pain during sexual intercourse was associated with emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion. Low arousal following sexual contact led to high physical and emotional exhaustion. Healthcare providers should prioritize assessing and addressing women’s sexual well-being postpartum

Post-exercise hot water immersion enhances haemodynamic and vascular benefits of exercise without further improving cardiorespiratory fitness, glucose, lipids, or inflammation

There is considerable overlap between the mechanisms underlying the health benefits of exercise training and heat therapy. However, it remains unclear whether combining heat therapy with exercise can enhance improvements in cardiovascular and metabolic health. The present study investigated whether post-exercise hot water immersion (EX+HWI) could augment improvements in cardiorespiratory fitness, cardiovascular and metabolic health compared to post-exercise thermoneutral water immersion (EX+TWI). Twenty-four physically inactive middle-aged adults (age: 58 ± 5 years; body mass index: 28 ± 3 kg m–2; 13 females) were randomly allocated to 8 weeks of supervised EX+HWI (n = 12) or EX+TWI (n = 12). Moderate-intensity aerobic exercise (65–75% maximum heart rate) was performed for 30 min followed by 30 min of immersion at 40°C or 34°C, two to four times per week (total 24 sessions). Cardiorespiratory fitness, brachial artery flow-mediated dilatation, aortic pulse wave velocity, blood pressure and circulating lipids, glucose and inflammatory markers were assessed pre- and post-intervention. Between-group differences showed that EX+HWI resulted in greater reductions in mean arterial pressure (P = 0.029, η2p = 0.207, mean difference: –4 mmHg) and an increase in brachial artery flow-mediated dilatation (P = 0.030, η2p = 0.206, 2.33%). In addition, there were greater improvements in perceived physical health (P = 0.036, η2p = 0.211, 5 a.u.). No between-group differences were observed for cardiorespiratory fitness, aortic stiffness, circulating glucose, lipids and inflammatory markers. Taken together, post-exercise hot water immersion enhances blood pressure and brachial artery endothelial function, in the absence of improvements in cardiorespiratory fitness, circulating glucose, lipids and inflammatory markers

Measurement report: Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in particulate matter (PM10) from activated sludge aeration

Environmental pollution with per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), commonly referred to as “forever chemicals”, received significant attention due to their environmental persistence and bioaccumulation tendencies. Effluents from wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) have been reported to contain significant levels of PFAS. Wastewater treatment processes such as aeration have the potential to transfer PFAS into the atmosphere. However, understanding their fate during sewage treatment remains challenging. This study aims to assess aerosolisation of PFAS during WWTP process. Special emphasis is given to new generation and legacy PFAS (e.g., perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA)) as they are still observed in sewage after years of restrictions. Particulate matter with aerodynamic size ≤10 µm (PM10) collected above a scaled-down activated sludge tank treating domestic sewage for a population &gt;10,000 people in the UK were analysed for a range of short-, medium- and long-chain PFAS. Eight PFAS including perfluorobutanoic acid (PFBA), perfluorobutanesulfonic acid (PFBS), perfluoroheptanoic acid (PFHpA), perfluorohexanesulfonic acid (PFHxS), PFOA, perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA), PFOS and perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA) were detected in the PM10. The presence of legacy PFOA and PFOS in PM10 samples, despite being restricted for over a decade, raises concerns about their movement through domestic and industrial sewage cycles. The total PFAS concentrations in PM10 were 15.49 pg m-3 and 4.25 pg m-3 during Autumn and Spring campaigns, respectively. PFBA was the most abundant PFAS, suggesting a shift towards short chain PFAS use. Our results suggest that WWT processes such as activated sludge aeration could aerosolise PFAS into P

Evaluating Self-Supervised Learning for WiFi CSI-Based Human Activity Recognition

With the advancement of the Internet of Things (IoT), WiFi Channel State Information (CSI)-based Human Activity Recognition (HAR) has garnered increasing attention from both academic and industrial communities. However, the scarcity of labeled data remains a prominent challenge in CSI-based HAR, primarily due to privacy concerns and the incomprehensibility of CSI data. Concurrently, Self-Supervised Learning (SSL) has emerged as a promising approach for addressing the dilemma of insufficient labeled data. In this paper, we undertake a comprehensive inventory and analysis of different categories of SSL algorithms, encompassing both previously studied and unexplored approaches within the field. We provide an in-depth investigation and evaluation of SSL algorithms in the context of WiFi CSI-based HAR, utilizing publicly available datasets that encompass various tasks and environmental settings. To ensure relevance to real-world applications, we design experiment settings aligned with specific requirements. Furthermore, our experimental findings uncover several limitations and blind spots in existing work, shedding light on the barriers that need to be addressed before SSL can be effectively deployed in real-world WiFi-based HAR applications. Our results also serve as practical guidelines and provide valuable insights for future research endeavors in this field