Ethnographies of Volunteering: Providing Nuance to the Links Between Volunteering and Development

This paper explores how ethnographic approaches to third sector and nonprofit studies allow for context-based understandings of the links between volunteering and development. Drawing from our ethnographies of volunteering in Sierra Leone, Burundi and the Philippines, we argue that ethnographic methods could tease out local ideologies and practices of volunteer work that can challenge knowledge monopolies over how volunteering is understood and, later, transcribed into development policy and practice at various levels. The contribution of ethnography as a methodology to third sector research lies not only in the in-depth data it generates but also in the kind of ethos and disposition it requires of scholars—providing attention to issues of power and voice and leaning into the unpredictability of the research process

Transcribing "Le Pèlerinage de Damoiselle Sapience": Scholarly Editing Covid19-Style

This article describes a methodological experiment conducted during the 13th Annual (Virtual) Schoenberg Symposium on Manuscript Studies in the Digital Age, hosted by the University of Pennsylvania, November 18–20, 2020. The experiment consisted of a “relay style” event in which three teams transcribed, revised, and prepared for submission to this journal a full edition of the “Le Pèlerinage de Damoiselle Sapience” and other texts from UPenn Ms Codex 660, ff. 86r–95v within the three-day timespan of the conference. The project used methods typical of crowdsourcing and drew participants from all over the world and from all different stages of their careers. After one group completed its work, the results were passed into the hands of the next. The final result—in the form of a finished manuscript edition, ready for submission to Digital Medievalist—was presented on the last day of the conference. The main purpose of this experiment was to demonstrate how the work of the transcriber and editor might be structured as a short-term digital event that relied wholly on virtual interactions with both the source materials and among collaborators. This method also reveals the positive aspects of the many challenges posed by working simultaneously, remotely, and globally

Symposium on Assessing the Economic Impact of Nanotechnology: Synthesis Report

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the United States National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI) held an international symposium, Assessing the Economic Impact of Nanotechnology, in March 2012. Hosted by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) in Washington DC, it brought together participants from the public and private sectors with expertise all along the nanotechnology value chain - scientists, engineers, policy analysts, private investors, technology leaders, and the general public - from both OECD and emerging economies. The symposium was organised around expert talks and discussions on issues, such as the role of research funding portfolios; intellectual property frameworks; private-sector and industry investments; patents and publications; venture capital; public-private partnerships; state and local initiatives; international co-operation; and development metrics for nanotechnology. In addition to plenary talks, sector-specific breakout sessions were organised in transport and aerospace, nanomedicine, electronics, energy, materials, and food and food packaging. This synthesis report aims to summarise the discussions and key messages from the symposium. It also draws on four background reports that were developed for the symposium: - Challenges for Governments in Evaluating Return on Investment from Nanotechnology and its Broader Economic Impact, by Eleanor O'Rourke and Mark Morrison, Institute of Nanotechnology, United Kingdom - Finance and Investor Models in Nanotechnology, by Tom Crawley, Pekka Koponen, Lauri Tolvas and Terhi Marttila, Spinverse, Finland - The Economic Contributions of Nanotechnology to Green and Sustainable Growth, by Philip Shapira and Jan Youtie; University of Manchester, UK; Arizona State University, USA; and Georgia Institute of Technology, USA - Models, Tools and Metrics Available to Assess the Economic Impact of Nanotechnology,by Katherine Bojczcuk and Ben Walsh, Oakdene Hollins, United Kingdom The report was developed by Marie-Ange Baucher and Richard Scott from the OECD and Chris Cannizzaro, Stacey Standridge, Elizabeth Nesbitt, and Tarek Fadel from the NNI. The OECD and NNI are grateful to those who gave their time to review this report. The report does not necessarily represent the views of the NNI, the OECD, the AAAS; a consensus among participants; or the views of the sponsoring organisation, the National Science Foundation

Development of an Industrial Environmental Index to Assess the Sustainability of Industrial Solvent-Based Processes

In light of the constant increase in global temperatures, increasing risks associated with climate change, and stricter environmental policies, societies are at a crossroad where sound environmental decisions need to be taken. This is particularly applicable to the chemical industry where the sustainability of processes is all the more relevant to decision-making. This article supports the development of a holistic industrial environmental index (IEI) to assess the sustainability of industrial solvent-based processes. Several metrics are reviewed to individually assess particular aspects of the process in terms of materials, equipment, energy, environmental health and safety (EHS) considerations, and the product’s entire life cycle. The metrics are later used to support the development of an aggregate and holistic IEI using a composite indicator method. The developed methodology and framework can pave the way for environmentally sound decision-making in industries and spark the development of dedicated assessment indices similar to IEI that can be applied to a wide array of other industries

Nebivolol for Improving Endothelial Dysfunction, Pulmonary Vascular Remodeling, and Right Heart Function in Pulmonary Hypertension

International audienceEndothelial cell (EC) dysfunction plays a central role in the pathogenesis of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), promoting vasoconstriction, smooth muscle proliferation, and inflammation