1,753 research outputs found
Displacement and the Humanities: Manifestos from the Ancient to the Present
This is the final version. Available on open access from MDPI via the DOI in this recordThis is a reprint of articles from the Special Issue published online in the open access journal Humanities (ISSN 2076-0787) (available at: https://www.mdpi.com/journal/humanities/special_issues/Manifestos Ancient Present)This volume brings together the work of practitioners, communities, artists and other researchers from multiple disciplines. Seeking to provoke a discourse around displacement within and beyond the field of Humanities, it positions historical cases and debates, some reaching into the ancient past, within diverse geo-chronological contexts and current world urgencies. In adopting an innovative dialogic structure, between practitioners on the ground - from architects and urban planners to artists - and academics working across subject areas, the volume is a proposition to: remap priorities for current research agendas; open up disciplines, critically analysing their approaches; address the socio-political responsibilities that we have as scholars and practitioners; and provide an alternative site of discourse for contemporary concerns about displacement. Ultimately, this volume aims to provoke future work and collaborations - hence, manifestos - not only in the historical and literary fields, but wider research concerned with human mobility and the challenges confronting people who are out of place of rights, protection and belonging
Communicating a Pandemic
This edited volume compares experiences of how the Covid-19 pandemic was communicated in the Nordic countries â Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden. The Nordic countries are often discussed in terms of similarities concerning an extensive welfare system, economic policies, media systems, and high levels of trust in societal actors. However, in the wake of a global pandemic, the countriesâ coping strategies varied, creating certain question marks on the existence of a âNordic modelâ.
The chapters give a broad overview of crisis communication in the Nordic countries during the first year of the Covid-19 pandemic by combining organisational and societal theoretical perspectives and encompassing crisis response from governments, public health authorities, lobbyists, corporations, news media, and citizens. The results show several similarities, such as political and governmental responses highlighting solidarity and the need for exceptional measures, as expressed in press conferences, social media posts, information campaigns, and speeches. The media coverage relied on experts and was mainly informative, with few critical investigations during the initial phases. Moreover, surveys and interviews show the importance of news media for citizensâ coping strategies, but also that citizens mostly trusted both politicians and health authorities during the crisis.
This book is of interest to all who are looking to understand societal crisis management on a comprehensive level.âŻThe volume contains chapters from leading experts from all the Nordic countries and is edited by a team with complementary expertise on crisis communication, political communication, and journalism, consisting of Bengt Johansson, Ăyvind Ihlen, Jenny Lindholm, and Mark Blach-Ărsten.âŻPublishe
LIPIcs, Volume 251, ITCS 2023, Complete Volume
LIPIcs, Volume 251, ITCS 2023, Complete Volum
Effects of municipal smoke-free ordinances on secondhand smoke exposure in the Republic of Korea
ObjectiveTo reduce premature deaths due to secondhand smoke (SHS) exposure among non-smokers, the Republic of Korea (ROK) adopted changes to the National Health Promotion Act, which allowed local governments to enact municipal ordinances to strengthen their authority to designate smoke-free areas and levy penalty fines. In this study, we examined national trends in SHS exposure after the introduction of these municipal ordinances at the city level in 2010.MethodsWe used interrupted time series analysis to assess whether the trends of SHS exposure in the workplace and at home, and the primary cigarette smoking rate changed following the policy adjustment in the national legislation in ROK. Population-standardized data for selected variables were retrieved from a nationally representative survey dataset and used to study the policy actionâs effectiveness.ResultsFollowing the change in the legislation, SHS exposure in the workplace reversed course from an increasing (18% per year) trend prior to the introduction of these smoke-free ordinances to a decreasing (â10% per year) trend after adoption and enforcement of these laws (ÎČ2â=â0.18, p-valueâ=â0.07; ÎČ3â=ââ0.10, p-valueâ=â0.02). SHS exposure at home (ÎČ2â=â0.10, p-valueâ=â0.09; ÎČ3â=ââ0.03, p-valueâ=â0.14) and the primary cigarette smoking rate (ÎČ2â=â0.03, p-valueâ=â0.10; ÎČ3â=â0.008, p-valueâ=â0.15) showed no significant changes in the sampled period. Although analyses stratified by sex showed that the allowance of municipal ordinances resulted in reduced SHS exposure in the workplace for both males and females, they did not affect the primary cigarette smoking rate as much, especially among females.ConclusionStrengthening the role of local governments by giving them the authority to enact and enforce penalties on SHS exposure violation helped ROK to reduce SHS exposure in the workplace. However, smoking behaviors and related activities seemed to shift to less restrictive areas such as on the streets and in apartment hallways, negating some of the effects due to these ordinances. Future studies should investigate how smoke-free policies beyond public places can further reduce the SHS exposure in ROK
Water Governance and Management Practices in the Republic of Ireland: Past, Present and the Future
Robust water governance and management practices are critical in safeguarding water resources against threats such as drought, water pollution, infrastructure deficits, population growth, and policy implementation challenges. Despite being susceptible to these challenges, the Republic of Ireland (RoI) has implemented reforms aimed at facilitating a more integrated national approach to water resource protection. Following a descriptive, concurrent mixed method approach and research lens, this study examines three key research questions, providing the first comprehensive evaluation of changes in water governance and practices in the water-rich RoI. The research highlights significant events and measures taken to prepare for future challenges
Beam scanning by liquid-crystal biasing in a modified SIW structure
A fixed-frequency beam-scanning 1D antenna based on Liquid Crystals (LCs) is designed for application in 2D scanning with lateral alignment. The 2D array environment imposes full decoupling of adjacent 1D antennas, which often conflicts with the LC requirement of DC biasing: the proposed design accommodates both. The LC medium is placed inside a Substrate Integrated Waveguide (SIW) modified to work as a Groove Gap Waveguide, with radiating slots etched on the upper broad wall, that radiates as a Leaky-Wave Antenna (LWA). This allows effective application of the DC bias voltage needed for tuning the LCs. At the same time, the RF field remains laterally confined, enabling the possibility to lay several antennas in parallel and achieve 2D beam scanning. The design is validated by simulation employing the actual properties of a commercial LC medium
Invasiivse patogeeni Lecanosticta acicola geneetiline mitmekesisus, pÀritolu ja uued peremeestaimed PÔhja-Euroopas
A Thesis for applying for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy
in Forestry.VĂ€itekiri filosoofiadoktori kraadi taotlemiseks metsanduse erialal.Lecanosticta acicola is an ascomycete causing Brown Spot Needle Blight (BSNB) â a foliar disease affecting pine species (Pinus spp.). The disease causes premature needle shedding which leads to reduced growth of the trees and to severe defoliation which may cause death of the infected trees. The native range of L. acicola is in North America but during the last century anthropogenic activity introduced the pathogen also into Europe and Asia. In Europe, L. acicola was first detected in southern and central regions, but during the current century the disease agent has significantly distributed northward and is now present also in the Baltic states and southern Sweden. So far, in northern Europe, the disease has mostly affected non-native pine species. Nevertheless, by today, L. acicola has already succeeded to infect native Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris), although so far damage on the P. sylvestris is insignificant and only the trees growing in the immediate proximity to non-native P. mugo have been found to be infected.
The distribution range of L. acicola appears to be expanding also to the western Asia. In this thesis the pathogen was identified for the first time in Turkey and Georgia. In Turkey, the infection of BSNB was found also on Cedrus libani, proving that L. acicola is not only a Pinus-specific pathogen.
Identical genetic strains of the pathogen were found on the distances that the fungus could not spread naturally. Identical strains were found to be shared even between continents, being present in Canada and Germany, but similarly strains were also shared between the countries in Europe. Lecanosticta acicola has reached northern Europe predominantly from pre-existing populations in central Europe and not directly from its native range in America. Surprisingly high diversity found from the populations in northern Europe is probably the result of repeated introductions from genetically different source populations. Although, by today, both mating types of the fungus are present in northern Europe and probably in some limited areas the sexual reproduction takes place, the clonal reproduction mode dominates in this region.
Based on the so far distribution of this pathogen and that the ongoing climate changes support its dissemination, it can be assumed that northwards spread of L. acicola will continue in Europe. It is important to avoid any further increase in the diversity of pathogensâ populations, that could easily happen if new fungal strains are imported with insufficiently controlled planting material. An increase in diversity could lead to dangerous development of strains with higher virulence or higher suitability to local climate conditions which could result in higher damage to the forest stands.Invasiivne patogeen Lecanosticta acicola on mĂ€ndide (Pinus spp.) okkaid kahjustava seenhaiguse pruunvöötaud tekitaja. Nakatunud okkad varisevad enneaegselt, mis pĂ”hjustab puude juurdekasvu aeglustumist ja vĂ”ib ulatuslikuma kahjustuse tagajĂ€rjel viia puude hukkumiseni. Lecanosticta acicola pĂ€rineb PĂ”hja-Ameerikast, kuid möödunud sajandil levis patogeen inimtegevuse tulemusel ka Euroopasse ja Aasiasse. Esmalt leiti seent LĂ”una- ja Kesk-Euroopast, kĂ€esoleval sajandil on pruunvöötaudi levikuala aga hĂŒppeliselt laienenud, eriti just pĂ”hja poole ning seent esineb nĂŒĂŒdseks ka Balti riikides ning LĂ”una-Rootsis. Haiguse tĂ”ttu on PĂ”hja-Euroopas kannatanud peamiselt eksoot-mĂ€nniliigid, kuid nĂŒĂŒdseks on nakatunud juba ka looduslik harilik mĂ€nd (P. sylvestris). Seni on kahju harilikule mĂ€nnile olnud tagasihoidlik ja nakatunud on vaid haigete mĂ€gimĂ€ndide (P. mugo) vahetus lĂ€heduses kasvavad puud.
Lisaks PĂ”hja-Euroopale laieneb L. acicola levikuala ka LÀÀne-Aasia suunal. Doktoritöös dokumenteeriti patogeeni esmaleiud TĂŒrgis ja Gruusias. TĂŒrgis tuvastati pruunvöötaudi nakkus ka Liibanoni seedril (Cedrus libani), mis on esmakordne kinnitus, et L. acicola vĂ”ib nakatada ka teisi okaspuid mĂ€nniliste sugukonnas peale mĂ€nni perekonna liikide.
Lecanosticta acicola identseid geneetilisi tĂŒvesid tuvastati selliste vahemaade tagant, mida seen looduslikult levida ei suudaks, nĂ€iteks eri kontinentidel asuvast Kanadast ja Saksamaalt, kuid niisamuti erinevatest Euroopa riikidest. Molekulaargeneetilised uuringud tĂ”estasid, et pruunvöötaudi tekitaja on levinud PĂ”hja-Euroopasse valdavalt Kesk-Euroopast ja mitte otse kodumaalt, s.o Ameerikast. Seene PĂ”hja-Euroopa populatsioonides tuvastati seni arvatust suurem geneetiline mitmekesisus, mis on tĂ”enĂ€oliselt pĂ”hjustatud patogeeni mitmest eraldiseisvast introduktsioonist erinevatest lĂ€htepopulatsioonidest. Kuigi PĂ”hja-Euroopas esinevad patogeeni mĂ”lemad paarumistĂŒĂŒbid ja ilmselt toimub siin ka seene suguline paljunemine, siis domineerib siiski seene suguta paljunemine.
Tuginedes seene senisele levikule ning seda toetavatele kliimamuutustele vĂ”ib eeldada, et jĂ€tkub L. acicola levikuala edasine laienemine Euroopas, sealhulgas ka pĂ”hjasuunal. Oluline on vĂ€ltida patogeeni populatsioonide geneetilise mitmekesisuse suurenemist, mis vĂ”ib juhtuda nĂ€iteks nakatunud istutusmaterjaliga seene uute geneetiliste tĂŒvede sissetoomisel. See looks vĂ”imaluse kohalikele kliimatingimustele enamsobivate vĂ”i senisest virulentsemate patogeeni tĂŒvede tekkeks ja levikuks ning kahjustuse riski edasiseks suurenemiseks PĂ”hja-Euroopa metsades.Publication of this thesis is supported by the Estonian University of Life
Sciences and the European Unionâs European Regional Development Fund
(Estonian University of Life Sciences ASTRA project âValue-chain based
bioeconomyâ)
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