Disappointed? That’s a sign you’re doing democracy

There has been surge in party membership in the weeks following Brexit and Will Brett welcomes the renewed engagement as a possible first step towards rebuilding the consent required for a functioning representative democracy. However, he warns that party politics requires patience and a willingness to compromise, and makes a plea to new members not just to participate, but to stick it out even in the face of disappointment or frustration

The people have spoken. Or have they? Doing referendums differently after the EU vote

Referendums have become a central feature of our politics, writes Will Brett. In this extract from the Electoral Reform Society‘s report on the lessons learned from the Brexit vote, he sets out the shortcomings of the EU referendum and proposes how to improve the quality of debate next time – including intervention when campaigners make misleading claims, a ‘toolkit’ for voters and more deliberative, less confrontational media debates

Managing the business challenges of COVID-19: the voice of leading academics

Leading academics in economics, management, and behavioural science, and leaders in major London businesses took part in a roundtable discussion in which they shared insights and ideas on how businesses can meet and adapt to the profound challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic. The event, hosted jointly by LSE and the Confederation of Business Industry (CBI), took place on 22 [...

Taking stories: The ethics of cross-cultural community conservation research in Samburu, Kenya

Biodiversity is under threat at a global level, and many of the most biodiverse hotspots are in developing regions of the world. In many of these communities, livelihoods are often dependent on the same natural landscapes that support biodiversity. As a result, achieving global conservation and development goals is a priority in these regions, and therefore they attract the interest of both local and international researchers. However, research by outside, Western-based researchers can present ethical and practical challenges in these areas. Fortunately, community-based participatory research (CBPR), if managed well, can contribute to responsible conservation research in these regions. In this article, we investigate strategies to address ethical issues associated with cross-cultural conservation and development research. Our analysis draws on the experiences of a women’s village in northern Kenya and six Western researchers. Using qualitative methodologies, we identify common themes in ethical conservation and develop research including critical consciousness, relationship-building, reciprocity, and adaptive research processes. We discuss the implications for ethical CBPR and, specifically, the need for both researchers and funders to only conduct such research if they can devote the resources required to do so ethically.&nbsp

Applications of advanced metrology for understanding the effects of drying temperature in the lithium-ion battery electrode manufacturing process

The performance of lithium-ion batteries is determined by the architecture and properties of electrodes formed during manufacturing, particularly in the drying process when solvent is removed and the electrode structure is formed. Temperature is one of the most dominant parameters that influences the process, and therefore a comparison of temperature effects on both NMC622-based cathodes (PVDF-based binder) and graphite-based anodes (water-based binder) dried at RT, 60, 80, 100 and 120 °C has been undertaken. X-ray computed tomography showed that NMC622 particles concentrated at the surface of the cathode coating except when dried at 60 °C. However, anodes showed similar graphite distributions at all temperatures. The discharge capacities for the cathodes dried at 60, 80, 100 and 120 °C displayed the following trend: 60 °C < 80 °C < 100 °C < 120 °C as C-rate was increased which was consistent with the trends found in adhesion testing between 60 and 120 °C. Focused-ion beam scanning electrode microscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy suggested that the F-rich binder distribution was largely insensitive to temperature for cathodes. In contrast, conductivity enhancing fine carbon agglomerated on the upper surface of the active NMC particles in the cathode as temperature increased. The cathode dried at RT had the highest adhesion force of 0.015 N mm−1 and the best electrochemical rate performance. Conversely, drying temperature had no significant effect on the electrochemical performance of the anode, which was consistent with only a relatively small change in the adhesion, related to the use of lower adhesion water-based binders

The prevalence of disordered eating in elite male and female soccer players

PurposeTo examine the prevalence of disordered eating (DE) in elite male and female soccer players and the influence of perfectionism.MethodsUsing a cross-sectional design, elite male (n = 137) and female (n = 70) soccer players and non-athlete controls (n = 179) completed the clinical perfectionism questionnaire (CPQ-12) and the eating attitudes test (EAT-26) to assess perfectionism and DE risk, respectively.ResultsMale soccer players had higher EAT-26 scores than controls (10.4 ± 9.9 vs. 6.8 ± 6.7; P = 0.001), but there were no differences in the prevalence of clinical levels of DE (EAT-26 score ≥ 20) (15 vs. 5%, respectively; X2 = 0.079) The proportion of females with DE risk was higher in controls [EAT-26: 13.9 ± 11.6 (25% of population)] than female players [EAT-26: 10.0 ± 9.0% (11% of population)] (X2 = 0.001). With linear regression, perfectionism explained 20% of the variation in DE risk in males (P = 0.001); in females, athletic status (player vs. control) and perfectionism were significant predictors of DE risk, explaining 21% of the variation (P = 0.001). Male reserve team players had higher EAT-26 (+ 3.5) and perfectionism (+ 2.7) scores than first-team players (P ConclusionsThe prevalence of DE risk was not different in elite male and female soccer players; in fact, the prevalence was greatest in non-athlete female controls. Perfectionism is a significant predictor of DE risk in males and females.Level of evidenceIII, case–control study.</div

Establishing a marine monitoring programme to assess antibiotic resistance: a case study from the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region

The World Health Organization considers antimicrobial resistance as one of the most pressing global issues which poses a fundamental threat to human health, development, and security. Due to demographic and environmental factors, the marine environment of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region may be particularly susceptible to the threat of antimicrobial resistance. However, there is currently little information on the presence of AMR in the GCC marine environment to inform the design of appropriate targeted surveillance activities. The objective of this study was to develop, implement and conduct a rapid regional baseline monitoring survey of the presence of AMR in the GCC marine environment, through the analysis of seawater collected from high-risk areas across four GCC states: (Bahrain, Oman, Kuwait, and the United Arab Emirates). 560 Escherichia coli strains were analysed as part of this monitoring programme between December 2018 and May 2019. Multi-drug resistance (resistance to three or more structural classes of antimicrobials) was observed in 32.5% of tested isolates. High levels of reduced susceptibility to ampicillin (29.6%), nalidixic acid (27.9%), tetracycline (27.5%), sulfamethoxazole (22.5%) and trimethoprim (22.5%) were observed. Reduced susceptibility to the high priority critically important antimicrobials: azithromycin (9.3%), ceftazidime (12.7%), cefotaxime (12.7%), ciprofloxacin (44.6%), gentamicin (2.7%) and tigecycline (0.5%), was also noted. A subset of 173 isolates was whole genome sequenced, and high carriage rates of qnrS1 (60/173) and bla CTX-M-15 (45/173) were observed, correlating with reduced susceptibility to the fluoroquinolones and third generation cephalosporins, respectively. This study is important because of the resistance patterns observed, the demonstrated utility in applying genomic-based approaches to routine microbiological monitoring, and the overall establishment of a transnational AMR surveillance framework focussed on coastal and marine environments

Chickasaw plum for wildlife in Oklahoma

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