178 research outputs found
What drives capacity to innovate? Insights from women and men small-scale farmers in Africa, Asia, and Latin America
What are key characteristics of rural innovators? How are their experiences similar for women
and men, and how are they different? To examine these questions, we draw on individual
interviews with 336 rural women and men known in their communities for trying out new things
in agriculture. The data form part of 84 GENNOVATE community case studies from 19
countries. Building on study participants’ own reflections and experiences with innovation in
their agricultural livelihoods, we combine variable-oriented analysis and analysis of specific
individuals’ lived experience. Results indicate that factors related to personality and agency are
what most drive women’s and men’s capacity to innovate. Access to resources is not a
prerequisite but rather an important enabling aspect. Different types of women have great
potential for local innovation, but structural inequalities make men better positioned to access
resources and leverage support. Men’s support is important when women challenge the status
quo
Infrared and optical properties of pure and cobalt-doped LuNi_2B_2C
We present optical conductivity data for Lu(NiCo)BC over
a wide range of frequencies and temperatures for x=0 and x=0.09. Both materials
show evidence of being good Drude metals with the infrared data in reasonable
agreement with dc resistivity measurements at low frequencies. An absorption
threshold is seen at approximately 700 cm-1. In the cobalt-doped material we
see a superconducting gap in the conductivity spectrum with an absorption onset
at 24 +/- 2 cm-1 = 3.9$ +/- 0.4 k_BT_c suggestive of weak to moderately strong
coupling. The pure material is in the clean limit and no gap can be seen. We
discuss the data in terms of the electron-phonon interaction and find that it
can be fit below 600 cm-1 with a plasma frequency of 3.3 eV and an
electron-phonon coupling constant lambda_{tr}=0.33 using an alpha^{2}F(omega)
spectrum fit to the resistivity.Comment: 10 pages with 10 embedded figures, submitted to PR
Engaging fringe stakeholders in business and society research: applying visual participatory research methods
Business and society (B&S) researchers, as well as practitioners, have been critiqued for ignoring those with less voice and power (e.g. women, non-literate or indigenous peoples) often referred to as ‘fringe stakeholders’. Existing methods used in B&S research often fail to address issues of meaningful participation, voice and power, especially in developing countries. In this article we stress the utility of visual participatory research (VPR) methods in B&S research to fill this gap. Through a case study on engaging Ghanaian cocoa farmers on gender inequality issues we explore how VPR methods may be used by researchers to achieve more inclusive, and thus more credible, stakeholder research that can improve decision-making within businesses. Furthermore, we argue that ingrained social and environmental problems tackled by B&S research and the unique context in which they occur may open up new opportunities to develop participatory visual methods for social change
Elevated level of inhibin-α subunit is pro-tumourigenic and pro-metastatic and associated with extracapsular spread in advanced prostate cancer
The biological function of inhibin-α subunit (INHα) in prostate cancer (PCa) is currently unclear. A recent study associated elevated levels of INHα in PCa patients with a higher risk of recurrence. This prompted us to use clinical specimens and functional studies to investigate the pro-tumourigenic and pro-metastatic function of INHα. We conducted a cross-sectional study to determine a link between INHα expression and a number of clinicopathological parameters including Gleason score, surgical margin, extracapsular spread, lymph node status and vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-3 expression, which are well-established prognostic factors of PCa. In addition, using two human PCa cell lines (LNCaP and PC3) representing androgen-dependent and -independent PCa respectively, we investigated the biological function of elevated levels of INHα in advanced cancer. Elevated expression of INHα in primary PCa tissues showed a higher risk of PCa patients being positive for clinicopathological parameters outlined above. Over-expressing INHα in LNCaP and PC3 cells demonstrated two different and cell-type-specific responses. INHα-positive LNCaP demonstrated reduced tumour growth whereas INHα-positive PC3 cells demonstrated increased tumour growth and metastasis through the process of lymphangiogenesis. This study is the first to demonstrate a pro-tumourigenic and pro-metastatic function for INHα associated with androgen-independent stage of metastatic prostate disease. Our results also suggest that INHα expression in the primary prostate tumour can be used as a predictive factor for prognosis of PCa
Neutrophil extracellular traps are associated with disease severity and microbiota diversity in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Thermal conductivity of refractory glass fibres
In the present study, the current international
standards and corresponding apparatus for measuring the
thermal conductivity of refractory glass fibre products have
been reviewed. Refractory glass fibres are normally produced
in the form of low-density needled mats. A major
issue with thermal conductivity measurements of these
materials is lack of reproducibility in the test results due to
transformation of the test material during the test. Also
needled mats are inherently inhomogeneous, and this poses
additional problems. To be able to compare the various
methods of thermal conductivity measurement, a refractory
reference material was designed which is capable of
withstanding maximum test temperatures (1673 K) with
minimum transformation. The thermal conductivity of this
reference material was then measured using various
methods according to the different standards surveyed. In
order to compare different materials, samples have been
acquired from major refractory glass fibre manufacturers
and the results have been compared against the newly
introduced reference material. Materials manufactured by
melt spinning, melt blowing and sol–gel have been studied,
and results compared with literature values
The impact of a computerized decision aid on empowering pregnant women for choosing vaginal versus cesarean section delivery: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial
CONCEPTT: Continuous Glucose Monitoring in Women with Type 1 Diabetes in Pregnancy Trial: A multi-center, multi-national, randomized controlled trial - Study protocol.
BACKGROUND: Women with type 1 diabetes strive for optimal glycemic control before and during pregnancy to avoid adverse obstetric and perinatal outcomes. For most women, optimal glycemic control is challenging to achieve and maintain. The aim of this study is to determine whether the use of real-time continuous glucose monitoring (RT-CGM) will improve glycemic control in women with type 1 diabetes who are pregnant or planning pregnancy. METHODS/DESIGN: A multi-center, open label, randomized, controlled trial of women with type 1 diabetes who are either planning pregnancy with an HbA1c of 7.0 % to ≤10.0 % (53 to ≤ 86 mmol/mol) or are in early pregnancy (<13 weeks 6 days) with an HbA1c of 6.5 % to ≤10.0 % (48 to ≤ 86 mmol/mol). Participants will be randomized to either RT-CGM alongside conventional intermittent home glucose monitoring (HGM), or HGM alone. Eligible women will wear a CGM which does not display the glucose result for 6 days during the run-in phase. To be eligible for randomization, a minimum of 4 HGM measurements per day and a minimum of 96 hours total with 24 hours overnight (11 pm-7 am) of CGM glucose values are required. Those meeting these criteria are randomized to RT- CGM or HGM. A total of 324 women will be recruited (110 planning pregnancy, 214 pregnant). This takes into account 15 and 20 % attrition rates for the planning pregnancy and pregnant cohorts and will detect a clinically relevant 0.5 % difference between groups at 90 % power with 5 % significance. Randomization will stratify for type of insulin treatment (pump or multiple daily injections) and baseline HbA1c. Analyses will be performed according to intention to treat. The primary outcome is the change in glycemic control as measured by HbA1c from baseline to 24 weeks or conception in women planning pregnancy, and from baseline to 34 weeks gestation during pregnancy. Secondary outcomes include maternal hypoglycemia, CGM time in, above and below target (3.5-7.8 mmol/l), glucose variability measures, maternal and neonatal outcomes. DISCUSSION: This will be the first international multicenter randomized controlled trial to evaluate the impact of RT- CGM before and during pregnancy in women with type 1 diabetes. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01788527 Registration Date: December 19, 2012
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