Free to retransmit: time for a new model for PSB content?

What should the relationship be between public service broadcasters (PSBs) and distribution platforms such as Sky, and how can the existing model of sharing content best be reformed? In this post, Tom Evens, Senior Researcher at Ghent University and Visiting Fellow at LSE, reflects on the 2015 consultation paper issued by the UK Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS)

The interrelationship between phagocytosis, autophagy and formation of neutrophil extracellular traps following infection of human neutrophils by Streptococcus pneumoniae

Neutrophils play an important role in the innate immune response to infection with Streptococcus pneumoniae, the pneumococcus. Pneumococci are phagocytosed by neutrophils and undergo killing after ingestion. Other cellular processes may also be induced, including autophagy and the formation of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs), which may play a role in bacterial eradication. We set out to determine how these different processes interacted following pneumococcal infection of neutrophils, and the role of the major pneumococcal toxin pneumolysin in these various pathways. We found that pneumococci induced autophagy in neutrophils in a type III phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase dependent fashion that also required the autophagy gene Atg5. Pneumolysin did not affect this process. Phagocytosis was inhibited by pneumolysin but enhanced by autophagy, while killing was accelerated by pneumolysin but inhibited by autophagy. Pneumococci induced extensive NET formation in neutrophils that was not influenced by pneumolysin but was critically dependent on autophagy. While pneumolysin did not affect NET formation, it had a potent inhibitory effect on bacterial trapping within NETs. These findings show a complex interaction between phagocytosis, killing, autophagy and NET formation in neutrophils following pneumococcal infection that contribute to host defence against this pathogen

The Effects of Static Stretching on Vertical Jump Performance

The vertical jump can play a significant role for many athletes in various competitive sports. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect that passive static stretching has on various athletes from various sports. The athletes were asked to perform a certain amount of jumps with no stretching routine and a set of jumps with a stretching routine. The results calculated for this study did show to have a statistically significant difference between jumping with stretching and jumping without stretching

Diagnosis and management of sepsis

Sepsis is a common condition with high morbidity and mortality. Although many patients may require critical care, this article considers the features of sepsis that are of most relevance to acute general physicians. Recently updated definitions of sepsis and septic shock have been proposed which better identify patients who are likely to have a poor outcome, and therefore give an opportunity to escalate care. Despite these advances, there is still no molecular signature able to diagnose sepsis. Pathogenesis is complex, with many immune and non-immune mediators involved. Four key areas are endothelial dysfunction, coagulation abnormalities, alterations in cell function and dysregulated cardiovascular responses. No specific therapy targeting the mediators of sepsis has yet proven effective. Prompt administration of appropriate antibiotics is of benefit, together with fluid resuscitation and oxygen

Implementation of a Conference-Wide Church Planting Strategy Within the Texas Conference

Problem. Recent statistics reveal that Texas has eight of the 15 most rapidly growing large cities in the United States. Annual growth rates for Texas are double the average for the rest of the United States. Due to a strong economy and a reasonable cost of living, both documented and undocumented immigration is on the rise. People in transition are more open to the gospel, but there needs to be a plan to reach them. Between 1995 and 2001, Texas added 18 churches (an average of only 2.6 churches per year). Based on 200 churches and companies, the average increase was only 1.3 percent per year. The addition of churches is not keeping pace with the population growth. This project seeks to develop a church planting strategy to reach Texas’ growing population. Method. A strategy for church planting was initiated in the Texas Conference with an emphasis on lay-led churches that were pastor coached. Various methods of vision-casting were utilized to inspire church planting conference-wide. Support systems were developed to meet the needs of church planters and the church plants. The effectiveness of the project was evaluated through tracking growth trends, church plant survivability, and Natural Church Development (NCD) survey results. Results. From 2002 to 2010, 114 new churches were planted in the Texas Conference. These church plants were worshipping every Sabbath at the close of the project in 2010. In 2010, a study was done of the churches started from 2002 to 2006. The survival rate was 87 percent. This exceeds the average of other denominations, which is 68 percent after four years. Healthy mother churches and consistent, quality coaching contributed to the high survivability. In 2009, new church plants (excluding groups in development) produced $3,669,548 in tithe and baptized 482 people. Extensive research was conducted by NCD International in Germany of established churches compared to church plants in the Texas Conference. Established churches had a cumulative average score of 50.8, which is slightly above the average of 50, while church plants had a cumulative average score of 66.7. A score above 65 places the level of health in the top 15 percent of all churches surveyed in the United States. Conclusion. Church planting is evangelism at its best. It brings out the pioneering spirit and creates within those involved a greater dependency on God. Taking territory for God will incite enemy attack. These obstacles become an opportunity to witness God working powerfully. Strategy is good and necessary, but God-dependence is better. As a conference, the most important role is to provide a support system for those engaged in this frontline work. Ensuring the involvement of a mother church, providing a consistent coaching relationship with a supportive pastor, offering ongoing training, and expressing appreciation, all go a long way to show church planters that they are well supported. This partnership of conference, pastor, and lay leaders can and will result in great advances for God’s kingdom. Future. Development Following the close of this project in 2010, further resources were developed to enhance the support of church planting. In 2011, I completed a church planting manual entitled Steps to Church Planting: From Inception to Launch. This tool assists core groups during their incubation period, as they develop their church plant strategy ahead of their opening Sabbath. In 2012, a training program for church plant coaches was introduced: “Church Plant Coaching Certification.” The certification involves a six month follow-up in the local field coaching a church planter and church plant. Further resources are yet to be developed, including a workshop on bi-vocational church planting and church-planter assessment. Visit nadei.org for the latest developments

社会生態システムの空間的レジリアンス ― ザンビア南部州における世帯レベルのリスクと対処戦略 ―

Spatial relationships and spatial interactions affect the resilience in social-ecological systems in complex ways. This report reviews relevant literature to demonstrate the utility of a spatial perspective for the analysis of resilience in social-ecological systems, and provides selective examples from preliminary analysis of the extensive household survey in the Eastern Province (Zambia). We employ the term “spatial resilience” to characterize how spatial arrangement, spatial interactions and spatial context relate to the resilience of smallholders to climate variability. We also present a basic framework for transitioning this preliminary work to a more comprehensive analysis of the Eastern and Southern Province study areas.和文のものは、英文の報告の内容を要約したものとなってい

Assessing the capability of the Wilshire equations in predicting uniaxial creep curves: An application to Waspaloy

It is important to be able to predict creep strains in aeroengine so as to enable small punch disc test results to be related to uniaxial creep test results using finite element models. The capability of the Wilshire equation to interpolate creep curves was assessed using creep tests on Waspaloy. This assessment required modifying the Wilshire equation for time to strains so that the parameters of this equation could be predicted as a function of strain in a way that did not allow predicted creep curves to double back on themselves. An artificial neural network was used to achieve this. It was found that the modified model was capable of interpolating the shape and the end points of the experimental creep curves. These modifications enabled the activation energy to be measured and it was found that the activation energy is dependent upon the average internal stress and thus strain