From ‘docker’ to ‘terminal operator': work and employment change in the Port of London 1989 to 2002

The National Dock Labour Scheme had protected British dockers and had provided a definition of "dock work'. Technical innovations in cargoes handling, especially containerisation, however, had altered how dock work was performed and had reduced the numbers of men needed. This had exacerbated problems in an industry notorious for its contentious industrial relations and had helped persuade the 1979-1997 Conservative government to deregulate the ports industry. The Scheme was abolished in 1989 and trade union derecognition followed. This thesis plots work and employment change in the Port of London between abolition in 1989 and the first test of recognition under the 1999 Employment Relations Act (ERA) in 2002. It is based on responses to a survey devised for this investigation and on interviews and conversations with both employers and cargo handlers working in the Port. Technical innovation had not only changed the nature of dock work but had also changed the area of competition. Abolition had allowed employers to remain competitive by introducing changes in work organisation - contractual functional and temporal flexibility, for example - and by segmenting the workforce. Men working in the Port experienced these changes as a decline in terms and conditions; this was especially true for the redundant dockers in the "new' temporary docks labour force, who had seen their employment change from secure to insecure. From about the mid-1990s, men working at various terminals had been able to regain some control over the labour process; this, however, had been outside union organisation. Although the main dock workers Branch had sustained organisation throughout the 1990s, it had suffered a decline in both numbers and power. Two Port employers had volunteered recognition under ERA. During the period covered by this research, however, this had seen only minor improvements in industrial relations

Educational Experiences of Emancipated Foster Youth: An Exploratory Study

The data obtained in this qualitative study focused on the educational experiences of youth formerly in foster care after graduation from high school from the viewpoint of the youth. Data were gathered from interviews from 10 participants. Themes included: (a) How do youth emancipated from foster care perceive their educational experiences? (b) What could teachers have done differently to assist the foster youth when he/she first arrived in the classroom or when he/she was moving to another placement? (c) What did teacher do to help the foster youth feel welcomed and part of the classroom community? Interviews were conducted and used predetermined questions. The answers were recorded and transcribed. The transcripts were evaluated for themes. The themes included: a) There were supportive adults in the lives of the participants, which included school staff or a foster parent. b) The effect of school behaviors, both positive and negative, and the relationship of those behaviors to placement stability. c) Feelings about school experiences including a feeling of normalcy and the inability to feel successful. d) School staff\u27s knowledge of a participant while placed in foster care, which included knowledge of and no knowledge of being a foster child. e) The impact of classroom teachers was evident including easy or difficult transitions into the classroom. f) Participating in the study to help children in foster care consider their educational process with subcategories including positive aspects of foster care, self-advocacy, communication, transition services, and ameliorating negative feelings. The results for this study included the perceptions of the former youth in foster care about his/her educational experiences. The results of the study demonstrated the need to fill the gap in the current literature about the experience of youth in foster care and provide a basis for further investigations related to the schools, social work agencies, caseworkers, and foster families can support youth in foster care in promoting positive outcomes in their educational experiences

«...aber original Fan-Fic würde ich geschrieben definieren.»: Intermedialität als dynamischer Raum für Fan-Fiction

Zusammenfassung Der Beitrag behandelt die Wahrnehmung der Fan-Fiction durch die involvierten Akteur*innen und fragt danach, wie diese die Grenzen des Kanons be- und verhandeln.Dabei sollen in einem ersten Schritt die medialen Grenzen von Fan-Fiction betrachtet werden. Um diese Grenzen zu erkunden und deren Möglichkeiten aufzuzeigen, werden diverse mediale sowie Inhaltliche Mischformen von Fan-Fiction skizziert. Hierbei liegt der Fokus auf dem Gedanken einer Hybridisierung, vor allem auf medialer Ebene. Durch diese Multimedialität soll nicht bloss eine Geschichte erzählt, sondern viel mehr ein multisensorisches Erlebnis für die Konsument*innen kreiert werden. Da die verschiedenen Plattformen unterschiedliche mediale Möglichkeiten bieten, finden auf den jeweiligen Plattformen auch individuelle Aushandlungen statt. Diese führen durch die Interaktion zwischen den Produzent*innen und Konsument*innen dazu, dass Fan-Fiction in seiner medialen Form immer stärker auf die Individuellen Bedürfnisse abgestimmt wird und somit auch stärker in den Alltag der Konsument*innen integriert ist

Isolation and characterization of mesophile pla-degrading bacteria from landfill soil

Polylactic acid (PLA) is a biopolymer introduced as an alternative to petroleum-based plastics. However, when PLA is discarded in landfills, it will not degrade entirely because it is optimally degraded in thermophilic conditions. Therefore, the isolation and characterization of PLA-degrading bacteria from landfill soil were conducted. The objectives of this study were to isolate and characterize PLA-degrading bacteria from local landfill soil at mesophilic temperature. The soil sample was collected from a landfill site in Pekan, Pahang, and the isolation process was done via serial dilution up to a dilution factor (DF) of 10-10. The results revealed that two isolates, designated as B8A and A10B, were selected and identified as Brevibacillus parabrevis and Renibaterium salmoninarum, respectively. From the results, both isolates were further characterized in this study. The characterization of bacterial isolates was conducted through morphological studies, Gram staining, the catalase test, the presence of the protease enzyme, and relative enzyme activity. Isolate B8A has punctiform morphological characteristics, including a flat elevation and a curled margin. In comparison, isolate A10B was morphologically characterized as having a circular form, flat elevation, and entire margin. Isolates B8A and A10B were also gram-positive and catalase-positive. When streaked on skim milk agar, both isolates displayed halo zone formation, confirming the presence of the protease enzyme secreted by the bacteria. A10B showed a high relative enzyme activity of 3.86, while isolate B8A is slightly lower at 1.33. Isolates B8A and A10B were further characterized by observing the growth curves and enzyme activities for protease, lipase, and amylase enzymes. For the enzyme assays, the protease enzyme shows the highest activity at 120.45 ± 1.04 U/mL and 114.49 ± 0.37 U/mL for isolates A10B and B8A, respectively. Meanwhile, lipase activity for A10B was 9.23 ± 0.02 U/mL and 15.36 ± 0.01 U/mL for B8A. The lowest enzyme activity was amylase, with 6.56 ± 0.003 U/mL and 3.17 ± 0.001 U/mL, respectively, for A10B and B8A. Under optimised conditions (55 ± 5 % moisture content, pH 7.5 ± 0.5), the isolates were tested for their PLA biodegradability in soil for a duration of 8 weeks. The biodegradation test of PLA buried in soil inoculated with isolate A10B recorded a weight loss of 32.6%, while isolate B8A recorded a weight loss of 37.8% from the initial PLA weight. These PLA samples were sent for SEM analysis and compared to the initial film, which showed decomposition signs on the PLA surface, therefore proving the ability of both isolates to degrade PLA in buried soil. In conclusion, this research demonstrates that both bacteria Brevibacillus parabrevis and Renibaterium salmoninarum have the potential to degrade PLA at mesophilic temperatures, which suggests that further research in this field may help develop novel bioremediation techniques, enhance current methods, and develop new pathways for recovering PLA polymers using bacteria

Effects of social disruption in elephants persist decades after culling.

BACKGROUND Multi-level fission-fusion societies, characteristic of a number of large brained mammal species including some primates, cetaceans and elephants, are among the most complex and cognitively demanding animal social systems. Many free-ranging populations of these highly social mammals already face severe human disturbance, which is set to accelerate with projected anthropogenic environmental change. Despite this, our understanding of how such disruption affects core aspects of social functioning is still very limited. RESULTS We now use novel playback experiments to assess decision-making abilities integral to operating successfully within complex societies, and provide the first systematic evidence that fundamental social skills may be significantly impaired by anthropogenic disruption. African elephants (Loxodonta africana) that had experienced separation from family members and translocation during culling operations decades previously performed poorly on systematic tests of their social knowledge, failing to distinguish between callers on the basis of social familiarity. Moreover, elephants from the disrupted population showed no evidence of discriminating between callers when age-related cues simulated individuals on an increasing scale of social dominance, in sharp contrast to the undisturbed population where this core social ability was well developed. CONCLUSIONS Key decision-making abilities that are fundamental to living in complex societies could be significantly altered in the long-term through exposure to severely disruptive events (e.g. culling and translocation). There is an assumption that wildlife responds to increasing pressure from human societies only in terms of demography, however our study demonstrates that the effects may be considerably more pervasive. These findings highlight the potential long-term negative consequences of acute social disruption in cognitively advanced species that live in close-knit kin-based societies, and alter our perspective on the health and functioning of populations that have been subjected to anthropogenic disturbance

The specialist breast care nurse\u27s role in the indentification and minimisation of distress in a members\u27 only, breast cancer focused online support community

Objectives: To show how a specialist breast care nurse (SBCN) can use the distress thermometer to determine an online community member’s distress level and then use the information in their posts and blogs to identify the cause(s) and deal with them appropriately. To highlight the use of a structured written emotional expression (SWEE) format online, as a way of minimising distress. Method: A survey of online community members together with analysis of the content of members’ posts and blogs to determine whether their distress thermometer score had decreased since the SBCN had been online to deal with member distress. Results: The survey showed that four of the survey participants who completed the survey N=30 had completed a SWEE, been personal messaged by the SBCN about their distress thermometer score and declared that the information and advice they received had been instrumental in decreasing their distress score. It was not possible to identify whether a SWEE made any difference to the Distress Score. Conclusion : The SBCN can use the Distress Thermometer tool online to screen for member distress and deal with this distress through information, advice and support or referral to another health professional. A DT scores should be repeated before and after each of the breast cancer treatment stages so that appropriate interventions can be put in place to minimise or prevent the member’s distress. Specialist nurses in other specialised nursing areas can use the distress thermometer to measure and address the problems/issues causing support community members distress. That the content of a SWEE is one way in which members can document and vent about the problems causing their distress and this information can be used by the nurse to put in place appropriate solution or provide advice and support

Munchausen by Internet and nursing practice : An ethnonetnographic case study

This paper used Feldman’s clues to factitious illness behavior on the Internet (FIBI), to determine whether the online behaviour of one member of an online breast cancer support community www. breastcancerclick.com , moderated by a specialist breast cancer nurse (SBCN), could be Munchausen by Internet (MBI) and why identification of this behaviour is important for online nursing practice. This was a focused ethnonetnographic and qualitative research study whereby the online behaviour of one member was observed and compared with Feldman’s clues to factitious behaviour on the Internet. The online data showed that nine out of ten of Feldman’s clues were applicable to the member’s behavior in the Click online community. The relevance of these findings are discussed in relation to the effects this behaviour can have on other community members, the attendant legal ramifications and the necessity for nurses and other health professionals, who are employed or who participate in online support communities, to be aware of this behaviour and how to recognize it

A Framework for Protecting and Promoting Employee Mental Health through Supervisor Supportive Behaviors

The attention to workplace mental health is timely given extreme levels of burnout, anxiety, depression and trauma experienced by workers due to serious extraorganizational stressors – the COVID-19 pandemic, threats to climate change, and extreme social and political unrest. Workplace-based risk factors, such as high stress and low support, are contributing factors to poor mental health and suicidality (Choi, 2018; Milner et al., 2013, 2018), just as low levels of social connectedness and belonging are established risk factors for poor mental health (Joiner et al., 2009), suggesting that social support at work (e.g., from supervisors) may be a key approach to protecting and promoting employee mental health. Social connections provide numerous benefits for health outcomes and are as, or more, important to mortality as other well-known health behaviors such as smoking and alcohol consumption (Holt-Lundstad et al., 2015), and can serve as a resource or buffer against the deleterious effects of stress or strain on psychological health (Cohen & Wills, 1985). This manuscript provides an evidence-based framework for understanding how supervisor supportive behaviors can serve to protect employees against psychosocial workplace risk factors and promote social connection and belongingness protective factors related to employee mental health. We identify six theoretically-based Mental Health Supportive Supervisor Behaviors (MHSSB; i.e., emotional support, practical support, role modeling, reducing stigma, warning sign recognition, warning sign response) that can be enacted and used by supervisors and managers to protect and promote the mental health of employees. A brief overview of mental health, mental disorders, and workplace mental health is provided. This is followed by the theoretical grounding and introduction of MHSSB. Suggestions for future research and practice follow, all with the focus of developing a better understanding of the role of supervisors in protecting and promoting employee mental health in the workplace

Assessing Ozone-Related Health Impacts under a Changing Climate

Climate change may increase the frequency and intensity of ozone episodes in future summers in the United States. However, only recently have models become available that can assess the impact of climate change on O(3) concentrations and health effects at regional and local scales that are relevant to adaptive planning. We developed and applied an integrated modeling framework to assess potential O(3)-related health impacts in future decades under a changing climate. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration–Goddard Institute for Space Studies global climate model at 4° × 5° resolution was linked to the Penn State/National Center for Atmospheric Research Mesoscale Model 5 and the Community Multiscale Air Quality atmospheric chemistry model at 36 km horizontal grid resolution to simulate hourly regional meteorology and O(3) in five summers of the 2050s decade across the 31-county New York metropolitan region. We assessed changes in O(3)-related impacts on summer mortality resulting from climate change alone and with climate change superimposed on changes in O(3) precursor emissions and population growth. Considering climate change alone, there was a median 4.5% increase in O(3)-related acute mortality across the 31 counties. Incorporating O(3) precursor emission increases along with climate change yielded similar results. When population growth was factored into the projections, absolute impacts increased substantially. Counties with the highest percent increases in projected O(3) mortality spread beyond the urban core into less densely populated suburban counties. This modeling framework provides a potentially useful new tool for assessing the health risks of climate change

PLA Degradation and PLA-Degrading Bacteria: A Mini-Review Journal: Key Engineering Materials

Polylactic acid (PLA) is not new to the world of science, since the application of PLA can be found in various industries such as biomedical, agricultural, and packaging. Despite the amazing properties shown by PLA, it still has a setback in terms of waste disposal of PLA. Since PLA is more resistant towards bacterial attack, it prolonged the decomposition of PLA disposed in the environment. Therefore, PLA microbial degradation and enzymatic degradation needs to be highlighted since most PLA waste will end up in the landfill. Most PLA-degrading can be found in the genus family Amycolatopsis, and a few can be found in the genus Lentzea, Kibdelosporangium, Paecilomyces, Thermomonospora, and Thermopolyspora. The enzymatic degradation of PLA is mostly studied relating to enzyme proteinase K, serine protease, and even hydrolase. This review paper aims to discuss the microbial degradation mechanism of PLA as well as the types of microorganisms and enzymes that involve in the biodegradation of PLA