First and last and always: Streetwork as a methodology for radical community social work practice.

This conceptual paper aims to introduce and explore the practice of social streetwork. Streetwork is located as a historical professional discourse that has contemporary relevance fora rapidly changing and globalised world. Streetwork as a practice discourse occurs across a range of community based helping professions including social work, youth work and community work. The social work profession is increasingly becoming clinical and situated within statutory organisations placing a greater emphasis on outcome based targets, rather than building relationships; and as a result of austerity, traditional youth workers are becoming invisible, often moving into statutory education settings and complex needs welfare agencies. This paper will argue that for the broad helping professions to remain relevant we must engage with vulnerable and complex populations where we find them: at a street level - promoting a direct practice of social justice at a micro level. Within this discussion, we will define and explore a streetwork approach by examining the methodologies and objectives of street work practice. We will argue that by keeping to its origins of using informal and non-formal education as its primary tools, street work as an intervention works to combat poverty, social exclusion and discrimination. The paper articulates a foundation for practice based on the promotion of low threshold interventions with complex and hard to reach social populations. One of the key themes we will explore is how to locate streetwork practice as a form of social support, accompaniment and as a tool for promoting social inclusion and social democracy

Sensitivity to forecast surface mass balance outweighs sensitivity to basal sliding descriptions for 21st century mass loss from three major Greenland outlet glaciers

\ua9 2024 Copernicus Publications. All rights reserved.The Greenland Ice Sheet contributed 10.6 mm to global sea level rise between 1992 and 2018, and it is projected to be the largest glacial contributor to sea level rise by 2100. Here we assess the relative importance of two major sources of uncertainty in 21st century ice loss projections: (1) the choice of sliding law and (2) the surface mass balance (SMB) forecast. Specifically, we used the ice flow model aa to conduct an ensemble of runs for 48 combinations of sliding law and SMB forecast for three major Greenland outlet glaciers (Kangerlussuaq (KG), Humboldt (HU) and Petermann (PG) glaciers) with differing characteristics and evaluated how the sensitivity to these factors varied between the study glaciers. Overall, our results show that SMB forecasts were responsible for 4.45 mm of the variability in sea level rise by 2100 compared with 0.33 mm sea level equivalent (SLE) due to sliding law. HU had the largest absolute contribution to sea level rise and the largest range (2.16-7.96 mm SLE), followed by PG (0.84-5.42 mm SLE), and these glaciers showed similar patterns of ice loss across the SMB forecasts and sliding laws. KG had the lowest range and absolute values (-0.60 to 3.45 mm SLE) of sea level rise, and the magnitude of mass loss by SMB forecast differed markedly between HU and PG. Our results highlight SMB forecasts as a key focus for improving estimates of Greenland\u27s contribution to 21st century sea level rise

Sedimentation, re-sedimentation and chronologies in archaeologically-important caves: problems and prospects

Excavations in the photic zones of caves have provided cornerstone archaeological sequences in many parts of the world. Before the appearance of modern dating techniques, cave deposits provided clear evidence for the antiquity, relative ages and co-occurrence of ancient human remains, material culture and fauna. Earlier generations of archaeologists had generally rather limited understanding of taphonomic and depositional processes, but the twentieth century saw considerable improvement in excavation and analytical techniques. The advent of modern dating and chronological methodologies offers very powerful tools for the analysis of cave fill deposits and this has resulted in the recognition of chronological incoherence in parts of some sites, with consequent re-evaluation of previous archaeological disputes. Obtaining multiple dates per context provides a means to assess the integrity and coherence of the archaeological and environmental records from cave fills. In the case of the Haua Fteah (Libya), this technique allowed the recognition of chronological coherence in low-energy depositional environments and limited recycling in high-energy contexts. We provide a conceptual model of the relationship between recycling, sedimentation rate and process energy. High-resolution investigation enables recognition of the complexity of the formation of cave sequences, thus an increasingly sophisticated understanding of human behaviour and environmental relationships in the past, and potentially gives a new life to old data

Sedimentation, re-sedimentation and chronologies in archaeologically-important caves: problems and prospects

Excavations in the photic zones of caves have provided cornerstone archaeological sequences in many parts of the world. Before the appearance of modern dating techniques, cave deposits provided clear evidence for the antiquity, relative ages and co-occurrence of ancient human remains, material culture and fauna. Earlier generations of archaeologists had generally rather limited understanding of taphonomic and depositional processes, but the twentieth century saw considerable improvement in excavation and analytical techniques. The advent of modern dating and chronological methodologies offers very powerful tools for the analysis of cave fill deposits and this has resulted in the recognition of chronological incoherence in parts of some sites, with consequent re-evaluation of previous archaeological disputes. Obtaining multiple dates per context provides a means to assess the integrity and coherence of the archaeological and environmental records from cave fills. In the case of the Haua Fteah (Libya), this technique allowed the recognition of chronological coherence in low-energy depositional environments and limited recycling in high-energy contexts. We provide a conceptual model of the relationship between recycling, sedimentation rate and process energy. High-resolution investigation enables recognition of the complexity of the formation of cave sequences, thus an increasingly sophisticated understanding of human behaviour and environmental relationships in the past, and potentially gives a new life to old data

Post transition metal substituted Keggin POMs as thin film chemiresistive sensors for H2O and CO2 detection

Chemiresitive sensing allows the affordable and facile detection of small molecules such as H2O and CO2. Herein, we report a novel class of earth abundant post transition metal substituted Keggin polyoxometalates (POMs) for chemiresistive sensing applications, with conductivies up to 0.01 S cm-1 under 100% CO2 and 65% Relative Humidity (RH)

Mollusk carbonate thermal behaviour and its implications in understanding prehistoric fire events in shell middens

Archaeological shell middens are particularly important for reconstructing prehistoric human subsistence strategies. However, very little is known about shellfish processing, especially when related to the use of fire for dietary and disposal purposes. To shed light on prehistoric food processing techniques, an experimental study was undertaken on modern gastropod shells (Phorcus lineatus). The shells were exposed to high temperatures (200-700 °C) to investigate subsequent mineralogy and macro- and microstructural changes. Afterwards, the three-pronged approach was applied to archaeological shells from Haua Fteah cave, Libya (Phorcus turbinatus) and from shell midden sites in the United Arab Emirates (Anadara uropigimelana and Terebralia palustris) to determine exposure temperatures. Results indicated that shells from the Haua Fteah were exposed to high temperatures (600 - 700 °C) during the Mesolithic period (c. 12.7 - 9 ka), whereas specimens from the Neolithic period (c. 8.5 - 5.4 ka) were mainly exposed to lower temperatures (300 - 500 °C). The thermally-induced changes in A. uropigimelana and T. palustris shells from the South East Arabian archaeological sites were similar to those seen in Phorcus spp. suggesting a broad applicability of the experimental results at an interspecific level. Although heat significantly altered the appearance and mineralogy of the shells, 14CAMS ages obtained on burnt shells fit within the expected age ranges for their associated archaeological contexts, indicating that robust radiocarbon ages may still be obtained from burnt shells. Our study indicates that the combination of microstructural and mineralogical observations can provide important information to infer shellfish processing strategies in prehistoric cultures and their change through time.Funding for this study was kindly provided by the EU within the framework (FP7) of the Marie Curie International Training Network ARAMACC (604802) to SM and by the Alexander von Humboldt Postdoctoral Fellowship (1151310) and McKenzie Postdoctoral Fellowship to AP. The Haua Fteah excavations were undertaken with the permission of the Libyan Department of Antiquities and with funding to GB from the Society for Libyan Studies and from the European Research Council (Advanced Investigator Grant 230421), whose support is also gratefully acknowledge

Evidence for a decline in the population density of Antarctic krill Euphausia superba Dana still stands. A comment on Cox et al

Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba Dana, 1850) exemplifies the key role of marine crustaceans in fisheries, foodwebs, and biogeochemical cycles. Ecological understanding and policy decisions require information on population trends. We have therefore worked with international colleagues to publish KRILLBASE, a database of fishery-independent krill population information for every decade since the 1970s. These data were used by Cox et al. (2018) who dispute the evidence for a late twentieth-century decline in krill density (number per unit area) in the Southwest Atlantic sector of the Southern Ocean and claim to overturn “much of recent thinking about climate-driven change in krill populations.” They support this claim with an analysis which reaffirms one non-significant result from an earlier paper but does not challenge the five significant results from that paper or those of other studies which support a decline. In this comment we examine the methods which led Cox and coauthors to conclude that krill density has been stable over the last 40 years. Although these authors provide a potentially useful approach, we show that their analysis was biased by the exclusion of usable net types, the inclusion of negatively biased data and down-weighting of high densities in the early part of the analysis period, the absence of recent data from the north of the sector, and a lack of statistical hypothesis testing. These factors maximise the chances of failure to detect a real decline. To aid future analyses we provide recommendations to supplement those which accompany KRILLBASE. We also suggest the need for consensus scientific advice on krill population dynamics based on agreed standards of evidence, evaluation of uncertainty, and a thorough understanding of the data. This will be more useful to policy makers and other stakeholders than polarised opinions. Meanwhile, the evidence for a decline in krill density still stands

We are all one together : peer educators\u27 views about falls prevention education for community-dwelling older adults - a qualitative study

Background: Falls are common in older people. Despite strong evidence for effective falls prevention strategies, there appears to be limited translation of these strategies from research to clinical practice. Use of peers in delivering falls prevention education messages has been proposed to improve uptake of falls prevention strategies and facilitate translation to practice. Volunteer peer educators often deliver educational presentations on falls prevention to community-dwelling older adults. However, research evaluating the effectiveness of peer-led education approaches in falls prevention has been limited and no known study has evaluated such a program from the perspective of peer educators involved in delivering the message. The purpose of this study was to explore peer educators’ perspective about their role in delivering peer-led falls prevention education for community-dwelling older adults. Methods: A two-stage qualitative inductive constant comparative design was used.In stage one (core component) focus group interviews involving a total of eleven participants were conducted. During stage two (supplementary component) semi-structured interviews with two participants were conducted. Data were analysed thematically by two researchers independently. Key themes were identified and findings were displayed in a conceptual framework. Results: Peer educators were motivated to deliver educational presentations and importantly, to reach an optimal peer connection with their audience. Key themes identified included both personal and organisational factors that impact on educators’ capacity to facilitate their peers’ engagement with the message. Personal factors that facilitated message delivery and engagement included peer-to-peer connection and perceived credibility, while barriers included a reluctance to accept the message that they were at risk of falling by some members in the audience. Organisational factors, including ongoing training for peer educators and formative feedback following presentations, were perceived as essential because they affect successful message delivery. Conclusions: Peer educators have the potential to effectively deliver falls prevention education to older adults and influence acceptance of the message as they possess the peer-to-peer connection that facilitates optimal engagement. There is a need to consider incorporating learnings from this research into a formal large scale evaluation of the effectiveness of the peer education approach in reducing falls in older adults

Associations between reliable changes in depression and changes in BMI, total body fatness and visceral adiposity during a 12-month weight loss trial.

We investigated associations between changes in depression and body composition over a 12-month weight loss trial. Of the 298 adults (BMI > 27 m/kg2), 219 with complete depression and body composition data were included. A 10-item Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale measured depression; dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry measured body composition. Multinomial logistic regression predicted reliable changes in depression by BMI, body fat (BF) and visceral adiposity (VAT). Multiplicative interaction terms tested modification by sex and ethnicity. Participants with increases in body composition were less likely to experience improvements in depression (BMI: RRR = 0.79 (0.68-0.91), p < 0.01; BF: RRR = 0.97 (0.94 - 0.99), p = 0.01; VAT: RRR = 0.99 (0.98-1.00), p = 0.02), but not worsening of depression (BMI: RRR = 1.29 (0.96-1.73), p = 0.10; BF: RRR = 1.04 (0.99-1.09), p = 0.15; VAT: RRR = 1.01 (1.00-1.03), p = 0.18). Sex and ethnicity interaction terms were not significant. However, the relationship was only significant among females, among non-Latinos for BMI and BF, and among Latinos for VAT. Our study supports the association between depression and obesity and highlights the need for longitudinal studies investigating VAT and depression in diverse ethnic groups

"Why not bathe the baby today?": A qualitative study of thermal care beliefs and practices in four African sites

BACKGROUND: Recommendations for care in the first week of a newborn's life include thermal care practices such as drying and wrapping, skin to skin contact, immediate breastfeeding and delayed bathing. This paper examines beliefs and practices related to neonatal thermal care in three African countries. METHODS: Data were collected in the same way in each site and included 16-20 narrative interviews with recent mothers, eight observations of neonatal bathing, and in-depth interviews with 12-16 mothers, 9-12 grandmothers, eight health workers and 0-12 birth attendants in each site. RESULTS: We found similarities across sites in relation to understanding the importance of warmth, a lack of opportunities for skin to skin care, beliefs about the importance of several baths per day and beliefs that the Vernix caseosa was related to poor maternal behaviours. There was variation between sites in beliefs and practices around wrapping and drying after delivery, and the timing of the first bath with recent behavior change in some sites. There was near universal early bathing of babies in both Nigerian sites. This was linked to a deep-rooted belief about body odour. When asked about keeping the baby warm, respondents across the sites rarely mentioned recommended thermal care practices, suggesting that these are not perceived as salient. CONCLUSION: More effort is needed to promote appropriate thermal care practices both in facilities and at home. Programmers should be aware that changing deep rooted practices, such as early bathing in Nigeria, may take time and should utilize the current beliefs in the importance of neonatal warmth to facilitate behaviour change