Scaling Impact in the Health Sector

This essay examines possible routes to achieving significant health improvements in the underserved populations of developing countries. It argues that unconventional strategies, largely outside the health sector as conventionally defined, have the greatest potential to scale sustainably. The essay describes two such strategies—nutrition and safe drinking water. In particular, the essay argues that impact investors focused on social enterprises can best maximize their health impact by looking closely at the strategies described herein

Advocacy Journalism, the Politics of Humanitarian Intervention and the Syrian War

Since 2011, the international media have done much to highlight the suffering of civilians in the on-going war in Syria, through innovative forms of reporting such as VR journalism and news games. However, by the end of 2016, questions were being raised about a number of high-profile news stories, such as the use of chemical weapons, the role of the ‘White Helmets’ relief workers and the bombing of Aleppo and other cities. Amid the claims and counter- claims of propaganda and ‘fake news’, news audiences glimpsed shifting and clashing explanatory framings of the Syrian war. A conflict that had initially been understood against the background of the ‘Arab Spring’ began to be seen as complicated by sectarian religious tensions, the rise of Islamic State, opaque factional and regional alliances, and international tensions reminiscent of the Cold War. An imperative to establish a moral framework for the story seemed to preclude more complex and searching questions about the motivations and actions of local and international actors

Innovation Dynamics, Best Practices, and Trends in the Off-Grid Clean Energy Market

n 2008, the authors of this article developed a “sector strategy” for the Global Social Benefit Incubator (GSBI) at Santa Clara University with the purpose of facilitating collaborative learning between BoP ventures, technology and business model innovation, and positive ecologies for cluster development. This article summarizes insights from the GSBI’s involvement with 60 ventures in the BoP clean energy sector

Innovation Dynamics, Best Practices, and Trends in the Off-Grid Clean Energy Market

En 2008, los autores de este artículo desarrollaron una “estrate- gia del sector” para la Global Social Benefit Incubator (GSBI) en la Santa Clara University, con el fin de facilitar el aprendizaje colaborativo entre las empresas de la base de la pirámide (BoP), la tecnología y la innovación del modelo de negocio, y las ecologías positivas para el desarrollo de clusters. Este artículo resume puntos de vista de la participación del GSBI con 60 empresas del sector de la energía limpia en la BoP.In 2008, the authors of this article developed a “sector strategy” for the Global Social Benefit Incubator (GSBI) at Santa Clara University with the purpose of facilitating collaborative learning between BoP ventures, technology and business model innovation, and positive ecologies for cluster development. This article summarizes insights from the GSBI’s involvement with 60 ventures in the BoP clean energy sector

Bifunctional Lewis and Brønsted acidic zeolites permit the continuous production of bio-renewable furanic ethers

The catalytic valorisation of bio-renewable feedstock often relies upon multi-stage processing of highly-functionalised substrates, resulting in selectivity and processs engineering challenges. Herein, we demonstrate that a bifunctional zeolitic material, containing both Lewis and Brønsted acid sites in a single catalytic material, permits the continuous production of bio-renewable furanic ethers, such as (butoxy)methyl furan, which possess potential as fuel additives. In contrast to mono-functional catalysts and physical mixtures thereof, the bifunctional Sn- and Al-containing BEA zeolite results in uniquely-high levels of activity, selectivity and stability. Optimal results were obtained over a bifunctional catalyst containing 2 wt.% Sn and 0.5 wt.% Al, prepared by modified solid state incorporation, which was highly selective (> 75 %) to the deisred ether for over 107 h on stream, and for over 3000 substrate turnovers

The calibration of photographic and spectroscopic films: The response of 2aO film to small dosages of alpha particles from 3/10th's rad to 8 rads at energy levels 153 MeV, 79 MeV and 47 MeV

The 2aO film, pre-exposed to a series of neutral density filters which on development under standard conditions will produce the standard H-D curve for that film, were then exposed to Alpha paricles with a dose range of 3/10ths rads to 8 rads while varying the energy of the particles using 153 MeV, 70 MeV, and 47 MeV, respectively. An analysis of the film shows that the 3/10th rad dose produces the lowest optical density changes at 70 MeV and 47 MeV. While the optical density readings for the darker patterns seem to oscillate and decrease when exposed to radiation dosages of 3/10th rads to 8 rads

A cross-sectional survey investigating the desensitisation of graphic health warning labels and their impact on smokers, non-smokers and patients with COPD in a London cohort.

OBJECTIVES: There is a lack of evidence regarding the effectiveness of graphic health warning labels (GHWL) in different individuals, including patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Investigating knowledge and attitudes may allow better implementation of future public health policies. We hypothesised that differences in the impact of GHWL exist between non-smokers, smokers and patients with COPD, with decreased efficacy in those groups who are longer and more frequently exposed to them. PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING: 163 participants (54% male, aged 21-80) including 60 non-smokers, 53 smokers and 50 patients with COPD (Gold stage II-IV), attending London respiratory outpatient clinics, participated in case-controlled surveys (50 items). OUTCOME MEASURES: Ten different GHWL were shown and demographics, smoking history, plans to quit, smoking-risk awareness, emotional response, processing and impact of GHWL on behaviour were recorded. Patients were further asked to prioritise the hypothetical treatment or prevention of five specific smoking-related diseases. RESULTS: Smokers, in particular those with COPD, were less susceptible to GHWL than non-smokers; 53.4% of all participants expressed fear when looking at GHWL, non-smokers (71.9%) more so than smokers (39.8%, p<0.001). COPD participants were less aware of the consequences than non-COPD participants (p<0.001), including an awareness of lung cancer (p=0.001). Lung cancer (95%), oral cancer (90.2%), heart disease (84.7%) and stroke (71.2%) were correctly associated with smoking, whereas blindness was least associated (23.9%). However, blindness was prioritised over oral cancer, stroke and in patients with COPD also over heart disease when participants were asked about hypothetical treatment or prevention. CONCLUSIONS: GHWL are most effective in non-smokers and a desensitisation effect was observed in smokers and patients with COPD. As a consequence, a tailored and concerted public health approach to use such messages is required and 'blindness' deserves to be mentioned in this context because of an unexpectedly high-deterring impact

Future-Proofed Energy Design Approaches for Achieving Low-Energy Homes: Enhancing the Code for Sustainable Homes

Under the label “future-proofing”, this paper examines the temporal component of sustainable construction as an unexplored, yet fundamental ingredient in the delivery of low-energy domestic buildings. The overarching aim is to explore the integration of future-proofed design approaches into current mainstream construction practice in the UK, focusing on the example of the Code for Sustainable Homes (CSH) tool. Regulation has been the most significant driver for achieving the 2016 zero-carbon target; however, there is a gap between the appeal for future-proofing and the lack of effective implementation by building professionals. Even though the CSH was introduced as the leading tool to drive the “step-change” required for achieving zero-carbon new homes by 2016 and the single national standard to encourage energy performance beyond current statutory minima, it lacks assessment criteria that explicitly promote a futures perspective. Based on an established conceptual model of future-proofing, 14 interviews with building practitioners in the UK were conducted to identify the “feasible” and “reasonably feasible” future-proofed design approaches with the potential to enhance the “Energy and CO2 Emissions” category of the CSH. The findings are categorised under three key aspects; namely: coverage of sustainability issues; adopting lifecycle thinking; and accommodating risks and uncertainties and seek to inform industry practice and policy-making in relation to building energy performance