The truths of dispossession in the Western Himalaya

In this chapter I focus on the distinctiveness of the notions of property among the Gaddis, a pastoralist community in the western Himalaya, to understand the encompassment of property and ownership in structures of ordinary life, the different scales at which ideas and relations of ownership become manifest, the variety of modes, the temporalities and axes of ownership and accumulation and why ownership matters. I discuss Gaddi categories and concepts of property to explore not just the relational possibilities made by ownership but also to understand the obverse: dispossession and its political charge. I examine the different modes, scales and temporalities under which ownership works and property is accumulated and disaccumulated among the Gaddis, to understand the limits of the law and, in turn, the limits of the state

Do entrepreneurs' values make them “happy”? The role of personal and cultural values for entrepreneurs' wellbeing

Despite increasing attention to entrepreneurs' wellbeing, we know little about the role of entrepreneurs' personal values representing intrinsic and extrinsic motivations for their wellbeing. In this paper, we introduce a contextualized values perspective on entrepreneurs' wellbeing that considers both their personal values and the ways these values interact with cultural values in the regions they operate in. In a multilevel study (3038 entrepreneurs across 143 European regions), we find intrinsic personal values (openness to change) foster positive wellbeing and decrease negative wellbeing, whereas extrinsic personal values (self-enhancement) undermine positive wellbeing and increase negative wellbeing. We also find initial evidence of person–culture congruence effects regarding intrinsic, but not extrinsic, values, with high congruence resulting in higher positive (less negative) wellbeing. Overall, our findings suggest entrepreneurs' wellbeing may be shaped both by “who they are” and “where they operate.” Executive summary Despite increasing attention to entrepreneurs' wellbeing, we know little about the role of entrepreneurs' personal values representing intrinsic and extrinsic motivations for their wellbeing. On the one hand, acting on any values (reflecting intrinsic or extrinsic motivation) can be a source of wellbeing. On the other hand, expressing values reflecting extrinsic motivation may undermine wellbeing because of the lack of self-determination associated with extrinsic motivation. Clarifying the wellbeing effects of values representing extrinsic motivation is particularly important in entrepreneurship, because these values are linked to growth, profitability, and innovation which underpin the economic contributions of entrepreneurship. Drawing on Schwartz's theories of personal and cultural values and person-culture value congruence, we introduce a contextualized values perspective on entrepreneurs' wellbeing that considers both their personal values and the ways these values interact with cultural values in the regions they operate in. In a multilevel study (3038 entrepreneurs across 143 European regions), we find the personal values central to entrepreneurial activity can be a double-edged sword for the wellbeing of practicing entrepreneurs, highlighting the role of intrinsic (vs. extrinsic) motivation for entrepreneurs' positive and negative wellbeing. We also find initial evidence of person–culture congruence effects regarding intrinsic, but not extrinsic, values, with high congruence resulting in higher positive (less negative) wellbeing. Overall, our findings suggest entrepreneurs' wellbeing may be shaped both by “who they are” and “where they operate.”</p

Beyond Gestational Diabetes:Maternal and Offspring Health and Lifestyle 3 years Postnatally in a secondary analysis of the UPBEAT Trial Cohort

Background: Gestational diabetes (GDM) is associated with increased future obesity risk in affected mothers and children. Objective: We assessed if dietary behaviours learnt during a GDM pregnancy positively impact maternal and child health 3 years postpartum. Method: In a secondary analysis, we included women with obesity recruited to the UPBEAT randomised controlled trial with 3-year follow-up postnatally (n = 441). Maternal and offspring anthropometry and dietary data were recorded antenatally and at follow-up. Data were assessed using linear/logistic regression, adjusting for confounders. Results: Women with GDM (22%) had higher BMI (median 35.6 vs. 34.2 kg/m 2; p = 0.049) and energy intake (1738.2 vs. 1551.6 kcal/day; p = 0.005) at ~16 weeks' gestation compared to unaffected women, but lower gestational weight gain (4.5 kg vs. 6.6 kg; p &lt; 0.001). However, at 3 years postpartum BMI was similar between groups (35.8 vs. 35.2 kg/m 2; p &gt; 0.5). GDM-exposed infants had a higher birthweight (55.4 vs. 45.9th centile; p = 0.008) than unexposed infants and at 3 years of age were more likely to be overweight/obese (International Obesity Task Force, IOTF, standards; OR 2.32; 95% CI 1.38, 3.91) but with similar skinfold thicknesses and dietary patterns. Conclusion: Women with GDM demonstrated reduced gestational weight gain, and despite a higher BMI than women without GDM in early pregnancy, this difference was not evident at 3 years postpartum. However, while maternal and offspring dietary behaviours were comparable between groups, exposed offspring were at increased risk of overweight/obesity at 3 years of age.</p

Circulating levels of gut hormones in anorexia nervosa before and after short-term weight restoration

Gastrointestinal hormones such as glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), gastric inhibitory peptide (GIP), glucagon, and glicentin are important regulators of appetite and glucose homeostasis. While agonists of GLP-1 and GIP receptors are approved treatments for type 2 diabetes and obesity, their role in anorexia nervosa (AN) remains largely unknown.In this study, we measured fasting serum levels of GLP-1, GIP, glucagon, and glicentin in 80 female patients with AN before (acAN-T1) and after short-term weight restoration (acAN-T2) compared to 80 age-matched female healthy controls (HC).GIP levels were higher (42.9%) in acAN-T1 than in HC, while GLP-1, glicentin, and glucagon showed no group differences. Additionally, acAN-T1 patients exhibited lower fasting glucose (-8.4%) and insulin (-42.6%) levels than HC. In acAN-T2, GIP, GLP-1, and glicentin levels decreased (-30.4%, -9.7%, −15.7 %, respectively), with only GIP normalizing. Glucose and insulin levels increased (4.5% and 41.4%, respectively), although they remained lower than in HC.Importantly, changes in GIP levels after short-term weight restoration negatively correlated (r = -0.279) with changes in glucose levels. Furthermore, GIP levels in acAN-T1 were positively associated with disordered eating and depressive symptoms, independent of BMI-SDS.These results reveal that GIP shows a distinct pattern of dysregulation and normalization in AN and link GIP levels to both glucose metabolism and symptom severity in AN. Thus, our findings support the rationale for investigating GIP receptor-targeted therapies in AN

Technocrats, Reputation, and Responsiveness in Policy Explanation

In contemporary democracies, independent technocratic bodies take many key policy decisions. The organizations are meant to avoid traditional policy responsiveness, but still have processes in place to take into account societal views. Our study analyzes how pressure on technocratic bodies affects the audience orientation of their policy explanations. Taking a reputational perspective, we argue that the policy explanations provided by technocrats whose legitimacy depends on their outcomes will be influenced by performance-based reputational threats. We hypothesize that such threats—whether based on perceptions or performance indicators—lead technocrats to orient themselves more toward the wider public, which we operationalize as accessibility and people centeredness of the language. We test our hypotheses on a new dataset of speeches of members of the Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee (1997–2024). Though accessibility cannot be traced back to performance-based threats, people centeredness is affected. Yet, while negative performance-based perceptions are associated with more people-centered policy explanation, negative measured performance leads technocrats to center less on people. Our findings contribute to the literature on reputation, audience orientation, and communicative responsiveness, and suggest differential effects based on whether performance is perceived or measured

Acceptability, feasibility, and initial efficacy of virtual reality as a home-based exercise modality for young adults

Exercise is a powerful tool for supporting physical and mental health, yet many people do not meet recommended levels of engagement. Virtual reality (VR) offers an immersive platform to make enjoyable and interactive exercise available in the home. However, there is a need to understand the acceptability, feasibility, and initial efficacy of engaging in VR exercise across extended durations within different real-world settings. In this mixed-methods study, 20 young adult participants (male = 10, female = 10), completed an eight-week VR exercise programme that included four weeks of autonomous training at home and a matched four weeks of organized sessions in a counterbalanced crossover design. To establish initial efficacy, measures of psychological and physical well-being were taken before, at the mid-point, and post VR exercise. To assess acceptability and feasibility, adherence was measured throughout, and ten participants completed follow-up interviews about their experiences. Results showed higher session completion rates in organised sessions (79%) compared to at home (51%) and likely positive effects on physical fitness and psychological wellbeing early in the intervention. Gamification and immersion were discussed as key positives for engagement, with space identified as a key barrier for use at home. In conclusion, VR may offer an alternative gateway into exercise that is feasible and acceptable for use in the home and organised exercise settings

Maternal and paternal depressive symptoms from pregnancy to late childhood in a UK-birth cohort:reciprocal and bidirectional effects

Background:Evidence regarding the dynamics of the longitudinal reciprocal associations between maternal and paternal depression over time is lacking. The current study examines reciprocal longitudinal associations between maternal and paternal depressive symptoms (DS) from pregnancy (18 weeks-gestation) to 11 years 2 months (study child’s age) to gain insights into the joint course of DS. MethodsThe study sample comprised 6,296 mothers and fathers from the UK-based birth cohort, the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children. Reciprocal longitudinal associations between maternal and paternal DS, assessed at nine time-points (Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale; continuous scores), were examined using random intercept cross-lagged panel models to differentiate between stable covariance (between-person differences in DS) and dynamic processes (within-person level). Analyses were adjusted for parental and socioeconomic confounders. ResultsThere were strong correlations between random intercepts of maternal and paternal DS (β=0.305, SE=0.015, p≤0.001), suggesting positive associations between the overall mean levels of parental DS (i.e., a between-person association). There were strong stability effects for maternal and paternal DS across all nine measurement occasions (i.e., within-person associations), with larger effects evident for both maternal and paternal DS later in childhood (between ages 5 and 11 years). There was evidence for bidirectional longitudinal within-person effects between maternal and paternal DS at some but not other measurement occasions. ConclusionsThese findings have important implications for screening, prevention and intervention programmes. Depression in one parent may require screening efforts directed at the other parent, with prevention and intervention programmes focused on the family, rather than one parent.<br/

Beyond geopolitics: Social license and supply chain risks of critical minerals

This paper interrogates the concept of criticality in critical minerals, particularly as it pertains to the global supply chains essential for renewable energy and clean technologies. It begins by questioning whose interests define mineral criticality, noting that dominant perspectives (i.e., industry, state, and geopolitics) often marginalize sub-national concerns. A fourth dimension, the role of communities and the presence or absence of social license to operate, is widely studied in mining literature but rarely integrated into criticality assessments. Drawing on qualitative data and a case study of Ghana's emerging lithium sector, the paper reframes criticality to include sub-national social dynamics and offers a critical reflection on how social license functions as a risk factor in critical minerals governance. The findings reveal that delays in legal processes, exclusion from decision-making, and inadequate compensation disrupt livelihoods and heighten tensions in lithium-rich communities. These dynamics elevate the risk of social conflict, which in turn increases the cost of conflict for both state and companies. The paper argues that effective risk governance must embed principles of Free, Prior and Informed Consent, equitable beneficiation, and sustained community engagement. Social license to operate is not a static condition but a dynamic process that can be withdrawn, with significant implications for project timelines, reputational risk, investor confidence, and supply chains risks. As global competition intensifies over access to strategic minerals, the governance of mining sites in the Global South becomes important for supply chain assurance. The findings underscore the importance of integrating social dimensions into global criticality frameworks

Impact of a nurse-led and a web-based psychoeducational program for advanced cancer patients and their caregivers:Results of a three-arm randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND: Advanced cancer impacts the lives of both patients and their family caregivers. They often experience substantial declines in quality of life and physical, emotional, and spiritual distress that generate significant unmet psychosocial care needs. These effects are interrelated. Dyadic psychoeducational interventions, helping dyads to manage the impact of the disease and maintain their quality of life, demonstrate benefits by concurrently addressing challenges for oncology patients and family caregivers. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of a face-to-face nurse-led and a web-based psychoeducational intervention for patients with advanced cancer and their family caregivers on primary (emotional function and self-efficacy) and secondary endpoints.METHODS: This international multicenter three-arm parallel-group superiority randomized controlled trial was conducted in 6 European countries (Belgium, Denmark, Italy, Netherlands, Ireland and UK). Between February 2021 and August 2023, dyads formed by patients with advanced solid cancer and their primary family caregiver were randomly assigned without blinding to a face-to-face psychoeducational intervention, a web-based psychoeducational intervention, or standard care. The two primary endpoints were 1) emotional functioning (10-item European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer short form), and 2) self-efficacy (Cancer Self-efficacy Scale) for patients with advanced cancer and their family caregivers at 12 weeks. Secondary outcomes included quality of life, benefits of illness appraisal, coping, and dyad communication at 12 weeks and 24 weeks.RESULTS: In total, 431 dyads were randomized to the face-to-face group (n=140), the web-based group (n=148) or standard care (n=143). Neither the face-to-face group nor the web-based group showed significant improvements compared to control group in emotional functioning for patients (-0.27; 95%CI -2.11 to 0.76 and.12; 95 % CI -1.65 to 1.89) or caregivers (30; 95 % CI -1·41 to 2·00 and 0.17; 95 % CI -1.45 to 1.79); a significant improvement of patients' self-efficacy (9.02; 95 % CI 2.45 to 15.58) in the face-to-face group was found. Further analysis indicated a positive effect at 12 weeks for the face-to-face group on patients' dyadic coping and ways of giving support, and on caregivers' problem-focused coping. There were no significant effects for the web-based group.CONCLUSION: Our trial showed neutral findings for emotional function in both a face-to-face nurse-led and a web-based psychoeducational dyadic support program. Positive findings were found for patients' self-efficacy and several secondary outcomes in patients and caregivers for the face-to-face program. Why the face-to-face but not the web-based program led to positive findings for several outcomes needs further evaluation.TRIAL REGISTRATION: Clinicaltrial.gov (NCT04626349). The trial is now closed.</p