4,356 research outputs found
Humour in fifteenth-century France: a study of visual evidence
Humour in Fifteenth-Century France: A Study of Visual Evidence is an investigation of the development of humour in late medieval France, as expressed in the visual arts. The research identifies and examines comic themes in Valois visual culture through analysis of three case studies. The first is the new iconography for the comedies of Terence, created in the early fifteenth century for the Duke of Berry and the Valois Princes (BnF Lat. 7907A and Arsenal Ms-664 réserve). The second is the manuscript of René d’Anjou’s Livre du Coeur d’Amour Épris (ÖNB Cod. Vind. 2597). The third is the only extant fifteenth-century illuminated manuscript of the Cent Nouvelles Nouvelles (GUL Ms Hunter 252 [U.4.10]).
The special emphasis on the arts of the book allows for a discussion of the illuminations in relation to the text they intend to illustrate. Each of these works offers a distinct contribution to the topic by presenting a rich variety of material and different shades, types and forms of humour expressed pictorially. Their nature as manuscripts involves a personal dimension, which narrows their intended audience to specific and well researched historic personalities, facilitating the reconstruction of their tastes, pleasures and sense of humour. Thus, these works permit insights into how humour was expressed, understood and appreciated, and they allow for a nuanced discussion on the comedic and the nature of visuality in late medieval France.
Each of the investigated manuscripts has been studied previously, yet their visual humour has not been addressed as an independent and intentional artistic creation with the specific function of provoking amusement and laughter. This thesis is the first such investigation of humour in visual culture for this period, addressing the lacuna in scholarship and showing that there is a rich diversity of visual material that merits analysis. It argues that pictorial expressions of humour became an important focus for leading creative artists in France through the course of the fifteenth century, and it contextualises this art historical phenomenon within the intellectual, social and political history that surrounded it. The reconstruction of the circumstances in which works of art were made, displayed and understood highlights the changes in the prospective audiences for these works, and the ways different viewers engaged and appreciated humour expressed visually. As well as providing new insights into the patrons, this thesis discusses the artists’ approach towards their text of reference, their inventions, innovations and creative impulses. In doing so, the investigation highlights a close connection with theatre and performance, and it identifies the printing industry as a contributing factor for the diffusion of comic iconography.
Studying humour is important because it determines social boundaries and functions as a barometer of social, political, sexual and ethical sensibilities. Humour in Fifteenth-Century France: A Study of Visual Evidence addresses a variety of media and permits a closer reading of the role of humour and its functions in Valois France and in Western Europe in the later Middle Ages, expanding our understanding of late medieval concepts of visuality and appreciation of the image
An examination of the verbal behaviour of intergroup discrimination
This thesis examined relationships between psychological flexibility, psychological inflexibility, prejudicial attitudes, and dehumanization across three cross-sectional studies with an additional proposed experimental study. Psychological flexibility refers to mindful attention to the present moment, willing acceptance of private experiences, and engaging in behaviours congruent with one’s freely chosen values. Inflexibility, on the other hand, indicates a tendency to suppress unwanted thoughts and emotions, entanglement with one’s thoughts, and rigid behavioural patterns. Study 1 found limited correlations between inflexibility and sexism, racism, homonegativity, and dehumanization. Study 2 demonstrated more consistent positive associations between inflexibility and prejudice. And Study 3 controlled for right-wing authoritarianism and social dominance orientation, finding inflexibility predicted hostile sexism and racism beyond these factors. While showing some relationships, particularly with sexism and racism, psychological inflexibility did not consistently correlate with varied prejudices across studies.
The proposed randomized controlled trial aims to evaluate an Acceptance and Commitment Therapy intervention to reduce sexism through enhanced psychological flexibility. Overall, findings provide mixed support for the utility of flexibility-based skills in addressing complex societal prejudices. Research should continue examining flexibility integrated with socio-cultural approaches to promote equity
Innovation in Energy Security and Long-Term Energy Efficiency Ⅱ
The sustainable development of our planet depends on the use of energy. The increasing world population inevitably causes an increase in the demand for energy, which, on the one hand, threatens us with the potential to encounter a shortage of energy supply, and, on the other hand, causes the deterioration of the environment. Therefore, our task is to reduce this demand through different innovative solutions (i.e., both technological and social). Social marketing and economic policies can also play their role by affecting the behavior of households and companies and by causing behavioral change oriented to energy stewardship, with an overall switch to renewable energy resources. This reprint provides a platform for the exchange of a wide range of ideas, which, ultimately, would facilitate driving societies toward long-term energy efficiency
“Have patients with chronic skin diseases needs been met?”:A thesis on psoriasis and eczema patient care in dermatology service
Background: Common chronic skin diseases such as eczema and psoriasis usually require long term medical care. They are often associated with psychological and metabolic comorbidities, which can impact on patient quality of life (QOL) and on the self-management of these diseases. Regular assessment of patient needs, comorbidities and feedback is a critical step in the development of decision-analytic models. Currently, no intervention is available to regularly assess such patients’ needs and comorbidities and support their involvement in the decision-making and self-management of their morbidity and comorbidities. The aim of this research is to involve the patients in decision making of their care and to support their self-management by the use of a paper questionnaire (study tool) at each consultation. Objective: To explore the acceptability and potential of a self-developed paper questionnaire that constituted a study tool for addressing the needs, comorbidities, and feedback of patients with psoriasis and eczema and supporting their involvement in decision making and self-management of their chronic conditions. Method: A mixed method study was conducted and included a postal survey on adult male and female patients with psoriasis and eczema, using the study tool, which is a paper questionnaire and contains the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) and seven supplementary open-ended questions to capture patients’ views, feedback, comorbidities, coping status and needs. The survey was followed by semi-structured face-to-face interviews with a sample of the patients who had participated in the survey. The aims of the interviews were two-fold: 1. to gain a deeper understanding of their experience of living with and managing their skin disease; and 2. to gather patient feedback on the service they received as well as their views on using the new study tool or any alternative intervention to address and support their self-management. The final study was a pilot which involved presenting a proposal of an online version of the study tool to a group of healthcare experts asking them to critically review the extent to which the online model responded to patients expressed needs. Results: Of the 114 patients who participated in the postal survey 108 (94.7%) of them expressed physical, metabolic and psychological comorbidities. Stress was identified as the dominant disease-triggering factor in 72 (63%) participants. Thirty-three (28.9%) of participants reported that they could not cope with their chronic illness. Eighteen (15.7%) participants suffered from anxiety, and 12 (10.5%) had depression and suicidal thoughts. Twenty-nine (25%) participants addressed their needs for support at home, and 16 (14%) of them asked for support at work. In the patient feedback section, 21 (18.4%) and 9 (7.8%) participants rated the service they received from their general practitioner (GP) and dermatologist as poor, respectively. In the interviews, all the participants 22 (100%) welcomed the use of the study tool on a regular basis to address their needs, comorbidities and feedback. Nineteen (86.3%) of them suggested that they would prefer using an online version of the tool or patient portal system as a convenient way of remote and interactive communication with the healthcare provider, particularly during the worsening of their skin condition. In the final pilot study, the healthcare experts agreed that the proposed online version of the study tool could be a convenient platform for such patients to support their self-management. They discussed the potential importance of such a tool if it provided them with access to supportive services such as patient information on skin diseases and self-management, access to local mental health service and other relevant psoriasis and eczema patients’ support groups and charities. Conclusion: This novel mixed method research identified knowledge gaps in managing patients with psoriasis and eczema. It provided a new tool that has the potential to regularly engage and assess patients’ unmet needs, comorbidities and feedback. The tool can involve patients in decision-making and offers them the autonomy to disclose heterogeneous needs that may support their self-management. All the interviewees welcomed regular use of the study tool and the majority of them suggested that they would prefer using an online version of the tool if it was available. Future research is needed to assess the impact of the study tool in filling important gaps in patient self-management and in health service improvement
‘Inner qualities versus inequalities’: A case study of student change learning about Aboriginal health using sequential, explanatory mixed methods
Racism and lack of self-determination in health care perpetuate injury and injustice to Aboriginal people. To instil cultural safety at individual, organisational, community and systems levels, a key site of action has been health professional education that seeks to elicit reflexivity, cultural humility and a working understanding of Aboriginal health concepts.
Studies in Aboriginal community settings show Family Well Being (FWB) empowerment education is effective in supporting personal and collective reflexivity and transformation through empowering life skills development. Implementation of FWB within educational settings shows early signs of effectiveness among students. Yet knowledge of the steps and processes of student change is lacking.
This mixed methods explanatory case study sought to measure and understand change in postgraduate students of a leading Australian university learning about Aboriginal health and wellbeing through blended delivery, including through face-to-face immersion in FWB in an urban classroom. Three interrelated studies investigated fidelity and acceptability of the program, measured and analysed growth and empowerment in students, and explained processes of change observed, through thematic analysis of asynchronous online discussions using lenses based on transformative learning and empowerment. Researcher reflexivity was promoted by Aboriginal supervision.
Over six years, 194 students enrolled in two different Aboriginal public health courses, 85 of them in the FWB course. As well as achieving program fidelity and acceptability, pre/post-course change in students across a range of emotional empowerment, personal growth and life-long learning processes was measured in the FWB group. Thematic analysis revealed students’ fluid and recursive processes of transformative learning in their professional selves and capacities to act in domains important to Aboriginal health.
This case study contributes new knowledge critical to strengthening health professional capabilities for ever more complex, uncertain and emotionally demanding sites of practice, and to work in empowering ways—with, not for, Aboriginal people and communities
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Role of Formal and Informal Institutions in Advancing Sustainable Environmental Practices in SMEs of Pakistan's Textile Sector
Economies around the globe have established formal institutions to protect their natural environments (Klewitz et al., 2012, Wahga et al., 2018b), but parallel to them are 'proto-institutions' that also make an important contribution towards sustainable development. A proto-institution, an institution in the making, comprises rules, practices, and technologies that are partially diffused and weakly entrenched but poised to become widely institutionalised (Lawrence et al., 2002, p. 283). This qualitative study examines how proto-institutions in Pakistan's textile sector emerged and played a role in promoting sustainable environmental practices. Stakeholder Theory and Institutional Theory were combined to guide data collection and analysis. Primary data were collected through in-depth interviews, field observations and a field journal, whereas secondary data came from archival records and industry-specific publications. NVIVO 12 was used to sort and prepare data for analysis. Grounded analysis (Gioia et al., 2013, Easterby-Smith et al., 2015) revealed that institutional voids (Mair and Marti, 2009) and institutional gaps (Kolk, 2014) impeded the ability of formal institutions to assist the textile sector and ensure compliance with the established Punjab Environmental Quality Standards (PEQS). Due to these voids and gaps, textile manufacturers and stakeholders collaborated in various ways, resulting in the emergence of proto-institutions. These proto-institutions address the 'knowledge gap' by conducting informative seminars, capacity building workshops, and the production of best practice manuals. They bridge the 'cleaner production gap' by devolving internationally tested cleaner production solutions and assisting with their implementation. In addition, they take steps to close the 'compliance gap' by building the capacity of firms and public institutions. They fill the 'R&D gap' through commercial research into inputs, processes, and product development. They also provide firms with financial assistance through matching grants that help firms overcome their 'financial assistance gap' and acquire international certifications for market entry into global markets and undertake business development services. In doing so, these proto-institutions imposed iii normative and mimetic pressure on firms to adopt green practices while coexisting with formal institutions as compensatory institutions to create environmentally compliant isomorphs (firms). These findings add to the insights about institutional work processes and roles of proto-institutions, by presenting evidence from a previously under-research context: promoting sustainability in a SMEs dominated manufacturing sector of a developing country. In terms of practice, these findings are helpful information for textile manufacturers who are yet unknown to the benefits they could reap by adopting sustainable practices and processes in their manufacturing concerns. The information about collaboration is helpful for stakeholders looking to form new partnerships for responsible production. This study also suggests policymakers to both encourage and collaborate with proto-institutions to accomplish national and international commitments such as SDG 12 - Sustainable Consumption and Production, and race to net zero in textiles. Furthermore, the context specific factors that are affecting the emergence and development of proto-institutions in Pakistan’s textile sector could also help policymakers in Pakistan and alike developing countries to overcome institutional gaps and voids in their formal institutional arrangements and better promote sustainable production in their key manufacturing sectors
Exploring Compassion-Driven Interaction: Bridging Buddhist Theory and Contemplative Practice Through Arts-led Research-through-Design
Compassion cultivation focuses on developing a genuine concern for others and a willingness to alleviate their suffering. As understandings of the benefits of compassion cultivation on wellbeing have evolved, an increasing interest in designing technologies for this context have followed. However, while scientific research focuses on measuring and evaluating compassion, designerly understandings of compassion informing human-computer interaction have been less explored.
We are currently confronted with huge global challenges and our entanglement with technology brings paradoxes and existential tensions related to wellbeing and human flourishing. Viewing technologies as mediators of values and morality, human-computer interaction has a stake in shaping our possible futures. A shift in the field to welcoming a plurality of worldviews, invites opportunities to authentically integrate knowledge from ancient wisdom traditions into how and why we design. This research aims to advance understandings of compassion cultivation for designing technologies by developing novel approaches to research inspired by Buddhist philosophy and practice.
This thesis draws upon an arts-led research-through-design approach and spiritual practice. The findings and insights from the studies contribute primarily to the areas of soma design, first-person research and design for wellbeing. The main contributions to knowledge are design guidelines emerging from three case studies: Understanding Tonglen, Wish Happiness, and Inner Suchness comprising one autoethnography and two concept-driven design artefacts for public exhibition. While in the act of researching, the contemplative practitioner-researcher, a research persona, emerged to support authentic engagement and embodied understandings of the dynamic unfolding processes of the practice. A contemplative framework to train self-observation and the concept of designerly gaze were developed to help investigate the phenomenon
The Lived Experience of Registered Nurses And Registered Midwives in St. Kitts and Nevis
At the beginning of the 20th century, St. Kitts and Nevis had one of the highest infant mortality rates in the Caribbean. However, unlike some Caribbean nations with similar historical and socioeconomic factors that continue to suffer from significant health disparities, St. Kitts and Nevis implemented strategic health reforms that have led to dramatic improvements in maternal and neonatal health outcomes. One of the strategic reforms designed to address these poor health outcomes was to mandate that all registered nurses in St. Kitts and Nevis pursue certification in the post-basic midwifery program. The purpose of this study was to examine the lived experience of registered nurses and registered midwives in St. Kitts and Nevis. No research has been conducted on the central role these registered nurses and registered midwives have performed in St. Kitts and Nevis’ highly successful healthcare system. To address this significant gap in the scholarly literature, a qualitative, hermeneutic interpretive phenomenological study was conducted to gain insight into the everyday lived experiences of the registered nurses and registered midwives in St. Kitts and Nevis. After receiving approval to conduct this research from the Institutional Review Board of the University of Northern Colorado and the Ethics Board of the Ministry of Health in the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis, practicing registered nurses and registered midwives in St. Kitts and Nevis were recruited using purposive sampling and snowball techniques. Once verbal consent was obtained from the participants, data were collected on-site by audiotaping in-depth interviews until data saturation occurred. Semi- structured, open-ended interview questions derived from the model for upscaling nurse and midwifery partnerships were used to guide the interview process, which provided the theoretical framework for this study. The data were then transcribed verbatim onto NVivo software. Recurrent themes that emerged from the meanings these registered nurses and registered midwives constructed from their experiences were synthesized using Colaizzi’s (Abalos et al., 2016) rigorous qualitative data analysis process. Measures to ensure the trustworthiness of the data were implemented including peer review, member checking, triangulation of data, transparency, reflection on bias, and an audit trail. An analysis of historical, published and unpublished books and pamphlets relevant to the research question was integrated into and further supported the trustworthiness of the findings. Implications for nursing and midwife practice, education, policy, and research were discussed. Findings from this never-studied population might increase understanding of the strengths and challenges nurses and midwives in St. Kitts and Nevis face in providing care. This research contributed to the body of knowledge supporting registered nurse and registered midwife practice, education, research, and policy on St. Kitts and Nevis, and similar geographically isolated islands with limited resources
Re-evaluation of the risks to public health related to the presence of bisphenol A (BPA) in foodstuffs
Publisher Copyright: © 2023 European Food Safety Authority. EFSA Journal published by Wiley-VCH GmbH on behalf of European Food Safety Authority.In 2015, EFSA established a temporary tolerable daily intake (t-TDI) for BPA of 4 μg/kg body weight (bw) per day. In 2016, the European Commission mandated EFSA to re-evaluate the risks to public health from the presence of BPA in foodstuffs and to establish a tolerable daily intake (TDI). For this re-evaluation, a pre-established protocol was used that had undergone public consultation. The CEP Panel concluded that it is Unlikely to Very Unlikely that BPA presents a genotoxic hazard through a direct mechanism. Taking into consideration the evidence from animal data and support from human observational studies, the immune system was identified as most sensitive to BPA exposure. An effect on Th17 cells in mice was identified as the critical effect; these cells are pivotal in cellular immune mechanisms and involved in the development of inflammatory conditions, including autoimmunity and lung inflammation. A reference point (RP) of 8.2 ng/kg bw per day, expressed as human equivalent dose, was identified for the critical effect. Uncertainty analysis assessed a probability of 57–73% that the lowest estimated Benchmark Dose (BMD) for other health effects was below the RP based on Th17 cells. In view of this, the CEP Panel judged that an additional uncertainty factor (UF) of 2 was needed for establishing the TDI. Applying an overall UF of 50 to the RP, a TDI of 0.2 ng BPA/kg bw per day was established. Comparison of this TDI with the dietary exposure estimates from the 2015 EFSA opinion showed that both the mean and the 95th percentile dietary exposures in all age groups exceeded the TDI by two to three orders of magnitude. Even considering the uncertainty in the exposure assessment, the exceedance being so large, the CEP Panel concluded that there is a health concern from dietary BPA exposure.Peer reviewe
A critical sociolinguistic study of diasporization among Hungarians in Catalonia
This thesis investigates how contemporary diasporas evolve, how diasporization takes place under the conditions of late modernity, and how language features in this process. By diasporization, I refer to the process(es) in which diasporic groups emerge and individuals start to engage in certain diasporic practices, i.e., social practices that are associated with their ethnic or national origin or with their imagined homeland, or with boundary management in the host-land. The research was an ethnographically informed critical sociolinguistic study of first-generation Hungarians in Catalonia that drew on collaborative methodologies in order to include the emic perspectives of the participants. To capture these perspectives, the research combined many data generating techniques, such as ethnographic field notes, biographical interviews, online focus groups, collection of material evidence, and collaborative interpretation with the key participants in the research.La tesis investiga cómo evolucionan las diásporas contemporáneas y de qué modo se produce la diasporización en las condiciones de la modernidad tardía. Con diasporización me refiero al proceso, o procesos, en los que surgen los grupos diaspóricos y los individuos comienzan a llevar a cabo ciertas prácticas diaspóricas, es decir, prácticas sociales que se asocian a su origen étnico o nacional, su patria imaginada o la gestión de las fronteras en el país de acogida. La tesis toma la forma de estudio crítico informado etnográficamente en personas húngaras en Cataluña de primera generación y se basa en metodologías colaborativas para incluir las perspectivas émicas de las personas participantes. Con el fin de captar estas perspectivas, el estudio combina múltiples técnicas de generación de datos, como por ejemplo las notas de campo etnográficas, las entrevistas biográficas, los grupos focales en línea, la recopilación de rastros materiales y la interpretación colaborativa con las personas participantes clave en el estudio.La tesi investiga com evolucionen les diàspores contemporànies i de quina manera es produeix la diasporització en les condicions de la modernitat tardana. Amb diasporització em refereixo al procés, o processos, en què sorgeixen els grups diaspòrics i els individus comencen a dur a terme certes pràctiques diaspòriques, és a dir, pràctiques socials que s'associen al seu origen ètnic o nacional, la seva pàtria imaginada o la gestió de les fronteres al país d'acollida. La tesi pren forma d'estudi crític informat etnogràficament en persones hongareses a Catalunya de primera generació i es basa en metodologies col·laboratives per incloure les perspectives èmiques de les persones que hi participen. Per captar aquestes perspectives, l'estudi combina múltiples tècniques de generació de dades, com ara les notes de camp etnogràfiques, les entrevistes biogràfiques, els grups focals en línia, la recopilació de rastres materials i la interpretació col·laborativa amb les persones participants clau en l'estudi.Societat de la informació i el coneixemen
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